The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Men's Basketball Prepared To Battle Richmond
11/28/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 28, 2003
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ----- The UAB men's basketball team will play its second game of the season when the Blazers face the Spiders of Richmond on Saturday night in Bartow Arena. It marks the third time in three years the two teams have played.
UAB (1-0) is coming off a 94-73 opening-season victory over Georgia Southern. The Blazers were led by Mo Finley and Ronell Taylor, each scoring 15 points. Seniors Sidney Ball (11 points, 14 reb.) and Gabe Kennedy (12 points, 11 reb.) also made big contributions, each accounting for double-doubles. The Blazers only had five double-doubles during the entire 2002-03 campaign.
The Richmond Spiders (3-1) enter the contest after finishing runner-up to South Carolina at the Guardians Classic. Richmond is a deep team, as nine players average over 12 minutes per contest. The Spiders have opened the season with a 3-1 record and are led by Mike Skrocki. The senior guard is averaging 16.3 ppg and 4.8 rebounds per contest. Senior Tony Dobbins leads the team in rebounds (7.8) and assists (4.0).
UAB and Richmond will meet for the fourth time in the series' history, with the Spiders holding a 2-1 advantage. Combined, the teams have been separated by a total of eight points in the three contests. UAB's lone victory came in a three-point victory (64-61) in the first meeting between the two teams on March 20, 1989. The Spiders captured victories of 60-59 in 2001 and 72-68 last season - both games being played in Richmond, Va.
The game is set to tip off at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday night in Bartow Arena. The contest can be heard live on 101.1 FM WYDE, with Kevin Henslee calling the play-by-play and David McDaniel handling the color commentary.
