# 1978–79 UAB Blazers men's basketball team

The inaugural 1978–79 UAB Blazers men's basketball team represented the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) in the 1978–79 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. Led by head coach Gene Bartow, the Blazers competed as an independent and played their home games at the BJCC Arena. They finished the season 15–11.

## Roster

| Name | Hometown |
| Tim Almquist | Forest Lake, Minnesota, United States |
| Derrick Bentley | Birmingham, Alabama, United States |
| Daryl Braden | Memphis, Tennessee, United States |
| Raymond Gause | Memphis, Tennessee, United States |
| George Jones | Memphis, Tennessee, United States |
| Greg Leet | Flat River, Missouri, United States |
| Bill McCammon | Palm Springs, California, United States |
| Leon Morris | Memphis, Tennessee, United States |
| Doug Owens | Plainfield, Indiana, United States |
| Oliver Robinson | Birmingham, Alabama, United States |
| Scott Simcik | Simi Valley, California, United States |
| Donnie Speer | Sylacauga, Alabama, United States |
| Larry Spicer | Memphis, Tennessee, United States |

## Schedule and results

After losing to Nebraska 64–55 in their inaugural game, UAB completed the 1978–79 season with an overall record of 15–11 during their lone season competing as an independent.
| Date time, TV | Opponent | Result | Record | Site (attendance) city, state |
| 11/24/1978* no, no | Nebraska | L 55–64 | 0–1 | BJCC Arena (14,800) Birmingham, Alabama |
| 11/25/1978* no, no | San Francisco State | W 67–51 | 1–1 | BJCC Arena (4,550) Birmingham, Alabama |
| 11/29/1978* no, no | Oklahoma City | W 88–79 | 2–1 | BJCC Arena (4,460) Birmingham, Alabama |
| 12/1/1978* no, no | vs. Southern Illinois Show Me Classic | L 72–80 | 2–2 | Hearnes Center (5,600) Columbia, Missouri |
| 12/2/1978* no, no | vs. Eastern Kentucky Show Me Classic | W 88–77 | 3–2 | Hearnes Center (5,499) Columbia, Missouri |
| 12/9/1978* no, no | at Ole Miss | L 77–82 $^{OT}$ | 3–3 | Tad Smith Coliseum (3,357) Oxford, Mississippi |
| 12/14/1978* no, no | Georgia State | W 100–81 | 4–3 | BJCC Arena (5,975) Birmingham, Alabama |
| 12/18/1978* no, no | South Alabama | W 75–72 | 5–3 | BJCC Arena (5,483) Birmingham, Alabama |
| 12/20/1978* no, no | Iowa State | W 79–67 | 6–3 | BJCC Arena (5,846) Birmingham, Alabama |
| 12/23/1978* no, no | St. Louis | W 73–70 | 7–3 | BJCC Arena (5,128) Birmingham, Alabama |
| 12/30/1978* no, no | Florida State | L 66–85 | 7–4 | BJCC Arena (7,201) Birmingham, Alabama |
| 1/5/1979* no, no | at Georgia State | L 61–64 | 7–5 | GSU Sports Arena (914) Atlanta |
| 1/6/1979* no, no | Illinois College | W 108–70 | 8–5 | BJCC Arena (5,236) Birmingham, Alabama |
| 1/10/1979* no, no | Southern Miss | W 93–87 | 9–5 | BJCC Arena (4,671) Birmingham, Alabama |
| 1/20/1979* no, no | at Iona | L 59–61 | 9–6 | Hynes Athletic Center (2,020) New Rochelle, New York |
| 1/25/1979* no, no | at South Florida | L 66–68 | 9–7 | Curtis Hixon Hall (1,864) Tampa, Florida |
| 1/27/1979* no, no | Jacksonville | L 76–84 | 9–8 | BJCC Arena (8,171) Birmingham, Alabama |
| 1/29/1979* no, no | at Southern Miss | W 60–59 | 10–8 | Reed Green Coliseum (3,016) Hattiesburg, Mississippi |
| 1/31/1979* no, no | Saint Joseph's | W 84–69 | 11–8 | BJCC Arena (5,852) Birmingham, Alabama |
| 2/2/1979* no, no | Hawaii | W 85–75 | 12–8 | BJCC Arena (5,196) Birmingham, Alabama |
| 2/3/1979* no, no | South Florida | W 81–65 | 13–8 | BJCC Arena (9,240) Birmingham, Alabama |
| 2/8/1979* no, no | at South Alabama | L 69–71 | 13–9 | Mobile Civic Center (3,159) Mobile, Alabama |
| 2/12/1979* no, no | at Jacksonville | L 52–54 | 13–10 | Jacksonville Coliseum (3,055) Jacksonville, Florida |
| 2/16/1979* no, no | at Hawaii | W 86–82 $^{OT}$ | 14–10 | Hawaiʻi International Center (3,055) Honolulu |
| 2/22/1979* no, no | Drexel | W 77–60 | 15–10 | BJCC Arena (5,195) Birmingham, Alabama |
| 2/27/1979* no, no | at No. 15 DePaul | L 77–88 | 15–11 | Alumni Hall (3,113) Chicago |
| *Non-conference game. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. All times are in Central Time. |||||