The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Donnie Marsh Blog
1/25/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 25, 2010
Can you feel it? I hope you can feel it. There is something special about the guys wearing the green & gold this season. They just won't quit! The past three (3) games have unveiled the character of this team. First it was a 24 point comeback win at SMU. Next came the 14 point come-from-behind win against a hard-nosed Southern Miss squad. Then tonight your Blazers went on the road into a hostile environment, took Marshall's best blows and came out with a gutsy two point victory. The 3-0 "week" has taught us an awful lot about these kids - they are going to fight each opponent until that buzzer goes off. I don't know if we'll be on the high side of the score every time, but I do know this; every team we play will know they have been in the ring with some scrappers. And I would say more often than not, if we "bring the fight", which is our mantra; we'll be in a position to win each time out regardless of the opponent.
There are times when it takes almost an entire season to learn certain lessons. Who will be your go to guys? Who will step up and take the big shots in tough situations? How will your team respond when you are down in a game at home or on the road? How will your team respond in a hostile environment? Which bench players will emerge as major contributors? How will your team respond after a big win or a tough loss? Will your team be able to handle prosperity? When one of your key contributors is struggling, will your team be able to persevere and find another teammate who will step in and fill those shoes? From last Saturday to this Saturday, we found some answers to those questions. Now we find ourselves with a record that reflects the best start in UAB Basketball history. We are 17-2 / 5-0 C-USA. And we have collected two more road victories to add to our resume. Add to that the fact that we are coming home for our next two games against teams picked as favorites in C-USA this season. If there were ever a reason to pack Bartow Arena for teams not named Memphis, this is surely it. These players deserve to come home to a packed house Tuesday night for our game against Tulsa. I often get "complaints" about the number of games we have on Wednesday nights. I try to control that to a point with our pre-conference schedule, but we are at the mercy of the league when it comes to the conference schedule. Well we have a Tuesday game coming up. No television so there is every reason to make your way to Bartow. AND, it's a 7PM start so traffic should be less of an issue. Saturday vs UTEP is a late start as well, so Blazer faithful, the ball is in your court. YOUR TEAM is laying it all on the line for you. Come out and let them know how much that means to you and how much you appreciate that. It will make the guys feel really special - something we already know they are. See you Tuesday...GO BLAZERS!
