The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Blazers Arrive In Boise For NCAA First Round Game
3/15/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
March 15, 2005
BOISE, Idaho --- The UAB men's basketball team arrived here early this afternoon and had its first practice in preparation of its appearance in the 2005 NCAA Tournament.
The Blazers, who face sixth-seeded LSU Thursday at approximately 8:50 p.m. CT at Taco Bell Arena, practiced for over 90 minutes at Mountain View High School. UAB ran several up-tempo drills, as well as scrimmaging against each other, for approximately 30 minutes.
UAB's biggest challenge against LSU may be the Tigers' inside game. LSU has a dangerous one-two punch with Brandon Bass and Glen Davis.
"Rebounding and size are some of the things we don't have, but we have to make up for that with other things," said UAB head coach Mike Anderson. "That's why we have to pick up the tempo. No question LSU is playing some of the better basketball in the country. I think they're feeding off each other. When you play guys like LSU, you have to make them get up and down the court. Our guys have to come with the defensive mindset that we're going to try to create tempo with our defense. We're going to have to double and not let them get comfortable. We also have to keep them guessing on what we're doing defensively."
The Blazers, making their 12th NCAA tournament appearance, are the 11th seed in the Chicago Regional. Last season at Columbus, Ohio, UAB won first and second round games over Washington and Kentucky, respectively, to advance to the NCAA Sweet 16 in St. Louis.
UAB is 21-10 overall and was 10-6 in Conference USA play during the regular season. The Blazers received their second-consecutive NCAA invitation this season and are playing in their third-straight postseason under Anderson. Donell Taylor leads UAB with 15.6 points per contest. Demario Eddins (12.6 ppg), Ronell Taylor (11.4 ppg) and Marvett McDonald (10.7 ppg) also score in double figures for the Blazers.
LSU is 20-9 and finished in a tie for first in the Southeastern Conference's West Division this season under head coach John Brady. The Tigers have five players averaging in double-figures and are led by SEC Player of the Year Bass' 17.1 points per game. Darrell Mitchell (13.5 ppg), Davis (13.4 ppg), Antonio Hudson (13.3 ppg) and Tack Minor (10.7 ppg) also average double-digits for LSU.
The Blazers have faced LSU once in school history, dropping a 78-62 contest to the Tigers on Dec. 27, 2003, in New Orleans, La., in the Sugar Bowl Classic. Jaime Lloreda and Bass scored 22 points each to lead LSU. Ronell Taylor recorded a career-high 22 points for UAB, while Gabe Kennedy added 13 and Sidney Ball contributed 12 for the Blazers.
