03-07-2007, 09:52 AM
A Repeat of 2003?
The Date:
The Blazers are 2-1 in games played on March 7. Two of the games were played in the Conference USA tournament. Today we will look at those games.
UAB vs. Charlotte 3/7/1997
The Blazers lost a heartbreaker on this date in 1997 in the Conference USA tournament in St. Louis, Missouri. After defeating Houston in the first round and upsetting #2 seed Tulane in the quarter finals, UAB took on Charlotte, who was the #3 seed. Playing its third game in three days, UAB was down by ten at halftime. In the second half, led by three pointers by Damon Cobb, the Blazers came back, but poor shooting doomed them. They got the game within one possession, but could not take the lead, losing 67-65. Charlotte would lose the next day in the championship game to Marquette. The Blazers would earn an NIT bid, but lose in the first round to TCU, a non-conference team at the time.
UAB vs. Louisville 3/7/2001
Better results occurred in 2001 when UAB played Louisville in the first round of the CUSA tournament. The tournament was played at Freedom Hall. It was a strange situation for the Cardinals, as they were playing at home, but because they were the lower seed, they sat on the visitors bench and wore the dark uniforms. Denny Crum, coaching his last game went to the wrong bench, out of habit. For the second time in nine days, UAB knocked off Louisville by double digits in Freedom Hall. The Blazers shot 55% from the field, and Louisville shot 31%. UAB led 27-23 at the half. The Cards pulled to within seven when they trailed 51-44, but a subsequent 7-0 UAB run put the game away. The Blazers won 74-61, and moved to the second round against Cincinnati. LeAndrew Bass led UAB with 16 points, while four other UAB players scored in double-figures: Will Campbell had 13, while David Walker, Eric Batchelor and P.J. Arnold all had 10. Louisville would end the season 12-18, while the Blazers, with a record of 16-13, saw their season live one more day.
The Seed:
The Blazers enter the 2007 CUSA Tournament as the #9 seed. UAB has been the #9 seed on two previous occasions in the conference tournament with differing results.
In 2002, Murry Bartow was in his last year and the Blazers limped to the end of the conference schedule with a 6-10 record, good enough for 9th place in the standings. The CUSA tournament was in Cincinnati and the Blazers first round matchup was the South Florida Bulls. There was very little excitement or hope left in this team and it was pretty much common knowledge that Murry was on his way out. The Blazers lost to the Bulls 63-62 and ended the season 13-17, the last losing season the Blazers have had, depending on what happens in today’s game.
This year, a lot of comparisons have been made between Mike Anderson’s first year and Mike Davis’s first year. Here is one more similarity and provides some hope for the rest of the season.
In 2003, Mike Anderson’s first year, the Blazers were also a #9 seed in the CUSA tournament. The Blazers finished the conference season 8-8, but like this year had ended on a losing streak, losing their last three conference games. Most fans did not believe that UAB would be in Louisville, the site of that year’s tournament for long.
The first round matchup was against eighth seeded Charlotte, who had beaten by 20 points in Birmingham earlier in the year. Mo Finley and Eric Bush led the Blazers to avenge the loss by the score of 85-61 (a 44 point turnaround from the previous game). Next up was the seemingly impossible task of beating Dwayne Wade and the top seeded Marquette Golden Eagles. There hasn’t been a bigger upset in the tournament since that day. UAB forced Marquette into 30 turnovers and Wade had 10 turnovers as the Blazers won 83-76. The next day, UAB beat fourth seeded Saint Louis 63-62, which set up a matchup against the home team, Louisville and the Blazers’ fourth game in four days. UAB, playing on nothing but fumes, came within seconds of pulling out another miraculous upset, but lost 83-78. Rick Pitino congratulated the Blazers, saying it was one of the most courageous feats he had ever witnessed. The Blazers had expected the season to be over at the end of the conference tournament, but now, they had played their way into an NIT bid, where they would advance to the final eight.
Will this Blazer squad repeat history? A first year coach, a disappointing season, the #9 seed, a looming matchup against a Top 10 team. All the ingredients are there for a repeat of 2003. The first step starts today.
The Opponent:
UAB is 4-2 against Marshall. This is the first meeting between the two teams on a neutral court.
UAB @ Marshall – December 4, 2004
The only UAB-Marshall game that we have not reviewed this year occurred on December 4, 2004. This was the last time UAB played Marshall as a non conference opponent. Marshall jumped out to a eight point lead, but UAB used it’s full court press to close the gap and tie the game at 40 entering the half. UAB then scored the first eight points of the second half and led throughout the second half. The Thundering Herd cut the lead to two, 80-78 with 44 seconds to go in the game. Marshall had a chance to tie the game with two seconds to go, but an A.W. Hamilton jumper missed from 14 feet. Donell Taylor hit a free throw to give the Blazers a three point victory, 81-78.
The Date:
The Blazers are 2-1 in games played on March 7. Two of the games were played in the Conference USA tournament. Today we will look at those games.
UAB vs. Charlotte 3/7/1997
The Blazers lost a heartbreaker on this date in 1997 in the Conference USA tournament in St. Louis, Missouri. After defeating Houston in the first round and upsetting #2 seed Tulane in the quarter finals, UAB took on Charlotte, who was the #3 seed. Playing its third game in three days, UAB was down by ten at halftime. In the second half, led by three pointers by Damon Cobb, the Blazers came back, but poor shooting doomed them. They got the game within one possession, but could not take the lead, losing 67-65. Charlotte would lose the next day in the championship game to Marquette. The Blazers would earn an NIT bid, but lose in the first round to TCU, a non-conference team at the time.
UAB vs. Louisville 3/7/2001
Better results occurred in 2001 when UAB played Louisville in the first round of the CUSA tournament. The tournament was played at Freedom Hall. It was a strange situation for the Cardinals, as they were playing at home, but because they were the lower seed, they sat on the visitors bench and wore the dark uniforms. Denny Crum, coaching his last game went to the wrong bench, out of habit. For the second time in nine days, UAB knocked off Louisville by double digits in Freedom Hall. The Blazers shot 55% from the field, and Louisville shot 31%. UAB led 27-23 at the half. The Cards pulled to within seven when they trailed 51-44, but a subsequent 7-0 UAB run put the game away. The Blazers won 74-61, and moved to the second round against Cincinnati. LeAndrew Bass led UAB with 16 points, while four other UAB players scored in double-figures: Will Campbell had 13, while David Walker, Eric Batchelor and P.J. Arnold all had 10. Louisville would end the season 12-18, while the Blazers, with a record of 16-13, saw their season live one more day.
The Seed:
The Blazers enter the 2007 CUSA Tournament as the #9 seed. UAB has been the #9 seed on two previous occasions in the conference tournament with differing results.
In 2002, Murry Bartow was in his last year and the Blazers limped to the end of the conference schedule with a 6-10 record, good enough for 9th place in the standings. The CUSA tournament was in Cincinnati and the Blazers first round matchup was the South Florida Bulls. There was very little excitement or hope left in this team and it was pretty much common knowledge that Murry was on his way out. The Blazers lost to the Bulls 63-62 and ended the season 13-17, the last losing season the Blazers have had, depending on what happens in today’s game.
This year, a lot of comparisons have been made between Mike Anderson’s first year and Mike Davis’s first year. Here is one more similarity and provides some hope for the rest of the season.
In 2003, Mike Anderson’s first year, the Blazers were also a #9 seed in the CUSA tournament. The Blazers finished the conference season 8-8, but like this year had ended on a losing streak, losing their last three conference games. Most fans did not believe that UAB would be in Louisville, the site of that year’s tournament for long.
The first round matchup was against eighth seeded Charlotte, who had beaten by 20 points in Birmingham earlier in the year. Mo Finley and Eric Bush led the Blazers to avenge the loss by the score of 85-61 (a 44 point turnaround from the previous game). Next up was the seemingly impossible task of beating Dwayne Wade and the top seeded Marquette Golden Eagles. There hasn’t been a bigger upset in the tournament since that day. UAB forced Marquette into 30 turnovers and Wade had 10 turnovers as the Blazers won 83-76. The next day, UAB beat fourth seeded Saint Louis 63-62, which set up a matchup against the home team, Louisville and the Blazers’ fourth game in four days. UAB, playing on nothing but fumes, came within seconds of pulling out another miraculous upset, but lost 83-78. Rick Pitino congratulated the Blazers, saying it was one of the most courageous feats he had ever witnessed. The Blazers had expected the season to be over at the end of the conference tournament, but now, they had played their way into an NIT bid, where they would advance to the final eight.
Will this Blazer squad repeat history? A first year coach, a disappointing season, the #9 seed, a looming matchup against a Top 10 team. All the ingredients are there for a repeat of 2003. The first step starts today.
The Opponent:
UAB is 4-2 against Marshall. This is the first meeting between the two teams on a neutral court.
UAB @ Marshall – December 4, 2004
The only UAB-Marshall game that we have not reviewed this year occurred on December 4, 2004. This was the last time UAB played Marshall as a non conference opponent. Marshall jumped out to a eight point lead, but UAB used it’s full court press to close the gap and tie the game at 40 entering the half. UAB then scored the first eight points of the second half and led throughout the second half. The Thundering Herd cut the lead to two, 80-78 with 44 seconds to go in the game. Marshall had a chance to tie the game with two seconds to go, but an A.W. Hamilton jumper missed from 14 feet. Donell Taylor hit a free throw to give the Blazers a three point victory, 81-78.
