The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB Visits UCF In Nationally-Televised C-USA Battle
2/3/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 3, 2006
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -
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UAB visits UCF at 3 p.m. ET/2 p.m. CT Saturday afternoon in a nationally-televised Conference USA showdown among two of the league's top teams. The Blazers are 15-4 overall and 5-1 in league play. UCF is 9-9 and 3-2 in the conference. In addition to the monumental match up on the court, the game will be the 1,000th UAB broadcast for radio play-by-play announcer Gary Sanders.
"Anytime you go on the road, you can expect a hostile environment," UAB head coach Mike Anderson said of the UCF game, which will be televised live on CSTV. "We just came from another at Memphis in which we came up on the short end. You also have to face a pretty good basketball team. They've beaten some quality people - winning at Houston and playing Kentucky to a two-point game - and with the type of team and the type of coach they have in coach (Kirk) Speraw, they'll be ready to play."
Mike Anderson's Blazers rebounded from a road loss at No. 3 Memphis on Jan. 26 with an 87-73 home win over Southern Miss last weekend. Derrick Broom scored a career-high 19 points in the win as UAB won its 11th game in 12 tries. Marvett McDonald leads UAB with a 14.9 points per game average. Wen Mukubu chips in with 10.8 points per game as well. Senior Squeaky Johnson, a finalist for the 2006 Bob Cousy Award for the nation's top point guard, is among the nation's leaders in assists and steals, averaging 6.3 assists and 3.1 steals per game.
UAB continues to lead Conference USA in field goal percentage at 46.1 percent. The Blazers are second in the league and nation with 11.9 steals per game. UAB's turnover margin of +9.4 is tops in C-USA as well.
UCF is 9-9 on the year and looks to rebound from a 94-61 road loss at third-ranked Memphis last weekend. The Golden Knights, however, have won three of their last five games to stand at 3-2 in C-USA play. The game will be the first nationally-televised game from UCF Arena for the Golden Knights and the UCF athletic department is making a strong push for a packed house of rabid home fans.
"They're going to try to defend their home turf and we've got to go in there and try to steal one," Anderson said. "We need to rebound the ball better than we have lately. Of course, you've got to make shots on the road and we've got to get to the free-throw line. It's going to be an exciting atmosphere and the two teams are going to battle against each other and try to continue to play good basketball."
One of the newest members of Conference USA, UCF has appeared in each of the last two NCAA Tournaments as winners of the Atlantic Sun Conference. The Golden Knights were 24-9 last season, Josh Peppers leads the way for Speraw's club this year with a 12.6 points per game average. Justin Rose is the only other Knight in double-figures in scoring, averaging 11.5 points per game.
Now in his 26th season as the voice of the Blazers, Sanders will broadcast his 1,000 career contest as the "Voice of the Blazers" against the Golden Knights. A six-time Alabama Sportscaster of the Year, Sanders has called 836 of the 873 UAB basketball games. He has also called all 163 UAB football games. Combined, the legendary broadcaster has called 999 games while with the Blazers. In August, Sanders announced the 2005-06 season would be his last behind the microphone. He will retire upon the conclusion of the basketball campaign.
In addition to the CSTV telecast, Sanders' milestone radio call can be heard on the ISP/Blazer Sports Network found locally in Birmingham on WYDE, 101.1 FM.
