UAB Travels to North Texas for Showdown Against Defending C-USA Tournament Champions

[Coach Andy Mac]

UAB (12-3, 2-0) vs. North Texas (8-3, 1-0)

The Super Pit, Denton, Texas; Thursday, 8 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: UAB looks for its fourth straight win over North Texas at The Super Pit. North Texas' last win at home against the Blazers came on Feb. 12, 2015.

BIRMINGHAM – The UAB men's basketball team will head to Texas for its first road test since Dec. 4 when the Blazers battle defending Conference USA Tournament champion North Texas on Thursday night. Tipoff at The Super Pit in Denton, Texas, is set for 7 p.m. and will be carried live on CBS Sports Network.
 
UAB (12-3) moved to a perfect 10-0 in Bartow Arena on Saturday behind its 10^th double-digit victory in Birmingham this season, defeating UTSA 87-59. Head coach Andy Kennedy notched career victory No. 300 in the 28-point victory, completing an opening weekend sweep of UTEP and UTSA.
 
The Blazers hold a 6-4 all-time record against North Texas and have won four straight in Denton dating back to 2017. North Texas (8-3) has won six straight games since opening the season 2-3 and defeated Rice 75-43 to open Conference USA play on Saturday.
 
UAB LATELY                                                                   
After trailing 3-0 early on Saturday, the Blazers used a 9-0 run to take the lead for good in their dominant 87-59 victory over UTSA on New Year's Day. KJ Buffen (20), Jordan Walker (19) and Michael Ertel (12) all reached double figures to pace the UAB offense. The Blazers shot an efficient 47.6% (10-of-21) from behind the 3-point line and limited the Roadrunners to 13.3% shooting (2-of-15) from behind the arc in the victory. Quan Jackson and Tavin Lovan each put together complete games in the win, chipping in with eight points and five or more rebounds apiece. UAB's 28-point victory over the Roadrunners marked its largest margin of victory in C-USA play since the Blazers defeated WKU 101-73 on March 3, 2018, in Bartow Arena.
 
NORTH TEXAS LATELY                                               
North Texas, who won the C-USA Tournament this past season and upset fourth-seeded Purdue in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, is off to an 8-3 start in 2021-22. The Mean Green, who are ranked No. 50 in the NET and No. 75 in KenPom, have earned Division I victories of UT-Arlington, Drake, UMass, Sam Houston State and Wichita State. UNT's win at Wichita State came on the road in front of a crowd of 8,277. North Texas leading scorer Tylor Perry scored 23 of UNT's 62 points in the victory, going a perfect 10-of-10 from the free throw line. The Mean Green rank second nationally in scoring defense, allowing just 54.0 points per game. North Texas, however, ranks just 281st in the nation in scoring offense with 66.7 points per game. UNT's rank of No. 50 in the NET rankings is just seven spots behind UAB's ranking of No. 43, which is the best in the C-USA.
 
COMMON OPPONENTS -- NORTH TEXAS               
The Blazers and Mean Green shared no common nonconference opponents.
 
ALL 10 MATCHUPS IN THE SERIES                   
12/4/97_ North Texas__________________ W, 79-73
1/23/14_ at North Texas_________________ L, 65-76
2/12/15_ at North Texas_________________ L, 64-67
1/23/16_ North Texas__________________ W, 78-57
1/5/17__ at North Texas________________ W, 54-52
2/8/18__ North Texas___________________ L, 60-67
1/24/19_ at North Texas________________ W, 52-49
2/8/20__ North Texas___________________ L, 64-71
3/5/21__ at North Texas________________ W, 65-51
3/6/21__ at North Texas________________ W, 65-61
 
300 IN THE RECORD BOOKS                                       
After posting his 11th 20-win season in 2020-21, Andy Kennedy earned win No. 300 of his career when the Blazers opened 2022 with an 87-59 victory over UTSA in Bartow Arena. Kennedy joins UAB Athletics founder Gene Bartow as only the second Blazer head coach to notch career victory No. 300 while coaching the Green and Gold.
 
NOTHING BUT "NET"                                                    
UAB's victory at Saint Louis not only marked the Blazers' first true road victory of the season, but it also served as UAB's first Quadrant I NET win of the 2021-22 season. NET, or the NCAA Evaluation Tool, released its first rankings of the 2021-22 season on Monday, Dec. 6, which had the Blazers sitting at a then program-best No. 35. The Blazers' previous high in the ranking system came in Andy Kennedy's first season back in Birmingham when UAB reached No. 48 in the NET ratings. UAB has reached as high as No. 28 in the ranking system this season and currently sits at No. 43 in the most recent ratings. North Texas (No. 50) sits seven spots behind the Blazers to rank second in the rating system among C-USA foes.
 
EXPECTATIONS WELCOMED
In October, the league's coaches selected UAB as the favorite to win the Conference USA regular season championship. The Blazers, who won a league-best 13 C-USA games this past season, earned eight of the 14 first-place votes.
 
AK'S REVIVAL                                                     
In AK's first two seasons back in Birmingham, the Blazers have started 12-3 or better in their first 15 games. The last time UAB posted back-to-back seasons with at least 12 wins in their first 15 games was in 2004-05 and 2005-06. UAB made the NCAA Tournament in both 2004-05 and 2005-06.

STACKING UP NICELY IN THE LEAGUE                
UAB ranked first among Conference USA programs in a number of different team statistical categories entering C-USA play on Dec. 30, including scoring offense (82.2 points per game), scoring margin (21.2), steals per game (12.4) and turnover margin (8.6). Entering the second weekend of C-USA play, UAB ranks first in the league in field-goal percentage defense (38.0%), scoring margin (21.1), scoring offense (82.1), steals per game (11.7), total assists (214), total rebounds (594), total steals (175), turnover margin (7.8) and turnovers forced per game (19.3).
 
PICKING POCKETS                                                        
With 23 steals in Nov. 14's win over Rhodes College, the Blazers tied a school record for steals in a single game. UAB tallied 15 of its 23 steals in the first half, helping the Blazers tie their single-game steals record for the first time since 2005. UAB has recorded double-digit steal tallies in nine of its 15 games so far this season, posting 12 or more eight times. The Blazers rank third nationally with 11.7 steals per game and first nationally with 175 total steals.
 
MAGIC MIKE                                                                   
Graduate guard Mike Ertel, who leads the UAB roster with 1,924 career points, posted his best scoring performance of the season in this past Thursday's 75-62 win over UTEP. Ertel poured in a season-high 25 points, scoring 20 or more points for the 26th time in his collegiate career. Ertel tallied 14 of his 25 points in the first half and finished the game by shooting 52.6% (10-of-19) from the field and 40% (4-of-10) from behind the 3-point line. Ertel has now reached double figures in scoring in three straight games.
 
RADIO
Blazer men's basketball games are set to air on 100.5 ESPN JOX 2 with David Crane and Murry Bartow on the call.
 
In addition, Crane will host Blazer Sportsline every Tuesday beginning Dec. 28. The show takes place live from Iron City Grill in downtown Birmingham and features men's basketball head coach Andy Kennedy and women's basketball head coach Randy Norton.

The nine-episode show, airs from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Blazer Sportsline can be heard on 100.5 ESPN JOX 2 and fans will be encouraged to tweet questions to @UABLearfield.

Fans may also follow the Blazers this season by downloading the free TuneIn Radio app, online through Blazers All-Access at UABSports.com, or on the UAB Gameday mobile app.
 
WATCH
Thursday's game will be carried live on CBS Sports Network. Chris Hassel and Avery Johnson will be on the call for Thursday's C-USA matchup.
 
UP NEXT
The Blazers will conclude their first C-USA road trip of the season when UAB faces Rice on Saturday at Tudor Fieldhouse. Tipoff in Houston is set for 3 p.m. and will be broadcasted live on Stadium.

LINK:  https://uabsports.com/news/2022/1/5/mens-basketball-uab-travels-to-north-texas-for-showdown-against-defending-c-usa-tournament-champions.aspx

[Hunter Green]

So, are they as good as advertised?

[UNTLifer]

1 hour ago, Hunter Green said:

So, are they as good as advertised?

Perusing their schedule, their three losses are to the James Reese led South Carolina, San Francisco and West Virginia.  The wins are against:

Auburn Montgomery

UNC Asheville

Morehead St.

Rhodes

Alabama A&M

New Mexico

Eastern Tennessee

St. Louis

Milsaps

Grambling

Mississippi Valley St.

UTEP

UTSA

I would say their quality wins have been against St. Louis and a .500 UNM.  They are always good and well coached, but if we play the D we have been lately and get Bell on track, we should win by 8+.

[greenminer]

UAB is one of the most physical teams McCasland has to face.  They are traditionally very good on the offensive glass and, as a result, get more points.  Not certain, but I wouldn't be surprised if they lead the league in ppg.

I looked at the Rice stats and couldn't help but wonder, was the extra effort on the offensive glass a statement that we are gunning for UAB?

Both teams are going to try to out-bully the other, and it is gonna be a rock fight.  I like our chances.  UAB has struggled when teams hold them below 60, which is our specialtiy.