The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Coach Anderson Gets Win In Blazer Debut
11/22/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov 22, 2002
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) - Morris Finley scored 19 points and Demario Eddins added 15 as UAB defeated Birmingham-Southern 71-53, giving Mike Anderson a victory in his debut as the Blazers' head coach.
UAB (1-0) used a full-court pressure defense to force 36 turnovers and hold Birmingham-Southern to 35 percent shooting.
Jakob Sigurdarson scored 12 points to lead Birmingham-Southern (0-1).
It was the first-ever meeting between the two schools, and UAB took control early, jumping to a 13-2 lead.
Anderson has installed the kind of fast-paced, pressing style he learned as an assistant coach under Nolan Richardson at Arkansas. UAB's pressure defense helped force 16 first-half turnovers as the Blazers took a 40-25 lead at halftime.
Eddins, a 6-7 freshman from Chicago, scored two quick baskets in the second half as UAB built a lead that eventually grew to 24 points.
UAB shot 40 percent from the field and had 17 steals.
