The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB Closes Non-Conference Home Slate Against Rival USF
12/26/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 26, 2006
USF Game Notes
Download Free Acrobat Reader
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The UAB men's basketball team will close its two-game homestand, as well as its non-conference home slate, when it takes on long-time rival USF on Wednesday, Dec. 27, at 7 p.m. CT in Bartow Arena. The radio broadcast can be heard on the Blazers ISP Sports Network, beginning with the pre-game show at 6:30 p.m. CT. Birmingham and Huntsville listeners can follow all the action on WYDE 101.1 FM, while the broadcast can also be heard on WIQR 1410 AM in Montgomery/Prattville.
The Blazers and Bulls will be meeting for the 55th time in the series history, which is the most times UAB has played any opponent in the school's 29-year old basketball program. South Alabama and Charlotte are tied for second on that list with 40 games each played against the Blazers.
Scouting USF
USF enters the contest sporting a 7-4 overall record on the year, but have dropped three-straight entering its game at UAB. Most recently, the Bulls fell, 81-69, at Missouri State on Dec. 22. USF also fell to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (69-63) and at UNLV (74-59) during its three-game slide.
The Bulls are led by five players averaging double figures on the year. Senior forward Melvin Buckley leads the team with 17.5 ppg, while senior forward McHugh Mattis is second with 13.9 ppg. Freshman guard Solomon Bozeman ranks third on the team with 13.6 ppg, while leading the team with 4.5 assists a game.
Transfers Kentrel Gransberry and Jesus Verdejo, who were both eligible to begin playing four games ago, have made an immediate impact to the lineup. Gransberry collects an average of 13.5 ppg, while pulling down a team-high 11.8 rpg. Verdejo averages 13.0 ppg, and shoots a team-best 43.8 percent from three-point range.
Head coach Robert McCullum is in his fourth season at USF and seventh season as a head coach. McCullum has a record of 35-62 (.361) during his tenure with the Bulls, and sports a career record of 79-107 (.425).
Scouting UAB
UAB will enter its contest against USF with a record of 7-5 overall. The Blazers snapped their two-game losing streak with a 84-53 win over Winston-Salem State on Dec. 23. It was UAB's fourth win over its last six contests.
Junior guard Paul Delaney III, a two-time recipient this season of the Conference USA Player of the Week, leads the Blazers in points (18.1) and assists (5.7) per game, while also ranking second on the team with 5.7 boards a contest.
Along with Delaney, senior guard Wen Mukubu and sophomore forward Lawrence Kinnard are also threats on offense. Mukubu averages 14.9 points per contest and a team-best 53.8 percent from beyond the arc. Kinnard ranks third on the team with 10.9 points per game, and also pulls down a team-leading 5.8 rebounds a game.
UAB head coach Mike Davis enters the game against the Bulls sporting an overall record of 122-84 (.597) in his seventh season as head coach, and is 7-5 (.583) in his first season at UAB.
A UAB Win Would:
• Improve UAB's record to 8-5 overall.
• Will mark the fifth win over the Blazers' last seven games.
• Mark the 123rd win in coach Mike Davis' career (207 games).
• Earn the Blazers their 18th consecutive home victory which would be just three games shy of breaking the school record for consecutive home wins.
Bench Production
One of the reasons for UAB's 31-point victory over Winston-Salem State last Saturday may have been the team's bench production. The Blazers' bench accounted for 20 points against the Rams in the contest, led by sophomore Andre White's career-high 13 points. In the previous five games combined, the UAB reserves scored a total of 14 points, an average of less than three points a game.
Winning Trends
There are a couple of trends to keep in mind when the Blazers are playing. Through 12 games this season, UAB sports a perfect 6-0 record when leading at halftime. However, the Blazers are 0-3 when trailing after the opening half, and 1-2 when tied.
Furthermore, UAB is a perfect 6-0 when committing less turnovers than its opponents, but drops to 1-5 when committing more.
White's Career Night
Sophomore Andre White gave UAB fans a glimpse of why he was considered one of the top junior college prospects in the country last year. White scored 13 points in 20 minutes of action in the victory over Winston-Salem State. His point against the Rams equaled his point total for the season (nine games) entering the contests. Additionally, White also recorded career highs in field goals made (4) and attempted (10) and three pointers made (3) and attempted (7).
Battling The Big East
When UAB battles USF on the hardwood this Wednesday night, it will mark the third Big East opponent for the Blazers this season. UAB hopes its good luck against one of the top college basketball conferences in the nation continues, as it sports a perfect 2-0 record against Big East teams this season. The Blazers won at Cincinnati, 59-57, on Dec. 2, and defeated DePaul at home, 58-57, in overtime on Dec. 9.
Mukubu Scores A Career-High...Again
For the sixth time this season, senior guard Wen Mukubu set or tied his career high in points scored in a game. Mukubu accounted for a career-high 24 points, the first time the senior guard/forward eclipsed the 20-point mark, in the victory over Winston-Salem State. The Miami, Fla. native also recorded career highs in three-pointers made (6) and attempted (10) in the contest. In fact, Mukubu, who ranks second on the team in scoring at 14.9 ppg, has been red hot as of late. Over the Blazers last five contests, Mukubu is lead the team with an average of 16.8 ppg.
Chasing A Record
Not only are the Blazers 3-0 in Bartow Arena this season, but they are riding a 17-game winning streak. The streak, which dates back to a loss to Western Kentucky on Nov. 29, 2005, is the third-longest in school history. UAB won 19 straight home games 1990-91 and 1991-92 campaigns which is the second-best in UAB lore. The Blazers captured the school record of 20 consecutive home wins during the 1980-81 and 1981-82 seasons. Last year, UAB rolled up a 14-1 home record, which tied the second-best season in Bartow Arena history. The 2003-04 club was also 14-1 at home en route to its Sweet 16 appearance.
UAB enjoys impressive success playing in the friendly confines of Bartow Arena. In its 18 seasons serving as the home of the Blazers, Bartow Arena has helped the men's basketball team to an overall record of 218 wins against just 47 losses for a winning percentage of .823.
