# 2020–21 UAB Blazers men's basketball team

The 2020–21 UAB Blazers basketball team represented the University of Alabama at Birmingham during the 2020–21 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Blazers, led by first-year head coach Andy Kennedy, played their home games at the Bartow Arena as members of Conference USA.

## Offseason
### Departures

| Name | Number | Pos. | Height | Weight | Year | Hometown | Reason for departure |
| Makhtar Gueye | 5 | F | 6'10" | 210 | Junior | Rufisque, Senegal | Transferred to California Baptist |
| Luis Hurtado | 10 | G | 6'6" | 210 | RS Sophomore | Mérida, Venezuela | Transferred to Bryant |
| Will Butler | 12 | F | 6'8" | 245 | Senior | Troy, New York | Graduated |
| Joshua Sippial | 15 | G | 6'2" | 180 | Sophomore | Montgomery, Alabama | Transferred |
| Jordan Brinson | 23 | G | 6'2" | 175 | Freshman | Inglewood, California | Transferred to Utah Valley |
| Antonio Ralat | 25 | G | 6'2" | 200 | Senior | San Juan,Puerto Rico | Graduated |
| Rashawn Fredericks | 32 | G | 6'5" | 200 | Senior | St. Croix, Virgin Islands | Graduate Transfer to James Madison |
| Jude Akabueze | 34 | F | 6'8" | 260 | RS Freshman | Lagos, Nigeria | Transferred to Jones County Junior College |

### Incoming transfers

| Name | Number | Pos. | Height | Weight | Year | Hometown | Previous School |
| Michael Ertel | 2 | G | 6'2" | 190 | Senior | Indianapolis, Indiana | Graduate transfer from Louisiana–Monroe |
| Simeon Kirkland | 10 | F | 6'10" | 225 | Junior | Ocala, Florida | Junior college transfer from Florida Southwestern State College |
| Quan Jackson | 13 | G | 6'4" | 180 | Senior | Tallahassee, Florida | Graduate transfer from Georgia Southern |
| Trey Jemison | 55 | C | 7'0" | 256 | Junior | Birmingham, Alabama | Transferred from Clemson. Granted immediate eligibility wavier from the NCAA. |

## Schedule and results

| Date time, TV | Rank$^#$ | Opponent$^#$ | Result | Record | Site (attendance) city, state |
| Regular season ||||||
| Nov 25, 2020* 2:30 pm, CUSAtv | | Alcorn State | W 99–50 | 1–0 | Bartow Arena (906) Birmingham, AL |
| Nov 28, 2020* 2:00 pm | | Southeastern Louisiana | W 84–59 | 2–0 | Bartow Arena (709) Birmingham, AL |
| Dec 2, 2020* 6:30 pm | | Kennesaw State | W 73–48 | 3–0 | Bartow Arena (820) Birmingham, AL |
| Dec 6, 2020* 2:00 pm | | Troy | W 77–55 | 4–0 | Bartow Arena (969) Birmingham, AL |
| Dec 9, 2020* 6:30 pm | | Mobile | Canceled | Canceled | Bartow Arena Birmingham, AL |
| Dec 9, 2020* 6:30 pm | | Tuskegee | W 89–64 | 5–0 | Bartow Arena (771) Birmingham, AL |
| Dec 12, 2020* 3:00 pm, ESPN+ | | at East Tennessee State | W 65–61 | 6–0 | Freedom Hall Civic Center (124) Johnson City, TN |
| Dec 16, 2020* 6:30 pm | | Southern | W 88–46 | 7–0 | Bartow Arena (784) Birmingham, AL |
| Dec 19, 2020* 2:00 pm | | Chattanooga | L 66–69 | 7–1 | Bartow Arena (819) Birmingham, AL |
| Dec 23, 2020* 8:00 pm, CBSSN | | Georgia Tech | Canceled | Canceled | Bartow Arena Birmingham, AL |
| Jan 1, 2021 7:00 pm, ESPN+ | | at North Texas | Postponed | Postponed | The Super Pit Denton, TX |
| Jan 2, 2021 4:00 pm, ESPN+ | | at North Texas | Postponed | Postponed | The Super Pit Denton, TX |
| Jan 8, 2021 6:30 pm | | Southern Miss | W 72–60 | 8–1 (1–0) | Bartow Arena (925) Birmingham, AL |
| Jan 9, 2021 4:00 pm, ESPN+ | | Southern Miss | W 62–58 | 9–1 (2–0) | Bartow Arena (932) Birmingham, AL |
| Jan 15, 2021 4:00 pm, ESPNU | | at Charlotte | W 61–37 | 10–1 (3–0) | Dale F. Halton Arena Charlotte, NC |
| Jan 16, 2021 3:00 pm, ESPN+ | | at Charlotte | L 55–70 | 10–2 (3–1) | Dale F. Halton Arena Charlotte, NC |
| Jan 22, 2021 6:30 pm | | Rice | W 78–68 | 11–2 (4–1) | Bartow Arena (1,099) Birmingham, AL |
| Jan 23, 2021 4:00 pm, ESPN+ | | Rice | W 86–74 | 12–2 (5–1) | Bartow Arena (989) Birmingham, AL |
| Jan 29, 2021 8:00 pm, CBSSN | | at Middle Tennessee | W 70–59 | 13–2 (6–1) | Murphy Center (100) Murfreesboro, TN |
| Jan 31, 2021 1:00 pm, ESPN+ | | Middle Tennessee | W 63–52 | 14–2 (7–1) | Bartow Arena (1,068) Birmingham, AL |
| Feb 5, 2021 6:30 pm, ESPN+ | | UTEP | W 63–51 | 15–2 (8–1) | Bartow Arena (1,138) Birmingham, AL |
| Feb 6, 2021 4:00 pm, ESPN+ | | UTEP | W 75–60 | 16–2 (9–1) | Bartow Arena (1,058) Birmingham, AL |
| Feb 12, 2021 6:30 pm, Stadium | | at Louisiana Tech | L 58–70 | 16–3 (9–2) | Thomas Assembly Center (1,200) Ruston, LA |
| Feb 13, 2021 6:00 pm, Stadium | | at Louisiana Tech | L 64–69 | 16–4 (9–3) | Thomas Assembly Center (1,200) Ruston, LA |
| Feb 19, 2021 6:30 pm, Stadium | | Old Dominion | W 76–69 | 17–4 (10–3) | Bartow Arena (1,024) Birmingham, AL |
| Feb 20, 2021 3:00 pm, Stadium | | Old Dominion | L 58–65 | 17–5 (10–4) | Bartow Arena (1,028) Birmingham, AL |
| Feb 22, 2021* 6:00 pm, CUSAtv | | Rust College | W 117–45 | 18–5 | Bartow Arena (722) Birmingham, AL |
| Feb 26, 2021 6:00 pm, ESPN+ | | at UTSA | W 64–57 | 19–5 (11–4) | Convocation Center (429) San Antonio, TX |
| Feb 27, 2021 3:00 pm, ESPN+ | | at UTSA | L 79–96 | 19–6 (11–5) | Convocation Center (394) San Antonio, TX |
| Mar 5, 2021 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at North Texas | W 65–51 | 20–6 (12–5) | UNT Coliseum (1,359) Denton, TX |
| Mar 6, 2021 4:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at North Texas | W 65–61 | 21–6 (13–5) | UNT Coliseum (1,450) Denton, TX |
| Conference USA tournament ||||||
| Mar 11, 2021 6:00 p.m., Stadium | (W2) | vs. (W6) Rice Quarterfinals | W 73–60 | 22–6 | Ford Center at The Star Frisco, TX |
| Mar 12, 2021 11:00 a.m., CBSSN | (W2) | vs. (E1) Western Kentucky Semifinals | L 60–64 | 22–7 | Ford Center at The Star Frisco, TX |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. All times are in Central Time. ||||||
Source