UAB Blazers men's basketball
Encyclopedia
The UAB Blazers men's basketball team represents the University of Alabama at Birmingham
(UAB) in the National Collegiate Athletic Association
's (NCAA) Division I men's college basketball
, and have competed in Conference USA
(C-USA) since 1995. The team is currently coached by Mike Davis
.
, in effect, started their entire athletics program with the creation of a men's basketball team in 1978. Setting high standards from the start, UAB hired former UCLA
, University of Illinois
and Memphis
head coach Gene Bartow
. Known to many as the "Father of UAB athletics", Bartow led the Blazers to almost instant success. Since their inaugural season, the Blazers have made 14 appearances in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament including 3 Sweet Sixteen
appearances and 1 Elite Eight
appearance. UAB has also appeared in the NIT
a total of 11 times, including 2 appearances in the NIT Final Four. After 33 years of basketball, UAB has had 30 winning seasons including wins over Kentucky
, Indiana
, Louisville
, Alabama
, Florida
, LSU, Virginia
, Villanova
, Cincinnati
, Connecticut
and Memphis, among others. UAB has been ranked in the Associated Press
Top 25 Poll many times in school history and as recently as 2010.
, with a combined record of 9–14.
Received a first round bye in 1982
's, with a combined record of 14–11.
Since UAB established its basketball program, only 3 jerseys have been retired and now hang in the rafters of Bartow Arena. It was decided early on in UAB's basketball program that such an honor would only be bestowed on those players that earned AP All-American honors and who completed their degree at UAB.
Other former Blazers to move on to the NBA include:
UAB initially played their games at the Birmingham–Jefferson Convention Complex Arena, but moved its games to the on-campus facility beginning with the 1988–89 season. Originally known as UAB Arena, the name was officially changed to Bartow Arena
on January 25, 1997. The 8,508-seat arena is named after Gene Bartow, the coach who largely built the school's men's basketball program from scratch over the last quarter of the 20th century.
University of Alabama at Birmingham
The University of Alabama at Birmingham is a public university in Birmingham in the U.S. state of Alabama. Developing from an extension center established in 1936, the institution became an autonomous institution in 1969 and is today one of three institutions in the University of Alabama System...
(UAB) in the National Collegiate Athletic Association
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
's (NCAA) Division I men's college basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
, and have competed in Conference USA
Conference USA
Conference USA, officially abbreviated C-USA, is a college athletic conference whose member institutions are located within the Southern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I in all sports...
(C-USA) since 1995. The team is currently coached by Mike Davis
Mike Davis (coach)
Mike Davis is an American college basketball coach. He is currently the head men's basketball coach at University of Alabama at Birmingham. He formerly held the same position at Indiana University.-Playing career:...
.
History
The UAB BlazersUAB Blazers
The UAB Blazers are the forest green and old gold-swathed athletic teams at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. The school is one of the twelve member institutions of Conference USA and participates in Division I of the NCAA...
, in effect, started their entire athletics program with the creation of a men's basketball team in 1978. Setting high standards from the start, UAB hired former UCLA
UCLA Bruins men's basketball
The UCLA Bruins men's basketball program, established in 1920, owns a record 11 Division I NCAA championships. UCLA teams coached by John Wooden won 10 national titles in 12 seasons from 1964 to 1975, including 7 straight from 1967 to 1973. UCLA went undefeated a record 4 times, in 1964, 1967,...
, University of Illinois
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
and Memphis
University of Memphis
The University of Memphis is an American public research university located in the Normal Station neighborhood of Memphis, Tennessee and is the flagship public research university of the Tennessee Board of Regents system....
head coach Gene Bartow
Gene Bartow
Gene Bartow is a former men's college basketball coach. The Browning, Missouri, native coached 36 years at six universities after coaching two high schools in Missouri for six years.-High school:...
. Known to many as the "Father of UAB athletics", Bartow led the Blazers to almost instant success. Since their inaugural season, the Blazers have made 14 appearances in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament including 3 Sweet Sixteen
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
appearances and 1 Elite Eight
Elite Eight
The term Elite Eight, or less commonly called "Great Eight", refers to the final eight teams in the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship or the NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship; and, thus, represents the national quarterfinals. In Division I, the Elite Eight consists of the...
appearance. UAB has also appeared in the NIT
National Invitation Tournament
The National Invitation Tournament is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. There are two NIT events each season. The first, played in November and known as the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off , was founded in 1985...
a total of 11 times, including 2 appearances in the NIT Final Four. After 33 years of basketball, UAB has had 30 winning seasons including wins over Kentucky
Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball
The Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team, representing the University of Kentucky, is the winningest in the history of college basketball, both in all-time wins and all-time winning percentage. Kentucky's all-time record currently stands at 2058–647...
, Indiana
Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball
The Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team is the intercollegiate men's basketball program representing Indiana University . The school competes in the Big Ten Conference in Division I of the NCAA. The Hoosiers play on Branch McCracken Court at the Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana on the IU...
, Louisville
Louisville Cardinals men's basketball
The Louisville Cardinals men's basketball team is the 18th winningest college basketball team in NCAA Division I history and has the 10th best winning percentage in college basketball history. Currently coached by Rick Pitino, the Cardinals of the University of Louisville have been to 37 NCAA...
, Alabama
Alabama Crimson Tide men's basketball
The Alabama Crimson Tide men's basketball program has a history of being among the best of the Southeastern Conference . It trails only Kentucky in basketball wins, SEC tournament titles, and SEC regular season titles in the 12-member conference. The team is coached by head coach Anthony Grant,...
, Florida
Florida Gators men's basketball
The Florida Gators men's basketball team represents the University of Florida in the sport of basketball. The Gators compete in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I and the Southeastern Conference...
, LSU, Virginia
Virginia Cavaliers men's basketball
The Virginia Cavaliers men's basketball program represents the University of Virginia in the Atlantic Coast Conference in the NCAA's Division I. The team is coached by Tony Bennett.-Statistics:-Retired numbers:-Retired jerseys:...
, Villanova
Villanova Wildcats men's basketball
This is the article about the men's basketball team from Villanova University. The team has competed since the 1920–21 season. Nicknamed the "Wildcats", Villanova is a member of the Big East Conference and the Philadelphia Big Five. The Villanova Wildcats have appeared in the NCAA...
, Cincinnati
Cincinnati Bearcats men's basketball
The Cincinnati Bearcats basketball team is the NCAA Division I men's basketball program of the University of Cincinnati in Cincinnati, Ohio. They currently compete in the Big East Conference and are coached by Mick Cronin. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in...
, Connecticut
Connecticut Huskies men's basketball
The Connecticut Huskies is the name of the men's college basketball team representing the University of Connecticut, in Storrs, Connecticut, USA. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I, and the team competes in the Big East Conference...
and Memphis, among others. UAB has been ranked in the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
Top 25 Poll many times in school history and as recently as 2010.
Coaches
| Coach | Years | | Wins-Losses |
|---|---|---|
| Gene Bartow Gene Bartow Gene Bartow is a former men's college basketball coach. The Browning, Missouri, native coached 36 years at six universities after coaching two high schools in Missouri for six years.-High school:... |
1978–1996 | 365–204 |
| Murry Bartow Murry Bartow Murry Bartow is an American college basketball coach and the current the head men's coach at East Tennessee State University. Prior to accepting the head coaching job at ETSU, he served as the head coach for UAB from 1996 to 2002, succeeding his father Gene Bartow, the creator of the Blazers... |
1996–2002 | 103–83 |
| Mike Anderson | 2002–2006 | 89–41 |
| Mike Davis | 2006–Present | 108–59 |
| Overall | 665–387 | |
Season by Season Records
NCAA Tournament Results
UAB has appeared in 14 NCAA TournamentsNCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
, with a combined record of 9–14.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result/Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 1981 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 1981 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 48 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 12, 1981, and ended with the championship game on March 30 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania... |
First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen |
Western Kentucky Kentucky Indiana |
W 93–68 W 69–62 L 87–72 |
| 1982 1982 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 1982 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 48 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 11, 1982, and ended with the championship game on March 29 in New Orleans, Louisiana... |
Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight |
Indiana Virginia Louisville |
W 80–70 W 68–66 L 75–68 |
| 1983 1983 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 1983 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 52 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 2, 1983, and ended with the championship game on April 4 at The Pit, then officially known... |
First Round | Oklahoma | L 71–63 |
| 1984 1984 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 1984 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 53 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 13, 1984, and ended with the championship game on April 2 in Seattle, Washington. A total of... |
First Round | BYU | L 84–68 |
| 1985 1985 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 1985 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. This was the first year the field was expanded to 64 teams, from 53 in the previous year's tournament. It began... |
First Round Second Round |
Michigan State Memphis State |
W 67–55 L 67–66 OT |
| 1986 1986 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 1986 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 13, 1986, and ended with the championship game on March 31 in Dallas, Texas... |
First Round Second Round |
Missouri North Carolina |
W 66–64 L 77–59 |
| 1987 1987 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 1987 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 12, 1987, and ended with the championship game on March 30 in New Orleans, Louisiana... |
First Round | Providence | L 90–68 |
| 1990 1990 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 1990 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 15, 1990, and ended with the championship game on April 2 in Denver, Colorado... |
First Round | UCLA | L 68–56 |
| 1994 1994 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 1994 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 17, 1994, and ended with the championship game on April 4 in Charlotte, North Carolina... |
First Round | George Washington | L 51–46 |
| 1999 1999 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 1999 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 11, 1999, and ended with the championship game on March 29 at Tropicana Field in St.... |
First Round | Iowa | L 77–64 |
| 2004 2004 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 2004 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 16, 2004, and ended with the championship game on April 5 at the Alamodome in San Antonio,... |
First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen |
Washington Kentucky Kansas |
W 102–100 W 76–74 L 100–74 |
| 2005 2005 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 2005 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 15, 2005, and ended with the championship game on April 4 at the Edward Jones Dome in St... |
First Round Second Round |
LSU Arizona |
W 82–68 L 85–63 |
| 2006 2006 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 2006 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball as a culmination of the 2005–06 basketball season... |
First Round | Kentucky | L 69–64 |
| 2011 2011 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The following sites were selected to host each round of the 2011 tournament:First Four*March 15 and 16**University of Dayton Arena, Dayton, OhioSecond and third rounds*March 17 and 19**Verizon Center, Washington, D.C.... |
First Round | Clemson | L 70–52 |
Received a first round bye in 1982
NIT Results
UAB has appeared in 11 National Invitation TournamentNational Invitation Tournament
The National Invitation Tournament is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. There are two NIT events each season. The first, played in November and known as the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off , was founded in 1985...
's, with a combined record of 14–11.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result/Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 1980 National Invitation Tournament -Semifinals & Finals:*Third Place - Illinois 84, UNLV 74... |
First Round | Louisiana-Lafayette | L 74–72 |
| 1989 1989 National Invitation Tournament -Semifinals & Finals:*Third Place - UAB 78, Michigan State 76... |
First Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight Final Four Third Place Game |
Georgia Southern Richmond Connecticut St. Johns Michigan State |
W 83–74 W 64–61 W 85–79 L 76–65 W 78–76 |
| 1991 1991 National Invitation Tournament -Semifinals & Finals:*Third Place - Colorado 98, Massachusetts 91... |
First Round | Memphis | L 82–76 |
| 1992 1992 National Invitation Tournament -Semifinals & Finals:*Third Place - Utah 81, Florida 78... |
First Round | Tennessee | L 71–68 |
| 1993 1993 National Invitation Tournament -Semifinals & Finals:*Third Place - UAB 55, Providence 52... |
First Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight Final Four Third Place Game |
Alabama Clemson SW Missouri State Georgetown Providence |
W 58–56 W 65–64 W 61–52 L 45–41 W 55–52 |
| 1997 1997 National Invitation Tournament -Semifinals & Finals:*Third Place - Connecticut 74, Arkansas 64Michigan later forfeited its entire 1996-97 schedule after Robert Traylor, Maurice Taylor and Louis Bullock were found to have taken money from a Michigan booster.... |
First Round | TCU | L 85–62 |
| 1998 1998 National Invitation Tournament -Semifinals & Finals:*Third Place - Georgia 95, Fresno State 79Minnesota later forfeited its entire 1997-98 schedule due to an academic fraud scandal.... |
First Round Sweet Sixteen |
Missouri Minnesota |
W 93–86 L 79–66 |
| 2003 2003 National Invitation Tournament -Semifinals & Finals:*Third Place - Texas Tech 71, Minnesota 61St. John's later vacated the title due to an ineligible player.... |
First Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight |
Louisiana-Lafayette Siena St. Johns |
W 82–80 W 80–71 L 79–71 |
| 2008 2008 National Invitation Tournament -Semifinals and Final:Played at Madison Square Garden in New York City on April 1 and 3* - Overtime game.-External links:*... |
First Round Sweet Sixteen |
VCU Virginia Tech |
W 80–77 L 75–49 |
| 2009 2009 National Invitation Tournament -Semifinals and finals:Played at Madison Square Garden in New York City on March 31 and April 2* denotes each overtime played-NIT Championship:... |
First Round | Notre Dame | L 70–64 |
| 2010 2010 National Invitation Tournament -Arizona State Bracket:-Virginia Tech Bracket:-Mississippi State Bracket:-NIT Final Four - NIT Semifinals and NIT Championship Game:Played at Madison Square Garden in New York City-See also:*2010 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament... |
First Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight |
Coastal Carolina North Carolina State North Carolina |
W 65–49 W 72–52 L 55–60 |
Retired jerseys
| Retired Basketball Jerseys | ||
|---|---|---|
| Number | Player | Years |
| 14 | Steve Mitchell | 1982–1986 |
| 20 | Oliver Robinson | 1978–1982 |
| 40 | Jerome Mincy | 1982–1986 |
Since UAB established its basketball program, only 3 jerseys have been retired and now hang in the rafters of Bartow Arena. It was decided early on in UAB's basketball program that such an honor would only be bestowed on those players that earned AP All-American honors and who completed their degree at UAB.
In the NBA
UAB has also seen a number of its players move on to a professional career in the NBA. Some of UAB's highest NBA draft picks include:- Oliver RobinsonOliver RobinsonOliver Robinson is a retired American basketball player who played shooting guard for the NBA's San Antonio Spurs....
(2nd Round/1st Pick/24th Overall) to the San Antonio SpursSan Antonio SpursThe San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association .... - Walter SharpeWalter SharpeWalter L. Sharpe III is an American professional basketball player.-Early career:Sharpe played his prep basketball at Parker High School in Birmingham, Alabama, his place of birth. He was later signed by Mississippi State University...
(2nd Round/2nd Pick/32nd Overall) to the Seattle SuperSonicsSeattle SuperSonicsThe Seattle SuperSonics were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington that played in the Pacific and Northwest Divisions of the National Basketball Association from 1967 until 2008. Following the 2007–08 season, the team relocated to Oklahoma City, and now plays as... - Steve Mitchell (2nd Round/12th Pick/36th Overall) to the Washington Bullets
- Reginald Turner (2nd Round/20th Pick/47th Overall) to the Denver NuggetsDenver NuggetsThe Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association . They were founded as the Denver Rockets in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association, and became one of that league's more successful teams...
- Robert VadenRobert VadenRobert Anthony Vaden is an American professional basketball player. Vaden played college basketball with the Indiana Hoosiers and the UAB Blazers for two years each. After four years in college, he was drafted by the Charlotte Bobcats with the 54th pick in the 2009 NBA Draft. After the draft, his...
(2nd Round/54th Overall) to the Charlotte BobcatsCharlotte BobcatsThe Charlotte Bobcats is a professional basketball team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association. The Bobcats were established in 2004 as an expansion team, two seasons after Charlotte's previous NBA...
Other former Blazers to move on to the NBA include:
- Larry Spicer
- Keith McCord
- Glenn Marcus
- Norm Anchrum
- Jerome MincyJerome MincyJerome Alfred Mincy Clark is a Puerto Rican professional basketball player of American parents. Mincy has played in the NCAA with the UAB Blazers and the National Superior Basketball League of Puerto Rico with Bayamón Cowboys...
- Chris Giles
- Donnie Speer
- Cliff Pruitt
- Lex Drum
- McKinley Singleton
- Archie Johnson
- Alan OggAlan OggRaymond Alan Ogg was an American professional basketball player who spent three seasons in the NBA. He is the University of Alabama at Birmingham Blazers' career shot-blocking leader with 266 blocks over four college seasons...
- Stanley JacksonStanley Jackson (basketball)Stanley Leon Jackson is a former American professional basketball player, in the guard position.Jackson played collegiately at the University of Alabama-Birmingham, after attending the Valley High School in Valley, Alabama...
- Donell TaylorDonell TaylorQuence Donell Taylor II is an American professional basketball player. He is a 6 ft 6 in tall point guard-shooting guard.-College career:...
Facilities
UAB initially played their games at the Birmingham–Jefferson Convention Complex Arena, but moved its games to the on-campus facility beginning with the 1988–89 season. Originally known as UAB Arena, the name was officially changed to Bartow Arena
Bartow Arena
Bartow Arena is an 8,508-seat multi-purpose arena in Birmingham, Alabama. It is home to the University of Alabama at Birmingham Blazers men's and women's basketball teams as well as the women's volleyball team. The arena is named after Gene Bartow, the coach who largely built the school's men's...
on January 25, 1997. The 8,508-seat arena is named after Gene Bartow, the coach who largely built the school's men's basketball program from scratch over the last quarter of the 20th century.
| 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 |
| 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 |