The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Balanced Blazer Rotation Ready For Pivotal C-USA Test
2/3/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
By Steve Irvine, UABSports.com
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The expectations - at least the ones coming into the 2014-15 season - were that C.J. Washington would play a big role for the UAB men's basketball team. Those expectations have been met but they did come with a twist for UAB's lone returning senior and the Blazers' only representative on the preseason All-Conference USA team.
Most expected Washington to do what he did last year when he was second in scoring and third in minutes played. Some expected that he would lead the team in scoring in more than the nine games that he did that last season. He was certainly expected to be a fixture in the starting lineup like last season, when he started in 27 of his 28 appearances.
His season didn't follow the same script. But that doesn't mean his importance to the team has waned.
"C.J. has been fantastic," said UAB head coach Jerod Haase, whose team can take a step forward in the C-USA standings on Thursday against conference co-leader Louisiana Tech. "His attitude has been consistent. He's been a consistent member on the team, in terms of production with points and rebounds."
Washington is second on a balanced team with eight points per game and also adds four rebounds per contest. He's playing 19.5 minutes per game, which is eight minutes less per game than last season, and is coming off the bench after starting the first nine games of the season for the Blazers (11-11 overall, 7-2 C-USA). His contribution might not be what some envisioned but what's important is what he's done on and off the floor.
"In the locker room, with his leadership, he's one who has been through it before so all the guys look up to him and respect him," Haase said. "What he's done has been really important. I think it speaks volumes for your senior to buy into the only thing is how the team does. Whatever we've asked him to do, he's done the best he possibly can. I think that attitude has spread through the rest of team."
No matter how minutes he's played, Washington has certainly accepted a leading role for a team that embraces a team-first attitude, especially during the hot start to Conference USA play.
"Our bench has been phenomenal and we, to be honest with you, expect that," Haase said. "Our rotation is nine, maybe 10 guys. The guys coming in off the bench, in a lot of ways, are just as capable and have different strengths than the guys who are starting. I really don't look at it as the starters and the bench guys. We have a group that gets out there and every game it seems a little different. Basically, we have a lot of confidence in the guys who are in our rotation."
Washington and the others coming off the bench have teamed with the current starting five of Nick Norton, Hakeem Baxter, Robert Brown, William Lee and Tosin Mehinti to create a variety of options for Haase.
"We change it based on matchups, we change it based on foul trouble, we change it based on how they're playing," Haase said.
It results in varying minutes. Norton, for example, struggled against Louisiana Tech's pressure in the first meeting and played just 15 minutes. He followed with 28 quality minutes in a win at Southern Miss and followed with a career-high 26 points in 35 minutes during a home win over Charlotte. Watts played just 11 minutes against Charlotte, doubled that playing time in the next two games and had a conference-high 26 minutes while scoring a team-best 17 points in last Saturday's win at UTSA. Examples can be found throughout the lineup, including with Brown, who averages a team-high 31 minutes per game. Brown played 42 minutes in the win over Charlotte and followed with just 27 minutes in the victory over Old Dominion.
"They handled the change of minutes really well," Haase said. "There haven't been huge swings but it's been something that they know the minutes will go up and down a little bit as they're needed that game. They understand that and, again, the attitude has just been `Hey, whatever I can do to help the team' and that's consistent throughout the entire team."
Another result is an advantage in bench points during C-USA play. UAB's bench scored nearly 10 points per game than the opposition during C-USA games and had a distinct edge over Louisiana Tech (32-4), Southern Miss (27-2), Old Dominion (28-14) and UTSA (37-6).
"Sitting on the bench, you're just looking for a way to give a spark," Watts said. "We're just looking to come off and give a spark and help the team any way we can."
UAB and LA Tech tip off at 8 p.m. CT Thursday at Bartow Arena. The winner will have a leg up in the Conference USA race.
