American men's college basketball team
UAB Blazers University University of Alabama at Birmingham Head coach Andy Kennedy (4th season)Conference The American Location Birmingham, Alabama Arena Bartow Arena (capacity: 8,508)Nickname Blazers Colors Forest green and old gold[ 1] 1982 1981, 1982, 2004 1981, 1982, 1985, 1986, 2004, 2005, 2015 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1994, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2011, 2015, 2022, 2024 1982, 1983, 1984, 1987, 2015, 2022, 2024 1981, 1982, 1990, 2004, 2011, 2016
The UAB Blazers men's basketball team represents the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) in NCAA Division I men's college basketball , with the 2023–24 season being the Blazers' first as members of the American Athletic Conference . The Blazers play home games at Bartow Arena and are coached by Andy Kennedy . UAB has appeared 17 times in the NCAA men's basketball tournament and most recently appeared in 2024.
The UAB Blazers started their athletics program with the creation of men's basketball in 1978. Setting high standards from the start, UAB was able to lure Gene Bartow away from his post as the head coach at UCLA to start the Blazer program.[ 2] [ 3] Known as the "Father of UAB athletics," Coach Bartow was able to guide the Blazers to early success by reaching the NCAA tournament in just their third season of existence. Since their inaugural season, the Blazers have made 17 appearances in the NCAA men's basketball tournament , and 13 appearances in the National Invitational Tournament . UAB has been productive in its NCAA tournament appearances, reaching the Elite Eight once, and the Sweet Sixteen 3 times.[ 4] After 46 years of basketball, UAB has had 40 winning seasons, including 29 seasons with at least 20 wins. UAB's win percentage ranks 28th among NCAA Division I basketball programs with at least 40 seasons. UAB's basketball program has featured wins over many of basketball's most historic programs, including Kentucky , North Carolina , Indiana , Louisville , Kansas , Arizona , Michigan State , Virginia , Villanova , Connecticut and many others.[ 4]
Conference affiliations [ edit ] UAB Season-By-Season Records [ edit ] Statistics overview Season Coach Overall Conference Standing Postseason UAB (Independent) (1978–1979) 1978–79 Gene Bartow 15–11 UAB (Sun Belt Conference ) (1979–1991) 1979–80 Gene Bartow 18–12 10–4 T–2nd NIT 1st Round 1980–81 Gene Bartow 23–9 9–3 T–1st NCAA Sweet 16 1981–82 Gene Bartow 25–6 9–1 1st NCAA Elite 8 1982–83 Gene Bartow 19–14 9–5 3rd NCAA 1st Round 1983–84 Gene Bartow 23–11 8–6 5th NCAA 1st Round 1984–85 Gene Bartow 25–9 11–3 2nd NCAA 2nd Round 1985–86 Gene Bartow 25–11 9–5 T–3rd NCAA 2nd Round 1986–87 Gene Bartow 21–11 10–4 3rd NCAA 1st Round 1987–88 Gene Bartow 16–15 7–7 5th 1988–89 Gene Bartow 22–12 8–6 4th NIT Final Four 1989–90 Gene Bartow 22–9 12–2 1st NCAA 1st Round 1990–91 Gene Bartow 18–13 9–5 2nd NIT 1st Round UAB (Great Midwest Conference ) (1991–1995) 1991–92 Gene Bartow 20–9 4–6 5th NIT 1st Round 1992–93 Gene Bartow 21–14 5–5 4th NIT Final Four 1993–94 Gene Bartow 22–8 8–4 T–2nd NCAA 1st Round 1994–95 Gene Bartow 15–15 5–7 6th UAB (Conference USA ) (1995–2023) 1995–96 Gene Bartow 16–14 6–8 2nd (Red) 1996–97 Murry Bartow 18–14 7–7 2nd (Red) NIT 1st Round 1997–98 Murry Bartow 21–12 10–6 2nd (National) NIT 2nd Round 1998–99 Murry Bartow 20–12 10–6 1st (National) NCAA 1st Round 1999–2000 Murry Bartow 14–14 7–9 T–3rd (National) 2000–01 Murry Bartow 17–14 8–8 4th (National) 2001–02 Murry Bartow 13–17 6–10 T–4th (National) 2002–03 Mike Anderson 21–13 8–8 T–2nd (National) NIT Quarterfinals 2003–04 Mike Anderson 22–10 12–4 T–1st NCAA Sweet 16 2004–05 Mike Anderson 22–11 10–6 T–4th NCAA 2nd Round 2005–06 Mike Anderson 24–7 12–2 2nd NCAA 1st Round 2006–07 Mike Davis 15–16 7–9 T–8th 2007–08 Mike Davis 23–11 12–4 2nd NIT 2nd Round 2008–09 Mike Davis 22–12 11–5 3rd NIT 1st Round 2009–10 Mike Davis 25–9 11–5 T–3rd NIT Quarterfinals 2010–11 Mike Davis 22–9 12–4 1st NCAA First Four 2011–12 Mike Davis 15–16 9–7 T–5th 2012–13 Jerod Haase 16–17 7–9 T–7th 2013–14 Jerod Haase 18–13 7–9 T–8th 2014–15 Jerod Haase 20–16 12–6 T–4th NCAA 2nd Round 2015–16 Jerod Haase 26–7 16–2 1st NIT 1st Round 2016–17 Rob Ehsan 17–16 9–9 7th 2017–18 Rob Ehsan 20–13 10–8 6th 2018–19 Rob Ehsan 20–15 10–8 5th CBI first round 2019–20 Rob Ehsan 19–13 9–9 7th 2020–21 Andy Kennedy 22–7 13–5 2nd (West) 2021–22 Andy Kennedy 27–8 14–4 2nd (West) NCAA First Round 2022-23 Andy Kennedy 29–10 14–6 3rd NIT Runner–up UAB (American Athletic Conference ) (2023–present) 2023–24 Andy Kennedy 23-12 12-6 4th NCAA First Round Total: 937-546 National champion Postseason invitational champion Conference regular season champion Conference regular season and conference tournament champion Division regular season champion Division regular season and conference tournament champion Conference tournament champion
The Blazers have appeared in the College Basketball Invitational (CBI) one time. Their record is 0–1
Year Round Opponent Result 2019 First Round Brown L 78–83
Highest Seeds Beaten in NCAA tournament [ edit ] Year Seed Opponent Result/Score 2004 1 Kentucky W 76–74 1982 1 Virginia W 68–66 1981 2 Kentucky W 69–62 2015 3 Iowa State W 60–59
Rivalry Games Rival First meeting Last meeting Overall record Auburn 1982 2018 Auburn leads 11-10 Charlotte 1980 2024 UAB leads 34-20 Western Kentucky 1981 2023 UAB leads 27-18 Old Dominion 1983 2022 UAB leads 23-16 South Alabama 1978 2022 UAB leads 31-14 Memphis 1984 2024 Memphis leads 40-12 Middle Tennessee 1986 2023 UAB leads 19-10 Southern Mississippi 1979 2023 UAB leads 37-20 South Florida 1978 2024 UAB leads 40-20
Conference Coach of the Year [ edit ] Year Conference Coach 2004 Conference USA Mike Anderson 2011 Conference USA Mike Davis 2016 Conference USA Jerod Haase
Conference Player of the Year [ edit ] Year Conference Position Player 1982 Sun Belt SG Oliver Robinson 2011 Conference USA PG Aaron Johnson 2022 Conference USA PG Jordan Walker
All--Conference Players Since 2012 [ edit ] Year Conference Team Position Player 2012 Conference USA 1st Forward Cameron Moore 2013 Conference USA 2nd Forward Rod Rucker 2014 Conference USA 1st Guard Chad Frazier 2015 Conference USA 3rd Guard Robert Brown 2016 Conference USA 2nd Forward Chris Cokley 2016 Conference USA 3rd Guard Nick Norton 2016 Conference USA 1st Guard Robert Brown 2016 Conference USA 3rd Forward William Lee 2017 Conference USA 2nd Forward William Lee 2018 Conference USA 1st Forward Chris Cokley 2019 Conference USA 3rd Guard Zack Bryant 2021 Conference USA 2nd Guard Tavin Lovan 2022 Conference USA 1st Guard Jordan Walker 2022 Conference USA 3rd Guard Quan Jackson 2023 Conference USA 1st Guard Jordan Walker 2023 Conference USA 3rd Center Trey Jemison 2024 American 1st Forward Yaxel Lendeborg
UAB has retired four jersey numbers since its inception and they now hang from the rafters of Bartow Arena. This honor is bestowed only on players who earn AP All-America honors and who complete their degree at UAB.[ 5]
UAB has seen numerous players move on to professional careers in the NBA.[ 10] Some of UAB's highest NBA draft picks include:
Other former Blazers to play in the NBA are:
In international leagues [ edit ] UAB Basketball facilities [ edit ] UAB vs Tulsa at Bartow Arena UAB initially played their home games at the BJCC Coliseum , but moved their home games to an on-campus facility starting with the 1988–89 season.[ 11] Originally known as UAB Arena, the name was officially changed to Bartow Arena on January 25, 1997.[ 12] The 8,508-seat arena is named after Coach Gene Bartow, the man who built UAB's men's basketball program from scratch starting in 1978.[ 11] [ 12]
Top 10 Home Games at BJCC Opponent Attendance 1 DePaul (1980) 17,309 2 DePaul (1985) 17,222 3 Auburn (1984) 17,025 4 Indiana (1997) 16,982 5 Virginia Commonwealth (1985) 16,866 6 Auburn (1986) 16,815 7 Auburn (1983) 16,803 8 Auburn (1982) 16,797 9 South Florida (1985) 16,781 10T Virginia (1982) 16,754 10T Louisville (1982) 16,754 [ 13]
Top 10 Home Games at Bartow Arena Opponent Attendance 1 Memphis (2008) 9,392 2 Louisville (2005) 9,354 3 Cincinnati (2004) 9,312 4 Cincinnati (2000) 9,279 5 Cincinnati (1996) 9,213 6 Memphis (2009) 9,153 7 Memphis (2011) 9,119 8 Alcorn State (1989) 9,010 9 Arkansas (1990) 8,951 10 Cincinnati (1994) 8,907 [ 13]
^ University of Alabama at Birmingham Style Guide (PDF) . March 11, 2020. Retrieved April 12, 2021 . ^ Florence, Mal (June 14, 1977). "Bartow takes job and heads South". Los Angeles Times . p. D1. ^ "It's official: Bartow leaves UCLA for Birmingham post" . The Herald-Journal . Associated Press. June 15, 1977. p. D1. Retrieved March 20, 2011 . ^ a b c 2010–11 UAB Basketball Information Guide, pp. 118–123 ^ 2010–11 UAB Basketball Information Guide, p. 103 ^ UAB Set to Retire Aaron Johnson’s Jersey , 15 Jan 2020 ^ Steve Mitchell is IN. Are you? at UAB Alumni ^ UAB should leave Oliver Robinson's retired jersey right where it is at Alabama.com, Jun. 27, 2017 ^ Will Aaron Johnson's jersey number be retired by UAB? , Alabama.com, Mar. 17, 2011 ^ 2010–11 UAB Basketball Information Guide, p. 115 ^ a b 2010–11 UAB Basketball Information Guide, p. 60 ^ a b Scarbinsky, Kevin (January 26, 1997). "Bartows still on the go". The Birmingham News . p. B16. ^ a b 2010–11 UAB Basketball Information Guide, p. 62
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