The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB Travels To Take On Old Dominion On Saturday
11/21/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 21, 2008
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The UAB men's basketball team returns to action on Saturday when it travels to take on former Sun Belt Conference rival Old Dominion in Norfolk, Va. The contest will mark UAB's fourth consecutive road game to start the season, which ties a school record.
UAB enters Saturday's contest at Old Dominion on quite a roll to begin the 2008-09 season. The Blazers have opened the campaign with three victories, all coming on the road, including capturing the NIT Season Tipoff West Region earlier in the week. UAB defeated No. 11 seed Santa Clara, 64-61, on Monday and tournament host No. 3 seed Arizona, 72-71, to improve to 3-0 on the campaign.
The Blazers are led by three seniors who average double figures. Senior guard Paul Delaney III is averaging a team-high 18.0 ppg, to go along with 3.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.7 steals per game. Senior guard/forward Robert Vaden, a Naismith Award candidate and Preseason C-USA Player of the Year recipient, is second on the team in points (15.7) and rebounds (6.0). Senior Lawrence Kinnard averages 14.7 points and a team-best 8.0 rebounds per contest.
UAB head coach Mike Davis is in his third season at the helm of the men's basketball program. He has compiled a 41-27 (.603) mark while with the Blazers, and has a 156-106 (.595) record in eight seasons as a head coach.
Similar to UAB, Old Dominion comes into Saturday's contest after capturing a one-point win on the road. The Monarchs opened the season with a 69-68 victory at Charlotte in the first game of 2008-09 season last Sunday.
Three ODU players reached double figures to lead the team to the win. Sophomores Darius James and Ben Finney and junior Gerald Lee each scored 14 points en route to the win. Lee also led the team with nine rebounds, while James had a team-high four assists.
Old Dominion head coach Blaine Taylor is in his seventh season as the Monarchs' head coach and owns a 137-84 (.620) mark during his tenure. Now in his 15th season as a head coach, Taylor owns a 279-149 (.652) overall record.
UAB and Old Dominion are playing for the fourth consecutive season when the two teams take to the hardwood Saturday afternoon. The former Sun Belt Conference rivals are playing for the 26th time in series history, with UAB owning a 16-9 advantage, which marks the fifth most meetings against any UAB single opponent in school history.
Saturday's contest will be aired on WUHT 107.7 FM, with the pregame show beginning at 1:30 p.m. CT.
