The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Photo by: Gus Stark
UAB Adds LSU Transfer Eric Gaines to Roster
4/12/2022 1:05:00β―PM | Men's Basketball
BIRMINGHAM βΒ UAB head men's basketball coach Andy Kennedy has announced the addition of Power Five transfer Eric Gaines to the roster. Gaines, a standout guard at LSU the past two seasons, joins Ledarrius and Ty Brewer as the three student-athletes Kennedy has added to the 2022-23 UAB men's basketball roster.
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Gaines, a 6-2 guard from Lithonia, Georgia, played in all 34 games for LSU this past season, averaging 9.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.1 steals per game as a sophomore. The second-year guard reached double figures 14 times, including five straight games against Power Five opponents Tennessee, Texas A&M, TCU, Ole Miss and Vanderbilt.Β
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The former LSU Tiger ranked tied for 12thΒ nationally with 70 total steals in 2021-22, ranking 28thΒ nationally with 2.06 steals per game. Gaines also shot 79.3% from the free-throw line this past season, sinking 96-of-121 shots from the charity stripe.
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"We are excited to have Eric (@EricDaGoatΒ on Twitter) join our program," Kennedy said. "He will bring elite athleticism, play-making ability and game-changing defense to our backcourt.
"His ability to make plays on both sides of the ball will immediately impact Blazer Basketball!"
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Gaines played in all 29 games his freshman year at LSU, making his first-collegiate start against Nicholls State. He also has played in all three of LSU's NCAA Tournament games the past two seasons, helping lead the Tigers to a 76-61 win over St. Bonaventure in the Round of 64 on March 20, 2021.Β
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In high school, 247sports.com tabbed Gaines as a four-star recruit and the No. 88 player in the nation. He averaged 18.6 points, 4.0 assists and 2.7 steals for Lithonia High School as a senior, making 56% of his field goal attempts. The Atlanta Journal Constitution named Gaines the All-Metro DeKalb County Player of the Year as a senior.
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Gaines signing with the Blazers marks Kennedy's fifth Power Five transfer landed since taking over the UAB men's basketball program in March 2020. Kennedy signed student-athletes from Clemson (Trey Jemison), KJ Buffen (Ole Miss), Jamal Johnson (Auburn) and Josh LeBlanc, Sr. (LSU) through the transfer portal before the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons.
MEN'S BASKETBALL TICKET INFORMATION
As the UAB men's basketball program celebrates a historic 2021-22 season, the UAB Department of Athletics has announced an early purchase incentive for Blazer fans and the Birmingham community to lock in their season tickets for the 2022-23 men's basketball season.Β
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Fans who commit to their season tickets by April 30 will receive a commemorative Conference USA Champions banner as a token of appreciation for their support. The commemorative banner features a customized Conference USA Championship logo, and each season-ticket account that purchases by the end of April will receive this exclusive gift leading into the upcoming men's basketball season.
UAB men's basketball season-ticket packages for theΒ 2022-23 season are on sale nowΒ and start for as low as $110 in Blaze's Corner. The public season-ticket price is set at $275, while season tickets for UAB employees and alumni are available for $245 per seat. Scholarship seating is also available, and fans can also request more information by clickingΒ here.Β
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Gaines, a 6-2 guard from Lithonia, Georgia, played in all 34 games for LSU this past season, averaging 9.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.1 steals per game as a sophomore. The second-year guard reached double figures 14 times, including five straight games against Power Five opponents Tennessee, Texas A&M, TCU, Ole Miss and Vanderbilt.Β
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The former LSU Tiger ranked tied for 12thΒ nationally with 70 total steals in 2021-22, ranking 28thΒ nationally with 2.06 steals per game. Gaines also shot 79.3% from the free-throw line this past season, sinking 96-of-121 shots from the charity stripe.
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"We are excited to have Eric (@EricDaGoatΒ on Twitter) join our program," Kennedy said. "He will bring elite athleticism, play-making ability and game-changing defense to our backcourt.
"His ability to make plays on both sides of the ball will immediately impact Blazer Basketball!"
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Gaines played in all 29 games his freshman year at LSU, making his first-collegiate start against Nicholls State. He also has played in all three of LSU's NCAA Tournament games the past two seasons, helping lead the Tigers to a 76-61 win over St. Bonaventure in the Round of 64 on March 20, 2021.Β
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In high school, 247sports.com tabbed Gaines as a four-star recruit and the No. 88 player in the nation. He averaged 18.6 points, 4.0 assists and 2.7 steals for Lithonia High School as a senior, making 56% of his field goal attempts. The Atlanta Journal Constitution named Gaines the All-Metro DeKalb County Player of the Year as a senior.
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Gaines signing with the Blazers marks Kennedy's fifth Power Five transfer landed since taking over the UAB men's basketball program in March 2020. Kennedy signed student-athletes from Clemson (Trey Jemison), KJ Buffen (Ole Miss), Jamal Johnson (Auburn) and Josh LeBlanc, Sr. (LSU) through the transfer portal before the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons.
MEN'S BASKETBALL TICKET INFORMATION
As the UAB men's basketball program celebrates a historic 2021-22 season, the UAB Department of Athletics has announced an early purchase incentive for Blazer fans and the Birmingham community to lock in their season tickets for the 2022-23 men's basketball season.Β
Β
Fans who commit to their season tickets by April 30 will receive a commemorative Conference USA Champions banner as a token of appreciation for their support. The commemorative banner features a customized Conference USA Championship logo, and each season-ticket account that purchases by the end of April will receive this exclusive gift leading into the upcoming men's basketball season.
UAB men's basketball season-ticket packages for theΒ 2022-23 season are on sale nowΒ and start for as low as $110 in Blaze's Corner. The public season-ticket price is set at $275, while season tickets for UAB employees and alumni are available for $245 per seat. Scholarship seating is also available, and fans can also request more information by clickingΒ here.Β
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