The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Blazers Battle Texas Wednesday on Longhorn Network
12/20/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
UAB (6-5) vs. Texas (5-5)
7 p.m. CST | Austin, Texas | Erwin Center
Live Video | Live Audio | Live Stats | Game Notes
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The UAB men’s basketball team plays its final non-conference road game of the season Wednesday at 7 p.m. when the Blazers travel to Austin, Texas, to face Texas from the Erwin Center.
UAB (6-5) opens play Wednesday following a thrilling 75-74 overtime victory over Southern Sunday at Bartow Arena. Chris Cokley scored the game-winning basket as time expired to help UAB improve to 12-3 in its last 15 games decided by five points or less.
Cokley scored 14 points, grabbed eight rebounds and blocked three shots against the Jaguars. The Savannah, Ga., native leads UAB with 12.5 points per game to go along with 5.6 rebounds per game. Cokley also stands 23rd in the NCAA with a .606 field goal percentage and is shooting 68.2 percent from the field over his last three games.
William Lee led UAB with 15 points against Southern and enters the week second on the team with 11.4 points per game. Lee also blocked four shots against the Jaguars and leads Conference USA and ranks 10th in the nation with 3.1 rejections per game. The Plantersville, Ala., native is only 12 blocks shy from moving into 12th place all-time in Conference USA history.
Dirk Williams scores in double figures for UAB with 11.1 points per game following a performance against Southern that saw him sink a career-best five 3-pointers. Williams has made a team-high 19 treys so far this season.
Texas (5-5) has lost two of its last three games after it dropped a 77-74 decision Saturday against Arkansas. The Longhorns held a five-point lead at halftime, but the Razorbacks outscored Texas by eight points in the second half en route to the victory.
Sophomore guard Tevin Mack leads Texas with 15.6 points per game and a .434 three-point field goal percentage. Fellow sophomore Kerwin Roach ranks second on the team with 11.3 points per game, while freshman Jarrett Allen paces Texas with 6.7 rebounds per game.
UAB is 11-11 all-time against the Big 12 Conference but will face Texas for the first time in school history. The Blazers, however, have won six straight games against schools from the state of Texas following its victory earlier this season at Stephen F. Austin.
For more information on UAB men’s basketball, follow the Blazers on Twitter (@UAB_MBB), Instagram (@blazerhoops) and Snapchat (@UAB_MBB).
