The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB Closes Non-Conference Slate With Murray State
1/1/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 1, 2005
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - UAB closes its non-conference schedule with an afternoon home contest against Murray State Sunday. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m. CT in Bartow Arena. The Blazers (9-3) also put a modest, 14-game home court winning streak on the line in their final tune up before opening Conference USA play against Southern Miss Wednesday night.
"Murray State is a team with a lot of tradition," UAB head coach Mike Anderson said. "They won the Ohio Valley Conference last year and are a strong basketball team. They've got a lot of newcomers compared to last year's team, but Coach (Mick) Cronin does a good job with them. It's a situation where we are going to have to play well to win."
UAB is coming off a comeback win at South Alabama New Year's Eve in which the Jaguars built a 16-point first half lead only to see Marvett McDonald spoil their home fun. The junior from Memphis, Tenn., scored 10 unanswered points in a 12-0 UAB run at the end of the first half to bring the Blazers back to a 40-all tie at halftime. McDonald and Demario Eddins combined to hit 11-of-12 free throws in the final minutes as UAB pulled away to win, 82-76.
"The quick turnaround is a concern for me," Anderson admitted. "Hopefully, we've played enough guys over the last few games that we'll have fresh legs. The guys are going to be playing a game and that, in and of itself, is a positive. They would rather be playing games than practicing, so I feel like we'll be okay."
Murray State is 5-4 on the season and will try to rebound from a 75-62 loss at St. Mary's of California on Wednesday in the Gaels' holiday tournament title game. Darnell Hopkins scored 21 points for the Racers in the loss. Hopkins averages 12 points per game for MSU. Trey Pearson leads Murray with a 14.4 point-per-game average.
The Racers lost in the first round of last season's NCAA tournament to Illinois, ironically on the same floor UAB used to advance to the Sweet 16 with wins over Washington and Kentucky. Murray State and the Blazers both played their sub-regional games in Columbus, Ohio.
Donell and Ronell Taylor pace UAB with 15.6 and 11.9 point averages, respectively. Eddins (11.8 ppg.) and McDonald (10.2 ppg.) also score in double figures for Mike Anderson's club, which has won three straight games.
The game can be heard live on the Blazer Radio Network which airs live in Birmingham on WYDE, 101.1 FM. UAB next opens Conference USA play at 8 p.m. CT Wednesday night in Bartow Arena as Larry Eustachy makes his C-USA debut when his Southern Miss Golden Eagles come to town. That game will air live on both the Blazer Radio Network and on regional sports television network Comcast/Charter Sports Southeast.
UAB Men's Basketball Game Notes in PDF Format
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