The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Blazers, Blue Raiders Battle for First Place Sunday
2/19/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
UAB (21-5, 11-2) vs. Middle Tennessee (18-7, 10-3)
5:00 p.m. CST | Murfreesboro, Tenn. | Murphy Center
Live Stats | Live Audio | Game Notes
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The UAB men’s basketball team puts the finishing touches on a three-game road trip Sunday at 5 p.m. when the Blazers travel to Murfreesboro, Tenn., to face Middle Tennessee from the Murphy Center.
The game will be televised live on CBS Sports Network with John Sadak and Chris Walker on the call. Blazer fans can also catch all the action by listening live to David Crane, “The Voice of the Blazers,” and Blazer legend Steve Mitchell on the flagship station for UAB men’s basketball, WZRR-FM 99.5 Nash Icon.
UAB (21-5, 11-2) enters play in sole possession of first place and leads Middle Tennessee by one game with five games remaining in the regular season. The Blazers turned in a 78-67 victory over the Blue Raiders earlier in the season behind 14 points and seven assists from sophomore guard Nick Norton.
Overall, UAB is 9-3 all-time against Middle Tennessee and has won four straight meetings between the two schools. Last season, the Blazers defeated Middle Tennessee three times, including a 73-60 victory in the Conference USA Tournament championship game.
Blazer sophomore Chris Cokley continues to serve as the offensive catalyst for a UAB team that ranks third in Conference USA with 79.1 points per game. Cokley paces the Blazers in scoring (13.8 ppg), rebounding (6.7 rpg) and field goal percentage (.586).
Robert Brown adds 13.1 points per game and shoots a team-best 40.2 percent from three-point range, while William Lee also scores in double figures with 10.3 points per game. Lee, who is also a force on the defensive end, is first in the NCAA with 3.2 blocked shots per game and has blocked at least one shot in 38 consecutive games.
Norton, who is third in C-USA with 5.4 assists per game, has helped the Blazers rank fourth in the nation with 19.0 helpers per game. UAB is also 18th in the country with a 1.48 assist/turnover ratio.
Middle Tennessee (18-7, 10-3) has won four of its last five games following a 76-54 victory Feb. 13 at Southern Miss. The Blue Raiders also boast a 10-1 home record and have not lost inside the Murphy Center since dropping a 62-56 decision Dec. 2 to VCU.
Sophomore guard Giddy Potts leads Middle Tennessee in scoring with 14.9 points per game while shooting an even 50.0 percent from three-point range. Forward Reggie Upshaw is second on the team in scoring (13.0 ppg) and first in rebounding (8.8 rpg), while Darnell Harris (12.5 ppg) and Perrin Buford (11.2 ppg) also score in double figures for the Blue Raiders.
The Conference USA Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships are set to return to Birmingham for the second consecutive year, marking the third time the Blazers will host the event. The men’s tournament, as well as the women’s semifinals and championship, will be played at Legacy Arena in downtown Birmingham, while the women’s first round and quarterfinal action will take place at UAB’s Bartow Arena.
For more information on UAB men’s basketball, follow the Blazers on Twitter (@UAB_MBB), on Instagram (@blazerhoops) or on Facebook (Facebook.com/UABMensBasketball). For more on all Blazer sports teams follow the official social media accounts of UAB Athletics on Twitter (@UABAthletics), on Facebook (Facebook.com/UAB.Blazers), on Instagram (@uabathletics) or on Snapchat (@uabathletics).
