The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB Set to Host Thanksgiving Classic
11/26/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 26, 2009
UAB Thanksgiving Classic Central
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The UAB women's basketball team hosts the UAB Thanksgiving Classic Friday, Nov. 27 through Saturday, Nov. 28 at Bartow Arena. The Blazers will take on the Norfolk State Spartans in the nightcap on Friday at 6 p.m. following the matchup between the Samford Bulldogs and North Texas Mean Green at 4 p.m. On Saturday, the Bulldogs and Spartans square off at 1 p.m., with the Blazers and Mean Green rounding out the classic at 3 p.m.
Thanksgiving Tradition
For the third year in a row, UAB is playing in a tournament beginning the day after Thanksgiving. Last season, the Blazers traveled down the road to Samford for the
Samford Thanksgiving Classic.
I'll Take That, Thank You
Freshman guard Amber Jones stole the ball four times against Florida, the most of any Blazer this season. Overall, UAB has led or tied its opponent in steals in three games this season.
Dynamic Dukes
Senior forward Tamika Dukes has been dominant this year for the Blazers. She has reached double-figures in all four contests and leads the team with 14.0 points a game. Dukes also leads the team in rebounds, averaging 7.8 a game and has been nearly perfect from the stripe, shooting 87.5 percent.
Scouting Norfolk State
The Spartans won their first game of the season last Friday with a 78-74 victory
over St. Paul's. Sophomore guard Whitney Long led Norfolk State with a career-high-tying 19 points. Long leads the team with 14.7 points per game, while sophomore guard Marquilla Evans is second in scoring with 14.0 ppg and first in rebounding with 6.3 boards a game.
Friday marks the first meeting between the two teams.
Scouting North Texas
After starting the season 0-3, the Mean Green has won its last two games, with victories over Texas-Pan American and Missouri-Kansas City. Senior guard Brittney James leads the way for North Texas, averaging 14.6 points a game. James also leads the team with 20 assists. Freshman forward Jasmine Godbolt has been solid on the boards for the Mean Green with 7.8 rebounds a game.
UAB and North Texas have met once previously. In 2000, the Mean Green defeated the Blazers, 67-54, in Colorado Springs, Colo.,
