The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Tuesday, March 28
Las Vegas, Nev.
8:30 p.m.
UAB
vs
Utah Valley
UAB MBB Set to Face Utah Valley in NIT Semifinals
3/27/2023 1:40:00 PM | Men's Basketball
LAS VEGAS - UAB men's basketball (28-9, 14-6 C-USA) will head to Las Vegas on Tuesday to take on Utah Valley (28-8, 15-3 WAC) in the semifinals of the National Invitation Tournament. Tipoff is set for 8:30 p.m. CT from Orleans Arena. The Blazers are looking to advance to the NIT championship game for the first time in program history.
WATCH
John Schriffen and Fran Fraschilla will call the game on ESPN2 while Myron Medcalf will be the sideline reporter.
RADIO
Mo Finley will join David Crane on the call on 100.5 ESPN JOX 2.
SERIES HISTORY
Utah Valley won the sole meeting between the two programs in November of 2019. The Wolverines outscored the Blazers 41-25 in the second half en route to a 66-55 win. Tavin Lovan scored 10 points and grabbed four rebounds in the contest.
NIT HISTORY
The Blazers are returning to the NIT semifnals for the third time in program history. UAB is 0-2 all-time in NIT semifinal games with two third place finishes.
LAST TIME OUT
UAB went on the road and beat Vanderbilt 67-59 in Nashville to earn a spot in the NIT semifinals. Trey Jemison recorded his 11th double-double of the season with 17 points and 12 rebounds while Jordan Walker scored 19 of his 21 points in the second half to help UAB pull away. Walker surpassed 695 points for the season, breaking Robert Vaden's program record.
TALL T's DOMINANCE
Trey Jemison has closed his UAB career with authority, averaging a career best 9.3 points and 8.5 rebounds per game this season. He matched his previous career high of 17 points at FIU and then set his current career best of 18 points against Middle Tennessee. His tip-in with nine seconds to go against FIU put the game away for UAB. He has recorded double-doubles in 10 of the last 22 games. Jemison set a career high with 16 rebounds in the Blazers' NIT second round win over Morehead State.
THE RETURN
Jordan "Jelly" Walker currently sits in fourth nationally in points per game at 22.5 and third in three pointers per game at 4.23. He dropped 38 points in the season opener against Alabama State, the most scored by a UAB player in a season opener ever. He became the first UAB player to score 30+ points eight times as a Blazer, passing Andy Kennedy. Walker has scored 30 or more points in seven games this season, including a 41-point effort against Charlotte, one point shy of his career high. Walker set a new UAB single-season scoring record with 698 points and he is 42 points shy of 2,000.
A TALL TASK
Opposing big men will face an uphill battle against UAB center Trey Jemison, who leads the Blazers in total rebounds (315, 4th in UAB history), rebounds per game (8.5, T-8th in UAB history), blocks (67, 9th in UAB history), and blocks per game (1.9, 10th in UAB history) in 2022-23. The 7-foot center teams with transfers Javian Davis and Ty Brewer, along with returners Rongie Gordon and KJ Buffen, to form one of the best front courts in Conference USA.
2023-24 SEASON TICKETS
Season tickets for the 2023-24 UAB men's basketball season are now available starting as low as $110. Season ticket packages will feature all home games during UAB's inaugural season in the American Athletic Conference and provide the most cost-effective way to attend games at Bartow Arena. Fans may renew season tickets, purchase new season tickets or request more information on season ticket options here. For more information about season ticket pricing, call the UAB Athletics Ticket Office at (205) 975-UAB1.
FOLLOW THE BLAZERS
For more information on the UAB men's basketball team, follow @UAB_MBB on Twitter and Instagram.
WATCH
John Schriffen and Fran Fraschilla will call the game on ESPN2 while Myron Medcalf will be the sideline reporter.
RADIO
Mo Finley will join David Crane on the call on 100.5 ESPN JOX 2.
SERIES HISTORY
Utah Valley won the sole meeting between the two programs in November of 2019. The Wolverines outscored the Blazers 41-25 in the second half en route to a 66-55 win. Tavin Lovan scored 10 points and grabbed four rebounds in the contest.
NIT HISTORY
The Blazers are returning to the NIT semifnals for the third time in program history. UAB is 0-2 all-time in NIT semifinal games with two third place finishes.
LAST TIME OUT
UAB went on the road and beat Vanderbilt 67-59 in Nashville to earn a spot in the NIT semifinals. Trey Jemison recorded his 11th double-double of the season with 17 points and 12 rebounds while Jordan Walker scored 19 of his 21 points in the second half to help UAB pull away. Walker surpassed 695 points for the season, breaking Robert Vaden's program record.
TALL T's DOMINANCE
Trey Jemison has closed his UAB career with authority, averaging a career best 9.3 points and 8.5 rebounds per game this season. He matched his previous career high of 17 points at FIU and then set his current career best of 18 points against Middle Tennessee. His tip-in with nine seconds to go against FIU put the game away for UAB. He has recorded double-doubles in 10 of the last 22 games. Jemison set a career high with 16 rebounds in the Blazers' NIT second round win over Morehead State.
THE RETURN
Jordan "Jelly" Walker currently sits in fourth nationally in points per game at 22.5 and third in three pointers per game at 4.23. He dropped 38 points in the season opener against Alabama State, the most scored by a UAB player in a season opener ever. He became the first UAB player to score 30+ points eight times as a Blazer, passing Andy Kennedy. Walker has scored 30 or more points in seven games this season, including a 41-point effort against Charlotte, one point shy of his career high. Walker set a new UAB single-season scoring record with 698 points and he is 42 points shy of 2,000.
A TALL TASK
Opposing big men will face an uphill battle against UAB center Trey Jemison, who leads the Blazers in total rebounds (315, 4th in UAB history), rebounds per game (8.5, T-8th in UAB history), blocks (67, 9th in UAB history), and blocks per game (1.9, 10th in UAB history) in 2022-23. The 7-foot center teams with transfers Javian Davis and Ty Brewer, along with returners Rongie Gordon and KJ Buffen, to form one of the best front courts in Conference USA.
2023-24 SEASON TICKETS
Season tickets for the 2023-24 UAB men's basketball season are now available starting as low as $110. Season ticket packages will feature all home games during UAB's inaugural season in the American Athletic Conference and provide the most cost-effective way to attend games at Bartow Arena. Fans may renew season tickets, purchase new season tickets or request more information on season ticket options here. For more information about season ticket pricing, call the UAB Athletics Ticket Office at (205) 975-UAB1.
FOLLOW THE BLAZERS
For more information on the UAB men's basketball team, follow @UAB_MBB on Twitter and Instagram.
Players Mentioned
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Center
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
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