The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Blazers Try To Snap Skid Against No. 21 Bearcats
2/18/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 18, 2005
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - UAB enters Saturday afternoon's Conference USA showdown with Cincinnati on ESPN hoping to stop a three-game losing streak. The Blazers and Bearcats tangle at 4 p.m. ET/3 p.m. CT in UC's Fifth Third Arena at the Shoemaker Center.
UAB (16-8, 6-5 C-USA) dropped a hard-fought contest to league co-leader Louisville on Feb. 5, then saw first-half leads evaporate at TCU last weekend and at home against East Carolina Wednesday night.
"It sounds cliché, but our basketball teams has been a tale of two halves in our last few games," UAB head coach Mike Anderson said. "Normally, with our style of play, it's the second half that belongs to us because we can wear teams down. That hasn't been the case lately and we've got to get back to that brand of basketball."
Blazer fans have reason to be optimistic for the Cincinnati contest, however. UAB upset the then-17th-ranked Bearcats on Feb. 18 of last year in Bartow Arena. The Blazers have also not lost four straight under Mike Anderson's leadership, nor since the 2001-02 season.
Cincinnati, which snapped a three-game league skid with an 83-51 runaway win over Southern Miss Wednesday night, will be anxious to get back at UAB for last year's 80-69 Blazer victory. Jason Maxiell scored 20 points in Wednesday's win over the Golden Eagles while Eric Hicks went for 18 points and 12 rebounds. They lead UC with averages of 15.2 and 14.3 points per game, respectively.
"They are a very good basketball team and very difficult to beat at home," Anderson said. "This might be one of the toughest places to play in the league and our guys will have to overcome that. Cincinnati is always athletic and physical inside. Any team that hopes to beat them has to be playing strong basketball."
The Bearcats (19-6, 7-4 C-USA) are holding opponents to just 63.6 points per game and 36.5-percent from the floor. UAB has scored just 64 and 65 points in each of its last two games while shooting 35.7-percent from the floor in the second half, losing hold of double-digit first-half leads.
UAB will also try to bounce back from a pair of poor nights on the free throw line. The Blazers were nine-of-17 (52.9-percent) at TCU and 14-for-26 (53.8-percent) against East Carolina.
On the other hand, Marques Lewis has risen to the occasion of late for UAB, grabbing a career-high 13 rebounds to go with 10 points at TCU, then scoring 17 points against East Carolina. He averages 9.3 points and 5.0 rebounds on the season. Donell Taylor, however, leads UAB with a 15.3 points average. Demario Eddins (12.0 ppg.) and Marvett McDonald (10.3 ppg) also score in double-figures for the Blazers.
In addition to the televised version on ESPN, the game will air live on the Blazer Sports Network which can be found in Birmingham on WYDE, 101.1 FM.
UAB Men's Basketball Game Notes in PDF Format
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