02-08-2007, 08:34 AM
More Memphis Wins
The Date:
February 8 has been game day for the Blazers on nine occasions. UAB is 6-3 on this date, losing our first game to South Alabama in 1979 and the last two games played this date in 2003 to Tulane and last year to UTEP. The Blazers need a victory tonight to avoid losing three straight games on this date. UAB is 5-1 on this date, with Tulane being the only loss at home in 2003.
The good news is that two of wins on this date are against the Memphis Tigers. The Blazers defeated Memphis on this date in 1998 and in 2002.
UAB vs. Memphis – February 8, 1998
On February 8, 1998, the Tigers traveled to Birmingham to take on the 18-8 Blazers. Memphis was 12-7 and 7-1 in CUSA play. The Blazers were 5-4 in conference play, but had lost four of its last five games. Memphis had won 6 of its last 7 games.
This was a sloppy game for the Blazers. They had 15 turnovers in the first half and 23 for the game. However, they shot 53% from three point range to keep them in the game. The Tigers took a 9-8 early lead and Omar Sneed for the Tigers had seven of their nine points. However, Sneed did not score again until the second half. UAB took the lead less than five minutes into the game on a pair of Cedric Dixon free throws and never trailed again. The Blazers led by 6 or 8 points the entire second half, and pulled out to a 14 point lead before the Tigers made a couple of three point shots down the stretch. The Blazers won the game 88-77 before a late night (9pm CST) ESPN audience. Cedric Dixon finished the game with 22 points and Fred Williams had 21 for UAB.
UAB vs. Memphis – February 8, 2002
On this date in 2002, the Blazers were still smarting from a beat down they had received at Memphis just 16 days earlier when the Tigers mangled the Blazers 102-81 in the Pyramid on January 23. The Blazers had tried to run with the Tigers and lost. John Calipari had retored “We were running and they were getting cramps”
By the time Memphis returned the game to Birmingham, they were 20-4 and 10-0 in conference and had won 14 of their last 15 games. The Blazers, in Murry Bartow’s last year was 10-12 and 3-6 in conference. For this game, even Murry knew that UAB was going to have to slow the game down to have a chance at victory.
Murry’s team was starting to unravel at the seams. PJ Arnold did not show up for the game until 30 minutes before tipoff and did not play in the game against his hometown team. He had played five minutes or less in four of the past nine games despite starting and being the leading scorer earlier in the season. The starting slot went to freshman Jeff Collins who was getting his first start. He made the most of his debut start, scoring 12 points, five rebounds and three assists, while holding Dejuan Wagner to 6 of 23 shooting.
The Blazers never trailed in this game. They took an early 12-4 lead and then just ran the clock. The Tigers were playing without Kelly Wise, their center, which enabled Will Campbell to score 14 points and grab 14 rebounds. He scored six points in a 10-3 run that gave the Blazers a 22-10 lead midway through the first half. The Blazers cooled off and made only five of their final 16 shots of the half, and held a slim 30-26 lead at halftime.
With 14:44 left in the game, the Blazers led by two, 37-35. However, Memphis, who only shot 22.9% in the second half and 30% for the game, went cold, and the Blazers outscored them 27-11 the rest of the way. UAB won by 18 points, 64-46 and was led in scoring by Mo Finley who had 19 points. It was the first conference loss by the Tigers, and this game would start a three game losing streak for them, and they lost three of their next five, costing them a slot in the NCAA tournament that year.
The Opponent:
After the loss in January, the Blazers are 10-23 against Memphis. UAB has lost to Memphis more than any other team we have ever played. The Blazers have won three of the last four games against the Tigers in Birmingham. This year, in Today In Blazer History, we have looked at four wins by the Blazers over Memphis, coincidentally, all played on the same date as this years games. Let’s look at one more:
UAB vs. Memphis - March 2, 2006
The Memphis Tigers came to Birmingham on March 2, 2006 with a record of 26-2 and undefeated in conference at 12-0. They were ranked third in the country and were 10-0 on the road. The Tigers were looking for a #1 seed in the upcoming NCAA tournament. UAB was looking for an invitation. An announced crowd of 8500 was at Bartow, although there may have been more since 1000 Standing Room Only tickets were sold. The heat was turned up in Bartow Arena (literally) for the hottest game of the year.
The game could not have started better for the Blazers as Frank Holmes tipped the opening jumpball to Squeaky Johnson, who dribbled down and drained a three pointer. UAB had a three point lead in the first seven seconds of the game. Memphis was unfazed by UAB’s quick start and answered with two quick baskets to take a 4-3 lead. There were five lead changes in the first 3 ½ minutes and the game was tied at 12 at the first media timeout. Memphis pulled out ahead on a couple of Joey Dorsey dunks and several free throws by the Tigers to go on a 11-1 run. The Tigers led by 10 at 33-23 over the Blazers with 7:50 to go in the half. However, the Blazers caught fire on a couple of Marvett McDonald threes and would outscore the Tigers 23-7 the rest of the half. The Blazers took a 46-40 lead to the locker room.
In the second half, the Tigers, led by Darius Washington went on a 11-2 run to take the lead with 53-52 with 15:42 to go in the game. The Blazers answered with a 7-0 run and led 59-53 with 13:58 to go. Darius Washington scored 7 of his team’s 10 points as the Tigers surged out to a 66-62 lead on a 13-3 run. A Squeaky Johnson three and basket by Frank Holmes cut the Tiger lead to one point at 68-67 with 8:25 left in the game.
Then a strange thing happen. Both teams stopped scoring. Both teams went 4:20 without scoring a basket. UAB broke the drought and took the lead on two Paul Delaney free throws with 4:05 left, but Memphis failed to score for more than eight minutes. The Blazers went on a 9-0 run and before Memphis found the basket again. Despite two baskets by Memphis with under a minute to go, UAB hit six straight free throws in the final 30 seconds to hold off the Tigers and beat the #3 team in the country by the score of 80-74. As the final horn sounded and Squeaky Johnson heaved the ball straight up into the air, the fans rushed the court in celebration. The only team in the country who had not lost a road game had just lost in a very hostile arena and the Blazers had that quality win that assured an invitation to their third straight NCAA tournament. The Blazers were led by Marvett McDonald with 17 points and Frank Holmes had 15 points.
The Date:
February 8 has been game day for the Blazers on nine occasions. UAB is 6-3 on this date, losing our first game to South Alabama in 1979 and the last two games played this date in 2003 to Tulane and last year to UTEP. The Blazers need a victory tonight to avoid losing three straight games on this date. UAB is 5-1 on this date, with Tulane being the only loss at home in 2003.
The good news is that two of wins on this date are against the Memphis Tigers. The Blazers defeated Memphis on this date in 1998 and in 2002.
UAB vs. Memphis – February 8, 1998
On February 8, 1998, the Tigers traveled to Birmingham to take on the 18-8 Blazers. Memphis was 12-7 and 7-1 in CUSA play. The Blazers were 5-4 in conference play, but had lost four of its last five games. Memphis had won 6 of its last 7 games.
This was a sloppy game for the Blazers. They had 15 turnovers in the first half and 23 for the game. However, they shot 53% from three point range to keep them in the game. The Tigers took a 9-8 early lead and Omar Sneed for the Tigers had seven of their nine points. However, Sneed did not score again until the second half. UAB took the lead less than five minutes into the game on a pair of Cedric Dixon free throws and never trailed again. The Blazers led by 6 or 8 points the entire second half, and pulled out to a 14 point lead before the Tigers made a couple of three point shots down the stretch. The Blazers won the game 88-77 before a late night (9pm CST) ESPN audience. Cedric Dixon finished the game with 22 points and Fred Williams had 21 for UAB.
UAB vs. Memphis – February 8, 2002
On this date in 2002, the Blazers were still smarting from a beat down they had received at Memphis just 16 days earlier when the Tigers mangled the Blazers 102-81 in the Pyramid on January 23. The Blazers had tried to run with the Tigers and lost. John Calipari had retored “We were running and they were getting cramps”
By the time Memphis returned the game to Birmingham, they were 20-4 and 10-0 in conference and had won 14 of their last 15 games. The Blazers, in Murry Bartow’s last year was 10-12 and 3-6 in conference. For this game, even Murry knew that UAB was going to have to slow the game down to have a chance at victory.
Murry’s team was starting to unravel at the seams. PJ Arnold did not show up for the game until 30 minutes before tipoff and did not play in the game against his hometown team. He had played five minutes or less in four of the past nine games despite starting and being the leading scorer earlier in the season. The starting slot went to freshman Jeff Collins who was getting his first start. He made the most of his debut start, scoring 12 points, five rebounds and three assists, while holding Dejuan Wagner to 6 of 23 shooting.
The Blazers never trailed in this game. They took an early 12-4 lead and then just ran the clock. The Tigers were playing without Kelly Wise, their center, which enabled Will Campbell to score 14 points and grab 14 rebounds. He scored six points in a 10-3 run that gave the Blazers a 22-10 lead midway through the first half. The Blazers cooled off and made only five of their final 16 shots of the half, and held a slim 30-26 lead at halftime.
With 14:44 left in the game, the Blazers led by two, 37-35. However, Memphis, who only shot 22.9% in the second half and 30% for the game, went cold, and the Blazers outscored them 27-11 the rest of the way. UAB won by 18 points, 64-46 and was led in scoring by Mo Finley who had 19 points. It was the first conference loss by the Tigers, and this game would start a three game losing streak for them, and they lost three of their next five, costing them a slot in the NCAA tournament that year.
The Opponent:
After the loss in January, the Blazers are 10-23 against Memphis. UAB has lost to Memphis more than any other team we have ever played. The Blazers have won three of the last four games against the Tigers in Birmingham. This year, in Today In Blazer History, we have looked at four wins by the Blazers over Memphis, coincidentally, all played on the same date as this years games. Let’s look at one more:
UAB vs. Memphis - March 2, 2006
The Memphis Tigers came to Birmingham on March 2, 2006 with a record of 26-2 and undefeated in conference at 12-0. They were ranked third in the country and were 10-0 on the road. The Tigers were looking for a #1 seed in the upcoming NCAA tournament. UAB was looking for an invitation. An announced crowd of 8500 was at Bartow, although there may have been more since 1000 Standing Room Only tickets were sold. The heat was turned up in Bartow Arena (literally) for the hottest game of the year.
The game could not have started better for the Blazers as Frank Holmes tipped the opening jumpball to Squeaky Johnson, who dribbled down and drained a three pointer. UAB had a three point lead in the first seven seconds of the game. Memphis was unfazed by UAB’s quick start and answered with two quick baskets to take a 4-3 lead. There were five lead changes in the first 3 ½ minutes and the game was tied at 12 at the first media timeout. Memphis pulled out ahead on a couple of Joey Dorsey dunks and several free throws by the Tigers to go on a 11-1 run. The Tigers led by 10 at 33-23 over the Blazers with 7:50 to go in the half. However, the Blazers caught fire on a couple of Marvett McDonald threes and would outscore the Tigers 23-7 the rest of the half. The Blazers took a 46-40 lead to the locker room.
In the second half, the Tigers, led by Darius Washington went on a 11-2 run to take the lead with 53-52 with 15:42 to go in the game. The Blazers answered with a 7-0 run and led 59-53 with 13:58 to go. Darius Washington scored 7 of his team’s 10 points as the Tigers surged out to a 66-62 lead on a 13-3 run. A Squeaky Johnson three and basket by Frank Holmes cut the Tiger lead to one point at 68-67 with 8:25 left in the game.
Then a strange thing happen. Both teams stopped scoring. Both teams went 4:20 without scoring a basket. UAB broke the drought and took the lead on two Paul Delaney free throws with 4:05 left, but Memphis failed to score for more than eight minutes. The Blazers went on a 9-0 run and before Memphis found the basket again. Despite two baskets by Memphis with under a minute to go, UAB hit six straight free throws in the final 30 seconds to hold off the Tigers and beat the #3 team in the country by the score of 80-74. As the final horn sounded and Squeaky Johnson heaved the ball straight up into the air, the fans rushed the court in celebration. The only team in the country who had not lost a road game had just lost in a very hostile arena and the Blazers had that quality win that assured an invitation to their third straight NCAA tournament. The Blazers were led by Marvett McDonald with 17 points and Frank Holmes had 15 points.
