The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Blazers Picked To Finish Third In Conference USA
10/18/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Oct. 18, 2006
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The UAB men's basketball team was selected to finish third in 2006-07 Conference USA race according to a vote by the league's head coaches, conference officials announced on Wednesday.
The Blazers return six players and three starters from last season's 24-7 team that finished runner-up in Conference USA a year ago, and made a third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance - one of 22 schools in the nation that can boast the same.
"I think this team will have something to prove," first-year UAB head coach Mike Davis said. "We lost seven players from last season, but the six who are coming back were all key players throughout last season. We also have a lot of newcomers, many of which will be able to contribute immediately. This is going to be a year of transition, but I am excited about this year's team and I think it is going to be an exciting year for us, fans and players alike."
Of the six returnees, five played in 26 games or more, including seniors Maurice Gibbs and Wen Mukubu. Mukubu, who was selected preseason first-team all-conference by The Sporting News, is the leading returning scorer from a year ago (9.2 ppg). Also returning are juniors Paul Delaney (8.7 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 1.3 spg) and Frank Holmes (6.5 ppg, 4.8 rpg) who each played in all 31 contests, while sophomore Lawrence Kinnard (6.0 ppg, 2.7 rg) played in 26 contests while battling a foot injury throughout most of the season.
Memphis was picked to repeat as the C-USA champions, followed by Houston, who was selected ahead of UAB. Rice and UTEP were picked in a tie for fourth, to round out the top five predicted order of finish.
Individually, Rice's Morris Almond, a preseason All-America candidate, was the unanimous selection by coaches as the Preseason Player of the Year. He was joined on the preseason all-conference team by Memphis' Chris Douglas-Roberts and Joey Dorsey and Houston's Oliver Lafayette and Lanny Smith.
The Blazers will open the campaign with an exhibition game against West Alabama on Wednesday, Nov. 1, at 7 p.m. in Bartow Arena.
PRESEASON PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Morris Almond, Rice, G, 6-6, Sr., Powder Springs, Ga.
2006 PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
Oliver Lafayette, Houston, G, 6-3, Sr., Baton Rouge, La.
Lanny Smith, Houston, G, 6-2, Sr., Missouri City, Texas
Chris Douglas-Roberts, Memphis, G, 6-5, So. Detroit, Mich.
Joey Dorsey, Memphis, F, 6-9, Jr., Baltimore, Md.
Morris Almond, Rice, G, 6-6, Sr., Powder Springs, Ga.
