02-28-2007, 08:37 AM
March Madness Eve
The Date:
Happy March Madness Eve. Tomorrow starts the month long holiday known to the basketball fan as March Madness, marked by rivalries, confererence tournaments, Selection Sunday, and of course, the Big Dance. For UAB, especially in the Sun Belt years, some of the madness of March bled over into February. On this date, February 28, UAB won two of their four Sun Belt Conference Tournaments. Overall, the Blazers are 6-1 on this date. Four of those games were in Sun Belt Tournaments. UAB has played only one true road game on this date in 1996, a loss at Tulane by the score of 60-58.
UAB vs. VCU (Sun Belt Tournament Championship) February 28, 1982
On this date in 1982, the Blazers faced off against their arch enemy, Virginia Commonwealth in the Sun Belt Tournament Championship, held that year in Birmingham. This was the third straight years that the two teams had faced off in the championship game, but VCU had won the first two championship games. This was the first year that the tournament had been held in Birmingham. The year before the tournament had been in Jacksonville, and the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce had sold out the tournament. However, only half of the people showed up at any of the games. It had been worse in Charlotte in 1980 when the total attendance for the three day tournament was only 12,000 people. Because of UAB’s fan support, the attendance was much better in Birmingham with attendance records being broken, and a total three day attendance of 29,079. The Sun Belt Tournament would be played in Birmingham four out of the next five years.
UAB had made it to the championship game by getting a first round bye and defeating South Florida 66-56. This time would be different however, as the Blazers won 94-83 over VCU. The Blazers were led by Oliver Robinson who scored 24 points. Oliver would score 47 points in UAB’s two tournament games and be named Most Valuable Player in addition to the Player of the Year honor he had just received. To celebrate his awards and the championship, he closed his game with an overhead reverse slam dunk, delivered with a grin with four seconds to go in the game. Joining him on the All Conference team were Chris Giles, who had 16 points, 10 assists and 8 rebounds in the championship, and Craig Lane who had 16 points and seven rebounds.
UAB vs. Western Kentucky (Sun Belt Championship game) February 28, 1987
The second championship game played on this date occurred in twenty years ago today in 1987 when UAB played Western Kentucky for the Sun Belt Championship in Bowling Green, Kentucky. UAB had made it to the championship game by beating South Alabama in the first round and Jacksonville in the semi finals. The championship game pitted the Blazers against the regular season champs, Western Kentucky who had a very impressive record of 29-9.
Two weeks earlier, the Blazers had lost three games in a row, and the string of NCAA appearances for UAB seemed to be in jeopardy. However, they had begun a turnaround, which included a victory over Western Kentucky the previous Saturday in Birmingham. Despite being the home team in the tournament, Western Kentucky had struggled to a two point win over Old Dominion and then a double overtime win over Charlotte.
The Hilltoppers were not struggling as the game opened. They hit six of eight field goals in the first 5 ½ minutes and at the 12 minute mark, Western Kentucky were shooting a sizzling 70% from the field. UAB, however, was shooting only 35% in the first 10 minutes of the game. Finally, UAB found their mark, and in the final seven minutes of the first half, the Blazers hit 6 of 11 shots narrowed Western’s lead to one point. The halftime score was Western Kentucky 33, UAB 32.
In the second half, fatigue began to set in for the Hilltoppers and the Blazers took the lead three minutes into the second half. UAB never relinquished the lead as Western Kentucky tried to catch up by shooting and missing three point shots. Meantime, the Blazers made their free throws and won the game going away 72-60. Just as Oliver Robinson put an exclamation point on the game with a statement-making dunk in the 1982 game, Michael Charles closed this game in 1987 with a thunderous dunk at the buzzer. Tracy Foster was the leading scorer with 23 points, to go with the 28 points he had in the semi final win over Jacksonville. He was named Most Valuable Player, having scored 59 points in three games. Best of all, a team that two weeks ago did not look like it had enough in them left to make the NCAA tournament, had now won the automatic bid to the Big Dance. Sadly, this was the last conference tournament UAB has won.
The Opponent:
After UAB’s loss earlier this season to Southern Miss, ending a four game winning streak, the Blazers are now 16-9 verses the Golden Eagles. UAB is 5-5 in Hattiesburg.
UAB @ Southern Miss – February 18, 2006
The last time UAB traveled to Hattiesburg, they made history with the biggest win ever on the road for the Blazers. UAB defeated Southern Miss by the score of 87-50. The 37 point win was the biggest road win ever, bypassing a 104-70 (34 points) win at Houston in 1998.
The win was a result of the Blazers fast start at the beginning of the game. They made five three point shots in the first ten minutes of the game, and by halftime, UAB had scored as many three point shots (six) as Southern Miss had made from the field. UAB shot 60% in the first half, making, making 15 out of 25 shots. The Blazers led at halftime by 19 points.
In the second half, UAB quickly pushed the lead out to 27 points in just four minutes as Marvett McDonald hit two three point shots and Lawrence Kinnard and Frank Holmes each hit jumpers. The score was 53-27 at the 16:06 mark. UAB kept its relentless pressure defense going, and continued to push the lead farther out of reach. With 5:43 left, Roderick Ollie hit a three point shot to give the Blazers a 40 point lead at 78-38. They even led by 42 points on three different occasions, but the final score of 87-50 was enough to make history. Marvett McDonald led all scorers with 20 points in just 22 minutes of play. Wen Mukubu added 12 points
The Date:
Happy March Madness Eve. Tomorrow starts the month long holiday known to the basketball fan as March Madness, marked by rivalries, confererence tournaments, Selection Sunday, and of course, the Big Dance. For UAB, especially in the Sun Belt years, some of the madness of March bled over into February. On this date, February 28, UAB won two of their four Sun Belt Conference Tournaments. Overall, the Blazers are 6-1 on this date. Four of those games were in Sun Belt Tournaments. UAB has played only one true road game on this date in 1996, a loss at Tulane by the score of 60-58.
UAB vs. VCU (Sun Belt Tournament Championship) February 28, 1982
On this date in 1982, the Blazers faced off against their arch enemy, Virginia Commonwealth in the Sun Belt Tournament Championship, held that year in Birmingham. This was the third straight years that the two teams had faced off in the championship game, but VCU had won the first two championship games. This was the first year that the tournament had been held in Birmingham. The year before the tournament had been in Jacksonville, and the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce had sold out the tournament. However, only half of the people showed up at any of the games. It had been worse in Charlotte in 1980 when the total attendance for the three day tournament was only 12,000 people. Because of UAB’s fan support, the attendance was much better in Birmingham with attendance records being broken, and a total three day attendance of 29,079. The Sun Belt Tournament would be played in Birmingham four out of the next five years.
UAB had made it to the championship game by getting a first round bye and defeating South Florida 66-56. This time would be different however, as the Blazers won 94-83 over VCU. The Blazers were led by Oliver Robinson who scored 24 points. Oliver would score 47 points in UAB’s two tournament games and be named Most Valuable Player in addition to the Player of the Year honor he had just received. To celebrate his awards and the championship, he closed his game with an overhead reverse slam dunk, delivered with a grin with four seconds to go in the game. Joining him on the All Conference team were Chris Giles, who had 16 points, 10 assists and 8 rebounds in the championship, and Craig Lane who had 16 points and seven rebounds.
UAB vs. Western Kentucky (Sun Belt Championship game) February 28, 1987
The second championship game played on this date occurred in twenty years ago today in 1987 when UAB played Western Kentucky for the Sun Belt Championship in Bowling Green, Kentucky. UAB had made it to the championship game by beating South Alabama in the first round and Jacksonville in the semi finals. The championship game pitted the Blazers against the regular season champs, Western Kentucky who had a very impressive record of 29-9.
Two weeks earlier, the Blazers had lost three games in a row, and the string of NCAA appearances for UAB seemed to be in jeopardy. However, they had begun a turnaround, which included a victory over Western Kentucky the previous Saturday in Birmingham. Despite being the home team in the tournament, Western Kentucky had struggled to a two point win over Old Dominion and then a double overtime win over Charlotte.
The Hilltoppers were not struggling as the game opened. They hit six of eight field goals in the first 5 ½ minutes and at the 12 minute mark, Western Kentucky were shooting a sizzling 70% from the field. UAB, however, was shooting only 35% in the first 10 minutes of the game. Finally, UAB found their mark, and in the final seven minutes of the first half, the Blazers hit 6 of 11 shots narrowed Western’s lead to one point. The halftime score was Western Kentucky 33, UAB 32.
In the second half, fatigue began to set in for the Hilltoppers and the Blazers took the lead three minutes into the second half. UAB never relinquished the lead as Western Kentucky tried to catch up by shooting and missing three point shots. Meantime, the Blazers made their free throws and won the game going away 72-60. Just as Oliver Robinson put an exclamation point on the game with a statement-making dunk in the 1982 game, Michael Charles closed this game in 1987 with a thunderous dunk at the buzzer. Tracy Foster was the leading scorer with 23 points, to go with the 28 points he had in the semi final win over Jacksonville. He was named Most Valuable Player, having scored 59 points in three games. Best of all, a team that two weeks ago did not look like it had enough in them left to make the NCAA tournament, had now won the automatic bid to the Big Dance. Sadly, this was the last conference tournament UAB has won.
The Opponent:
After UAB’s loss earlier this season to Southern Miss, ending a four game winning streak, the Blazers are now 16-9 verses the Golden Eagles. UAB is 5-5 in Hattiesburg.
UAB @ Southern Miss – February 18, 2006
The last time UAB traveled to Hattiesburg, they made history with the biggest win ever on the road for the Blazers. UAB defeated Southern Miss by the score of 87-50. The 37 point win was the biggest road win ever, bypassing a 104-70 (34 points) win at Houston in 1998.
The win was a result of the Blazers fast start at the beginning of the game. They made five three point shots in the first ten minutes of the game, and by halftime, UAB had scored as many three point shots (six) as Southern Miss had made from the field. UAB shot 60% in the first half, making, making 15 out of 25 shots. The Blazers led at halftime by 19 points.
In the second half, UAB quickly pushed the lead out to 27 points in just four minutes as Marvett McDonald hit two three point shots and Lawrence Kinnard and Frank Holmes each hit jumpers. The score was 53-27 at the 16:06 mark. UAB kept its relentless pressure defense going, and continued to push the lead farther out of reach. With 5:43 left, Roderick Ollie hit a three point shot to give the Blazers a 40 point lead at 78-38. They even led by 42 points on three different occasions, but the final score of 87-50 was enough to make history. Marvett McDonald led all scorers with 20 points in just 22 minutes of play. Wen Mukubu added 12 points
