The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB Renews Old Rivalry With Western Kentucky Tuesday
11/28/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 28, 2005
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - UAB welcomes a somewhat familiar face to Bartow Arena when Western Kentucky comes calling on Tuesday night. The once league rivals in the Sun Belt Conference tip at 7:30 p.m. CT in Bartow Arena in an early-season showdown between two NCAA Tournament contenders.
"This is a team that won more than 20 games last year and went to the NIT," UAB head coach Mike Anderson said. "They are one of the favorites to win the Sun Belt and are a good basketball team. They have size, quickness and they like to push the tempo just like we do. It's going to be a good ball game."
UAB (2-0) is coming off a record-setting performance against South Carolina State on Sunday in which the Blazers took Mike Anderson's pressure defense to a new level. The Blazers, who have led the NCAA in steals per game an unprecedented three straight years, notched a school-record 23 steals and forced another school record in 38 opponent turnovers. UAB won the game, 79-48.
Squeaky Johnson led the way, setting new UAB and Conference USA single-game records for steals with 12. He was one shy of Mookie Blaylock's NCAA record of 13. Demario Eddins and Frank Holmes led UAB with 14 points each. Brandon Tobias added 10. Johnson had six assists as well.
Western Kentucky is 2-1 on the season but only lost a narrow, 69-65, decision to Georgia at home on Saturday. All-star guard Anthony Winchester scored 29 points on 10-of-22 shooting and 4-of-9 marksmanship from long range against the Bulldogs. He averages 22.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per game to lead coach Darrin Horn's club.
"They're coming off a loss, so you know they'll be fired up," Anderson said. "We played well defensively against South Carolina State on Sunday, but didn't shoot the ball particularly well. We've got to play better against Western Kentucky."
The Hilltoppers have beaten Austin Peay and IUPUI this year and are holding opponents to 66 points per game. Courtney Lee (15.3 ppg., 5.0 spg.) and Elgrace Wilborn (11.0 ppg., 7.3 rpg. 5.0 bpg.) also score in double figures for Western Kentucky.
UAB and Western Kentucky will be meeting for the 27th time in the contest with the pair being old league foes from the Sun Belt Conference from 1982-91. The Blazers hold an 18-8 advantage in the series which dates back to UAB's first-ever NCAA Tournament contest. Gene Bartow's Blazers beat WKU, 93-68, in the 1981 NCAA Tournament - UAB's first.
The game will air live on the ISP/Blazer Sports Network which can be heard locally in Birmingham on WYDE-101.1 FM.
UAB Men's Basketball Game Notes in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
