The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB Men’s Basketball Announces Non-Conference Schedule
9/2/2026 9:01:00 AM | Men's Basketball
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Coming off its sixth consecutive 20-win season, the UAB men's basketball team announced its 2026-27 non-conference schedule Tuesday morning.
UAB, led by Interim Athletic Director and Head Coach Andy Kennedy, have had a ton of success at UAB including a 145-62 record with the Blazers. His 145 wins is the 15th-most in the country during that span. Coach Kennedy has a .500 winning % against all non-conference opponents this season with his record being 7-7 against MTSU and 3-3 against Western Kentucky. This will be his first ever matchup against George Washington, Rhode Island, Samford, and Belmont. He has an undefeated record against Jacksonville State, Florida A&M, Nicholls State, Auburn-Montgomery, and UNC Asheville.
The Blazers will open the season with a trip to Rock Hill, S.C., to face McNeese State in the Field of 68 Opening Day Marathon. UAB will play the seventh of eight games in the event on Monday, Nov. 2 at 4:30 p.m.
UAB will play its first of eight non-conference home contests on Friday, Nov. 6, when the Blazers welcome Nicholls State to the newly renovated Bartow Arena. The matchup will mark just the third all-time meeting between the two programs and the first since 2002. This season marks the 38th year UAB has called Bartow Arena home, where the Blazers have established one of the nation's strongest home-court advantages. Head coach Andy Kennedy owns an 82-24 record at Bartow Arena during his six seasons at the helm.
The Blazers will welcome Florida A&M to Birmingham on Monday, Nov. 9. UAB owns a perfect 6-0 record against the Rattlers, with the teams meeting for the first time since 2013.
UAB will play its first true road game just 74.5 miles from Birmingham when it travels to Jacksonville State on Saturday, Nov. 14. The matchup will be the first between the Blazers and Gamecocks since 2015 and UAB's first trip to Jacksonville State since 2009. The game is one of four in-state matchups on the 2026-27 schedule, marking the most in-state opponents UAB has faced in a season since the 2019-20 campaign, when the Blazers played five.
The Blazers will renew their rivalry with Florida International on Tuesday, Nov. 17, at Bartow Arena. The matchup will mark the first meeting between the two programs since UAB's departure from Conference USA. Jesse Bopp also provides a connection between the two programs after joining UAB from Miami over the summer.
Just before Thanksgiving, UAB will travel to compete in the Greenbrier Classic. The Blazers will open the event against George Washington on Friday, Nov. 20 at 1 p.m. The matchup will be the first between the two programs since 2016. George Washington won the inaugural meeting in 1994, but UAB has won each of the last three meetings. In the second game of the tournament, UAB will then face Rhode Island on Sunday, Nov. 22 at 6 p.m. for the fourth all-time meeting between the programs.
The Blazers will return to Birmingham for a Black Friday matchup against Division II in-state opponent Auburn-Montgomery on Friday, Nov. 27. UAB won the inaugural meeting between the two programs in 2024.
UAB will open the month of December against Samford on Wednesday, Dec. 2. The matchup will mark the first meeting between the Blazers and Bulldogs since 2009 and the first time the teams have met inside Bartow Arena.
The Blazers will then play their third consecutive in-state opponent when they travel to Troy on Saturday, Dec. 5, for the return game of a home-and-home series. The Trojans defeated UAB in Birmingham last season on a last-second shot.
Separated by just 134 miles, the Blazers host Belmont on Tuesday, Dec. 8. The matchup will mark the second all-time meeting between the Blazers and Bruins and the first since 2004. UAB won the previous meeting by 31 points.
UAB will renew another rivalry with Western Kentucky on Saturday, Dec. 12. The matchup will be the first regular-season meeting between the Blazers and Hilltoppers since UAB's departure from Conference USA. The two teams have met in exhibition play in each of the last two seasons.
UAB will close out the non-conference portion of its schedule with a pair of familiar opponents. The Blazers will host Middle Tennessee on Thursday, Dec. 17, before welcoming UNC Asheville to Bartow Arena on Monday, Dec. 21. UAB and Middle Tennessee have met every season since 2009-10, despite no longer being conference opponents following the 2022-23 season. The Blazers and Bulldogs faced off in Birmingham last season, with UAB earning the victory.
UAB, led by Interim Athletic Director and Head Coach Andy Kennedy, have had a ton of success at UAB including a 145-62 record with the Blazers. His 145 wins is the 15th-most in the country during that span. Coach Kennedy has a .500 winning % against all non-conference opponents this season with his record being 7-7 against MTSU and 3-3 against Western Kentucky. This will be his first ever matchup against George Washington, Rhode Island, Samford, and Belmont. He has an undefeated record against Jacksonville State, Florida A&M, Nicholls State, Auburn-Montgomery, and UNC Asheville.
The Blazers will open the season with a trip to Rock Hill, S.C., to face McNeese State in the Field of 68 Opening Day Marathon. UAB will play the seventh of eight games in the event on Monday, Nov. 2 at 4:30 p.m.
UAB will play its first of eight non-conference home contests on Friday, Nov. 6, when the Blazers welcome Nicholls State to the newly renovated Bartow Arena. The matchup will mark just the third all-time meeting between the two programs and the first since 2002. This season marks the 38th year UAB has called Bartow Arena home, where the Blazers have established one of the nation's strongest home-court advantages. Head coach Andy Kennedy owns an 82-24 record at Bartow Arena during his six seasons at the helm.
The Blazers will welcome Florida A&M to Birmingham on Monday, Nov. 9. UAB owns a perfect 6-0 record against the Rattlers, with the teams meeting for the first time since 2013.
UAB will play its first true road game just 74.5 miles from Birmingham when it travels to Jacksonville State on Saturday, Nov. 14. The matchup will be the first between the Blazers and Gamecocks since 2015 and UAB's first trip to Jacksonville State since 2009. The game is one of four in-state matchups on the 2026-27 schedule, marking the most in-state opponents UAB has faced in a season since the 2019-20 campaign, when the Blazers played five.
The Blazers will renew their rivalry with Florida International on Tuesday, Nov. 17, at Bartow Arena. The matchup will mark the first meeting between the two programs since UAB's departure from Conference USA. Jesse Bopp also provides a connection between the two programs after joining UAB from Miami over the summer.
Just before Thanksgiving, UAB will travel to compete in the Greenbrier Classic. The Blazers will open the event against George Washington on Friday, Nov. 20 at 1 p.m. The matchup will be the first between the two programs since 2016. George Washington won the inaugural meeting in 1994, but UAB has won each of the last three meetings. In the second game of the tournament, UAB will then face Rhode Island on Sunday, Nov. 22 at 6 p.m. for the fourth all-time meeting between the programs.
The Blazers will return to Birmingham for a Black Friday matchup against Division II in-state opponent Auburn-Montgomery on Friday, Nov. 27. UAB won the inaugural meeting between the two programs in 2024.
UAB will open the month of December against Samford on Wednesday, Dec. 2. The matchup will mark the first meeting between the Blazers and Bulldogs since 2009 and the first time the teams have met inside Bartow Arena.
The Blazers will then play their third consecutive in-state opponent when they travel to Troy on Saturday, Dec. 5, for the return game of a home-and-home series. The Trojans defeated UAB in Birmingham last season on a last-second shot.
Separated by just 134 miles, the Blazers host Belmont on Tuesday, Dec. 8. The matchup will mark the second all-time meeting between the Blazers and Bruins and the first since 2004. UAB won the previous meeting by 31 points.
UAB will renew another rivalry with Western Kentucky on Saturday, Dec. 12. The matchup will be the first regular-season meeting between the Blazers and Hilltoppers since UAB's departure from Conference USA. The two teams have met in exhibition play in each of the last two seasons.
UAB will close out the non-conference portion of its schedule with a pair of familiar opponents. The Blazers will host Middle Tennessee on Thursday, Dec. 17, before welcoming UNC Asheville to Bartow Arena on Monday, Dec. 21. UAB and Middle Tennessee have met every season since 2009-10, despite no longer being conference opponents following the 2022-23 season. The Blazers and Bulldogs faced off in Birmingham last season, with UAB earning the victory.
SCHEDULE NOTES
- UAB will face four in-state opponents: Samford, Troy, Jacksonville State and Auburn-Montgomery, marking the most in-state opponents UAB has faced in a season since the 2019-20 campaign, when the Blazers played five.
- Three opponents in Troy, UNC Asheville and Middle Tennessee were on UAB's 2025-26 schedule.
- Two opponents in McNeese State (NCAA) and George Washington (NIT) participated in postseason play during the 2025-26 season.
- UAB owns undefeated all-time records against UNC Asheville, Samford, Auburn-Montgomery, Belmont, Nicholls State and Florida A&M.
- UAB played on Dec. 17 and Dec. 21 last season against Cleveland State and UNC Asheville, respectively. The Blazers will again face UNC Asheville on Dec. 21 this season.
- The matchups with McNeese State, Auburn-Montgomery, Belmont and Jacksonville State will each be just the second all-time meeting between UAB and those opponents.
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2026-27 MEN'S BASKETBALL SEASON TICKETS
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