The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Blazers Begin Final Homestand Thursday with Florida Atlantic
3/1/2017 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Florida Atlantic (10-17, 6-10) vs. UAB (15-14, 8-8)
7 p.m. CST | Birmingham, Ala. | Bartow Arena
Watch | Listen | Live Stats | Game Notes
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The UAB men’s basketball team continues a three-game homestand Thursday at 7 p.m. when the Blazers welcome Florida Atlantic to Bartow Arena.
In conjunction with National Read Across America Day, all fans who donate a new or gently used children’s book will receive an $8 ticket to Thursday’s game. Drop off boxes will be located at the main entrance to Bartow Arena.
UAB (15-14, 8-8) sits in seventh place in Conference USA after dropping a heartbreaking 66-64 decision to first-place Middle Tennessee on Sunday in Bartow Arena. Chris Cokley scored a game-high 22 points and ranks second on the team with 12.1 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. Cokley also stands 29th in the NCAA with a .585 field goal percentage.
William Lee added 17 points against the Blue Raiders and paces the UAB offense with 13.1 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. The Plantersville, Ala., native is only five points shy of becoming the 22nd Blazer in school history with 1,000 career points. Defensively, Lee is first in C-USA and 22nd in the NCAA with 2.4 blocks per game.
Senior Dirk Williams adds 10.4 points per game and leads UAB with 54 three-pointers. Williams enters play Thursday on fire from beyond the arc and is shooting 47.6 percent from three-point range over his last three games.
Florida Atlantic (10-17, 6-10) has won four of its last five road games and arrives in Birmingham in 10th place in the standings. The Owls split last weekend at home in games against UTEP and UTEP to close their home schedule.
Senior guard Adonis Filer leads Florida Atlantic with 11.1 points per game and is the only Owl in double figures. Fellow guard Gerdarius Troutman is second on the team with 9.7 points per game and shoots a team-best 43.6 percent from three-point range. Forward Ronald Delph grabs a team-high 6.7 rebounds per game.
UAB and Florida Atlantic will meet on the hardwood for the eighth time in school history when the two teams battle on Thursday. The Blazers own a 5-2 lead in the all-time series that dates back to the 2008-09 season. UAB has won the last three games against the Owls, including an 80-78 victory earlier this season in Boca Raton. In fact, the last two meetings between UAB and Florida Atlantic have been decided by a total of five points. UAB, however, is 3-0 all-time at home against Florida Atlantic and has won by an average of 26.3 points per game.
For more information on UAB men’s basketball, follow the Blazers on Twitter (@UAB_MBB), Instagram (@blazerhoops) and Snapchat (@UAB_MBB).
