The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB Enters Conference USA Race On Win Streak
1/4/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 4, 2005
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The UAB men's basketball team enters Conference USA play Wednesday night against Southern Miss riding a four-game win streak overall, a 15-game victory string in Bartow Arena, and at 10-3 overall on the season. While all that is for naught when the league race is at stake, Mike Anderson's club has certainly put itself in position to get off to a good start in Conference USA play.
Wednesday's game will air live on Comcast/Charter Sports Southeast (CSS) and on the Blazer Radio Network, heard in Birmingham on WYDE, 101.1 FM. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. CT.
"This is conference play," Anderson said. "The games get more intense. The games up to now were just warm-ups. The teams are 0-0 now."
The Blazers are hot off the heels of a 100-80 win Sunday over Murray State. No Mike Anderson-coached team had scored over 100 points more than once in a season. This year's club has done it three straight times in their home building, beating Alabama A&M, 100-68, on Dec. 28 and Belmont, 107-76, on Dec. 15. UAB is averaging 83.8 points per game on the season.
As Anderson always says, the team's defense predicates the offense and the defense has been the key again this year for UAB. The Blazers have forced an average of 21.0 turnovers per game, averaged 12.5 steals per contest, and are holding opponents to 43-percent shooting from the floor (330-767). UAB forced Murray State into 26 miscues, tying a season-high for Blazer opponents.
Southern Miss is 9-3 on the season with an overtime win over SEC-member LSU. The Golden Eagles, however, had their six-game win streak halted on Dec. 30, when they lost at New Orleans, 67-56. Postman Jasper Johnson leads Southern Miss, averaging 17.6 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. Jarekus Singleton (12.0 ppg.) and Kentucky transfer Rashaad Carruth (10.2 ppg.) also average double figures for new head coach Larry Eustachy.
"Southern Miss is a team that is always very physical and plays with a good defensive intensity," Anderson said. "Jasper Johnson is playing some good basketball and their other returning guys are veterans as far as conference play goes. The new guys they've brought in bring them a new intensity and they have a new coach, too. Coach Eustachy does a good job and has given them a boost. It's going to be an exciting basketball game and we're going to have to play very well to win."
The Taylor twins pace UAB. Donell leads the Blazers with a 15.9 point-per-game average. Ronell chimes in with 12.4 per contest. Demario Eddins and Marvett McDonald are scoring 11.2 and 10.2 points per game, respectively.
UAB is 5-5 all-time in Conference USA openers, but 2-0 under Anderson. The Blazers have also won three of four in the all-time series against Southern Miss. The Blazers have a 13-8 edge in the total series between the two schools.
UAB Men's Basketball Game Notes in PDF Format
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