The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB Visits No. 5 Oklahoma State In Battle Of Unbeatens
12/9/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 9, 2004
STILLWATER, Okla. - The UAB Blazers (4-0) head to Stillwater, Okla., for the first time Friday night for a 9 p.m. (CT) showdown with the No. 5 Oklahoma State Cowboys (6-0). The game will air on EPSN2. Bob Carpenter and Larry Conley have the call. With a win, UAB will match the program's best start ever at 5-0 and become the first visiting team to win in Stillwater in 21 games. Texas Tech was the last team to beat the Cowboys in Gallagher-Iba Arena on Feb. 24, 2003.
UAB has already beaten a Big 12 foe this year, downing Nebraska, 80-66, last Thursday in Bartow Arena. Mike Anderson's club, however, has not faced a ranked foe since losing to another Big 12 school - then four-seed Kansas in last year's NCAA Sweet 16. Oklahoma State is ranked No. 5 in both the Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today Coaches polls and is coming off a stunning, 74-60, upset of No. 4 Syracuse in the Jimmy V Classic on Tuesday night.
"This will give us a chance to see how far we've come this year," UAB head coach Mike Anderson said. "They are obviously one of the top basketball teams in the country. We will be tested, but our guys are excited to play in that atmosphere and against that type of team."
It came down to the last minute, but the Blazers pulled out a victory in their first road contest of the season Saturday at Marshall. Demario Eddins had a season-high 18 points in the win and Donell Taylor grabbed a key rebound and hit one-of-two free throws with :02 on the clock to seal the win. Taylor currently leads UAB with a 16.0 points per game average. He also averages over four rebounds and assists while swiping three steals per game as well. Eddins is UAB's second-leading scorer with 12.8 points per contest.
Oklahoma State used a late second half spurt to beat Syracuse Tuesday night. Stephen Graham scored 16 points, including a pair of three-point plays in the final minutes to help the Cowboys run away from the Orangemen. Guard John Lucas is one of three returning Wooden Award finalists this year in college basketball and expected to be a candidate for All-American and Big 12 Player of the Year honors. He leads the Cowboys with an average of 18.5 points per game on the season.
In addition to the live national telecast on ESPN2, the game can be heard along the Blazer Sports Network which airs locally in Birmingham on WYDE, 101.1 FM. The pregame show begins 30-minutes prior to tip-off. Gary Sanders and Matt Coulter have the radio call.
