The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Gene Bartow Legacy Lives on Through UAB Bartow Classic
2/7/2017 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 7, 2017
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Celebrating Gene Bartow's life and accomplishments, as well as raising money for cancer research, are prime reasons for Saturday night's eighth annual Bartow Classic men's basketball game between UAB and Old Dominion at Bartow Arena.
Widely known as the `Father of UAB Athletics,' Bartow established the men's basketball program at UAB in 1978 and would go on to coach 18 seasons in Birmingham. He finished his career in 1996 after winning 365 games and leading UAB to nine NCAA Tournament appearances, including the 1981 Sweet 16 and the 1982 Elite Eight.
Overall, Coach Bartow won 647 games in 34 seasons as a college head coach. He was the head coach at six universities and guided at least one team at four of those stops into the NCAA Tournament. In all, he coached 14 NCAA Tournament teams, including a national runner-up team at Memphis State in 1972-73 and a Final Four participant at UCLA in 1975.
UAB recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of its decision to rename UAB Arena to Bartow Arena on January 25, 1997.
The Bartow Classic began during the 2009-10 season with Murry Bartow bringing his ETSU team to Bartow Arena for the inaugural game. Saturday's game, which will tip off at 7 p.m. on ASN, marks the eighth Bartow Classic. In 2012, just four days after Coach Bartow lost his battle with cancer, the Blazers played the second of three Bartow Classic games against Memphis. Other Bartow Classic games were played against Southern Miss, Rutgers and Florida Atlantic. UAB is 4-3 in Bartow Classic games.
Saturday's renewal of the Bartow Classic will include a $2 donation from each single game ticket sold to the Coach Gene Bartow Fund for Cancer Research. Tickets for the game are $22 for lower-level reserved seats and $17 for upper-level reserved seats. Tickets can be purchased online at UABSports.com or by calling 205-975-UAB1 (8221).
In addition to all the money raised through single game ticket sales, UAB first-year head coach Robert Ehsan and the entire basketball program have joined forces to raise even more money to donate towards the Gene Bartow Memorial Fund for Cancer Research.
Ehsan is pledging $10 for each blocked shot during the entire season while each of the Blazer players are making a $1 contribution for every blocked shot during Conference USA play.
"I think it's great because as coaches, and a program, we want to give back to the community," said Ehsan. "Part of our mission as a program is to be able to help in ways we can and do things like this. To be able to do it with something that's helped our team be successful is unique and rare. I know the guys have all bought into this. The players are going to donate to it out of their own pocket."
The UAB men's basketball team will continue to help by swatting shots out of the air. Through 24 games, the Blazers rank third in Conference USA with 117 blocked shots overall with 43 of those coming in three C-USA games. At the time, junior William Lee Lee is tops in C-USA and 24th in the country with 46 blocked shots.
The UAB faithful can also help out in raising money for the Gene Bartow Fund. Donations can be made by a pre-determined amount or fans can match the donation to the number of blocks tallied by the team at the end of the season. Click here to make a donation to the Gene Bartow Fund.
Saturday's game will also be a celebration of the 1982 Elite Eight team along with all Blazer basketball alumni. Led by 23 points from UAB All-American Oliver Robinson, the Blazers knocked off defending NCAA Champion Indiana in the second round of the 1982 Midwest Regional to reach the Sweet 16 and setup a matchup with Ralph Sampson and the Virginia Cavaliers. Robinson would outduel Sampson and finish with 23 points and five rebounds to lead UAB into the Elite Eight against Louisville.
For more information on UAB men's basketball, follow the Blazers on Twitter (@UAB_MBB), Instagram (@blazerhoops) and Snapchat (@UAB_MBB).
