The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB-Kansas Preview
3/25/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
March 25, 2004
From the Associated Press
GAME: No. 9 UAB (22-9) vs. No. 4 Kansas (23-8).
REGIONAL: St. Louis, semifinals.
TIME: Friday, 7:10 p.m. EST.
SITE: Edward Jones Dome.
UAB pulled off the biggest upset of the NCAA tournament by beating Kentucky, the top No. 1 seed.
Blazers coach Mike Anderson hopes his team has at least one more upset in them as they face Kansas in the regional semifinals in St. Louis.
UAB has returned to the round of 16 for the first time since 1982.
The ninth-seeded Blazers have become media darlings, but Anderson knows it could all end fast if UAB can't keep up with a talented Jayhawks team.
"The Kentucky game has given our guys a lot of confidence, especially since there are only 16 teams left playing," said Anderson on Wednesday. "We have a huge challenge in front of us. We're going to be play in an arena where they (Kansas) will be close to home and they have a distinct size advantage."
Kansas has enjoyed the luxury of playing close to home. The Jayhawks, who play in Lawrence, Kan., beat Illiniois-Chicago and Pacific in Kansas City to earn their fourth straight trip to the regional semifinals
Both top-seeded Kentucky and second-seeded Gonzaga have been eliminated, leaving the Jayhawks and No. 3 Georgia Tech as the top seeds remaining in the St. Louis regional.
Kansas is one of the better teams on paper remaining in region, but coach Bill Self doesn't want the Jayhawks to take UAB lightly.
"Fans probably think KU caught a break," coach Self said. "I've watched UAB probably a half and they are pretty unconventional. I am not sure that is a huge upset. We haven't seen that style yet this year."
Mo Finley made a 17-foot jumper with 12.2 seconds left and UAB hung on to stun the tournament's No. 1 seed 76-75 Sunday in the second round.
"It's pretty unbelievable," Finley said. "It feels pretty good right now. That shot definitely was a blessing from above."
Using a "40 minutes of Hell" attack that their coach Anderson learned under Nolan Richardson at Arkansas, the Blazers took it to the Wildcats from the outset.
"We knew coming in it was like David vs. Goliath and we were David," Anderson said. "I'll tell you what: David swung a mighty blow."
UAB will again play the role of David against a Jayhawks team led by the interior presence of Wayne Simien.
The 6-foot-9 forward, who sat out Kansas' run to the Final Four last year with an injured shoulder, had 18 points and 12 rebounds and shook off a nagging groin injury to lead the Jayhawks past Pacific 78-63 Sunday.
It was the 10th double-double of the season for Simien, who aggravated the groin injury in a first-round victory over Illinois-Chicago.
Simien and 6-foot-9 forward Jeff Graves combined to give the Jayhawks a 40-27 rebounding edge and a 24-5 advantage in second-chance points.
"They're really strong inside," Pacific guard David Doubley said. "You basically have to adjust your entire game plan for them. Those big guys really hurt us."
Kansas and UAB will be playing for the third time ever with series tied at one game apiece.
PROBABLE STARTERS: UAB - F Gabe Kennedy (11.5 ppg, 5.4 rpg), F Demario Eddins (10.1 ppg, 4.7 rpg), C Sidney Ball (7.5 ppg, 5.4 rpg), G Carldell Johnson (4.8 ppg, 4.3 apg), G Finley (13.9 ppg and 2.0 rpg). Kansas - F Keith Langford (15.7 ppg, 5.1 rpg), F Simien (17.6 ppg, 9.2 rpg), C David Padgett (6.6 rpg, 4.5 rpg), G Aaron Miles (8.9 ppg, 7.2 apg), G J.R. Giddens (11.0 ppg, 3.6 rpg).
HOW THEY GOT HERE: UAB - At-large berth; beat Washington 102-100, first round; beat Kentucky 76-75, second round. Kansas - At-large berth; beat Illinois-Chicago 78-53, first round; beat Pacific 78-63, second round.
ALL-TIME TOURNAMENT RECORD: UAB - 8-10, 11 years. Kansas - 71-32, 33 years.
