The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
VCU
UAB Opens Season With Rout Of VCU
11/27/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 27, 2004
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) - Donell Taylor had 20 points and UAB held Virginia Commonwealth scoreless for the first six minutes in a 79-55 victory Saturday night.
The Blazers (1-0) scored the game's first 17 points, with Taylor getting seven, and led by as many as 31 points in the first half. VCU (1-2) didn't score until Julian Capel's layup with 14:05 left in the first half.
Demario Eddins added 16 points for UAB and Ronell Taylor, Donell's twin brother, added 13. The Taylors had three steals apiece.
Alexander Harper led VCU (1-2) with 12 points. B.A. Walker added 11 points and Michael Doles had 10.
UAB rode its pressing, full-court defense to a 50-25 halftime lead, forcing 14 turnovers.
The Rams managed to slow the hectic pace in the second half but could get no closer than 20 points.
The teams combined for 47 turnovers.
The Blazers, the last Conference USA team to start the season, advanced to the round of 16 in the NCAA tournament last year.
UAB plays host to Louisiana Tech on Monday (7:30 p.m.) in Bartow Arena in the Blazers' second game of the season.
Postgame Quotes
UAB head coach Mike Anderson
On the 79-55 victory:
"I thought it was an awesome display of defensive intensity and up-tempo defense. Our guys came out and we established the game from the defensive side of the ball. We made some free throws in the first half and before you know it, it was kind of like a snowball. The bench came in and gave us some great minutes. From a coaching standpoint, you never know what you're going to come out looking like, but I thought we came out with some tremendous defense for the first game."
On VCU:
"We beat a very good basketball team. They played Wake Forest two out of their last three games and played them pretty good. So for us to come out with that kind of intensity is pleasing and hopefully is something we can continue to do."
UAB guard Donell Taylor
On finally getting the season underway:
"It feels good. We've been waiting for this for a whole week. Everyone else was playing games and we were still in practice, so we were just anxious to play the game."
On UAB's performance:
"I'd give us a B-minus. We played defense but we didn't keep it up for a whole 40 minutes. We only played for about 25 minutes. We had some mind boggling turnovers that we brought on ourselves. Other than that, we played pretty good. We hit the open man and if someone lost their man on defense, someone stepped in and helped."
UAB forward Demario Eddins
On the Blazers' opening game:
"We've been watching basketball for two or three weeks now. Seeing everyone winning, seeing everyone losing. We were tired of playing against each other."
On starting the game strong defensively:
"That's what coach stresses. In the first five minutes of a game, you have to jump on a team. Press them full court and see how they can handle it. If they can't handle it, we'll keep it on them the whole game."
VCU head coach Jeff Capel
On the loss:
"To be completely honest with you, it was embarrassing. Our effort tonight was embarrassing. That was something that should never represent Virginia Commonwealth basketball. The thing that we have to do moving forward is make sure this never happens again."
On UAB's performance:
"First and foremost, UAB is a very good team. They play hard, they play together, and they have a style of basketball that is tough to simulate. It forces you to make decisions at a very fast speed."
