The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Midnight Madness Spectacle Draws Nearly 3,000 Hoops-Hungry Fans
10/16/2004 12:00:00โฏAM | Men's Basketball
Oct. 16, 2004
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - A crowd of 2,910 were on hand to help the UAB men's and women's basketball programs usher in the 2004-05 campaigns early Saturday morning as Midnight Madness overtook Bartow Arena. The spectacle drew an enthusiastic crowd, anxious to see the defending Conference USA co-champion men's team, and to get a look at the new-look women's basketball team under new head coach Audra Smith.
The crowd chanted a countdown as the seconds ticked down to midnight, ushering in the first official day of basketball practice as allowed by NCAA rules. Head men's basketball coach Mike Anderson then introduced his team and presented each of last year's team members, including now departed seniors Sidney Ball and Lee Cobb, with C-USA championship rings.
"I thought it was a great crowd," Anderson said. "They came out in tremendous numbers to recognize what the team accomplished last year, but at the same time get a sneak preview of what's to come. Again, I still sense there's a lot of excitement here about Blazer basketball."
When new Blazer women's coach Audra Smith was ushered to the floor to introduce her team, she told the crowd to, "Get ready for some serious women's basketball around here."
"Great things are coming," Smith beamed. "I can't wait. We've just got a few hours before we're back on the court starting two-a-days. I just can't wait to get started. We looked great tonight, but we're ready to get back out on the court and get started and get ready for our season."
Anderson's Blazers are coming off a 2004 NCAA Sweet 16 appearance and a 22-10 overall record. UAB was 12-4 and earned a share of the 2003-04 C-USA regular season title. Smith, a former Virginia assistant in her first season as a head coach, takes over a Blazer women's basketball program that was 9-19 a season ago.
Anderson and the men's team open the 2004-05 campaign at 7:30 p.m. CST on Thursday, Nov. 11 with an exhibition contest against Montevallo. Smith and her squad open the the following night, Friday, Nov. 12, with a 7 p.m. CST exhibtion contest in Bartow Arena against the Thavine All-Stars.
