# UAB Blazers men's basketball

The UAB Blazers men's basketball team represents the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) in NCAA Division I men's college basketball, with the 2023–24 season being the Blazers' first as members of the American Athletic Conference. The Blazers play home games at Bartow Arena and are coached by Andy Kennedy. UAB has appeared 17 times in the NCAA men's basketball tournament and most recently appeared in 2024.

## History

The UAB Blazers started their athletics program with the creation of men's basketball in 1978. Setting high standards from the start, UAB was able to lure Gene Bartow away from his post as the head coach at UCLA to start the Blazer program. Known as the "Father of UAB athletics," Coach Bartow was able to guide the Blazers to early success by reaching the NCAA tournament in just their third season of existence. Since their inaugural season, the Blazers have made 17 appearances in the NCAA men's basketball tournament, and 13 appearances in the National Invitational Tournament. UAB has been productive in its NCAA tournament appearances, reaching the Elite Eight once, and the Sweet Sixteen 3 times. After 46 years of basketball, UAB has had 40 winning seasons, including 29 seasons with at least 20 wins. UAB's win percentage ranks 28th among NCAA Division I basketball programs with at least 40 seasons. UAB's basketball program has featured wins over many of basketball's most historic programs, including Kentucky, North Carolina, Indiana, Louisville, Kansas, Arizona, Michigan State, Virginia, Villanova, Connecticut and many others.

## Conference affiliations

* 1978–79 – NCAA Division I Independent
* 1979–80 to 1990–91 – Sun Belt Conference
* 1991–92 to 1994–95 – Great Midwest Conference
* 1995–96 to 2022–23 – Conference USA
* 2023–24 to present – American Athletic Conference

## UAB head coaches

UAB men's basketball coaches :
| Coach | Years | Wins–losses | NCAA tournament appearances |
| Gene Bartow | 1978–1996 | 366–203 (.643) | 9 |
| Murry Bartow | 1996–2002 | 103–83 (.554) | 1 |
| Mike Anderson | 2002–2006 | 89–41 (.685) | 3 |
| Mike Davis | 2006–2012 | 122–73 (.626) | 1 |
| Jerod Haase | 2012– 2016 | 80–53 (.602) | 1 |
| Rob Ehsan | 2016–2020 | 76–57 (.571) | 0 |
| Andy Kennedy | 2020–present | 101-37 (.732) | 2 |
| Overall | 44 seasons | 937-546 (.632) | 17 |

## UAB Season-By-Season Records

Statistics overview :
| Season | Coach | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason |
| UAB (Independent) (1978–1979) ||||||
| 1978–79 | Gene Bartow | 15–11 | | | |
| UAB (Sun Belt Conference) (1979–1991) ||||||
| 1979–80 | Gene Bartow | 18–12 | 10–4 | T–2nd | NIT 1st Round |
| 1980–81 | Gene Bartow | 23–9 | 9–3 | T–1st | NCAA Sweet 16 |
| 1981–82 | Gene Bartow | 25–6 | 9–1 | 1st | NCAA Elite 8 |
| 1982–83 | Gene Bartow | 19–14 | 9–5 | 3rd | NCAA 1st Round |
| 1983–84 | Gene Bartow | 23–11 | 8–6 | 5th | NCAA 1st Round |
| 1984–85 | Gene Bartow | 25–9 | 11–3 | 2nd | NCAA 2nd Round |
| 1985–86 | Gene Bartow | 25–11 | 9–5 | T–3rd | NCAA 2nd Round |
| 1986–87 | Gene Bartow | 21–11 | 10–4 | 3rd | NCAA 1st Round |
| 1987–88 | Gene Bartow | 16–15 | 7–7 | 5th | |
| 1988–89 | Gene Bartow | 22–12 | 8–6 | 4th | NIT Final Four |
| 1989–90 | Gene Bartow | 22–9 | 12–2 | 1st | NCAA 1st Round |
| 1990–91 | Gene Bartow | 18–13 | 9–5 | 2nd | NIT 1st Round |
| UAB (Great Midwest Conference) (1991–1995) ||||||
| 1991–92 | Gene Bartow | 20–9 | 4–6 | 5th | NIT 1st Round |
| 1992–93 | Gene Bartow | 21–14 | 5–5 | 4th | NIT Final Four |
| 1993–94 | Gene Bartow | 22–8 | 8–4 | T–2nd | NCAA 1st Round |
| 1994–95 | Gene Bartow | 15–15 | 5–7 | 6th | |
| UAB (Conference USA) (1995–2023) ||||||
| 1995–96 | Gene Bartow | 16–14 | 6–8 | 2nd (Red) | |
| 1996–97 | Murry Bartow | 18–14 | 7–7 | 2nd (Red) | NIT 1st Round |
| 1997–98 | Murry Bartow | 21–12 | 10–6 | 2nd (National) | NIT 2nd Round |
| 1998–99 | Murry Bartow | 20–12 | 10–6 | 1st (National) | NCAA 1st Round |
| 1999–2000 | Murry Bartow | 14–14 | 7–9 | T–3rd (National) | |
| 2000–01 | Murry Bartow | 17–14 | 8–8 | 4th (National) | |
| 2001–02 | Murry Bartow | 13–17 | 6–10 | T–4th (National) | |
| 2002–03 | Mike Anderson | 21–13 | 8–8 | T–2nd (National) | NIT Quarterfinals |
| 2003–04 | Mike Anderson | 22–10 | 12–4 | T–1st | NCAA Sweet 16 |
| 2004–05 | Mike Anderson | 22–11 | 10–6 | T–4th | NCAA 2nd Round |
| 2005–06 | Mike Anderson | 24–7 | 12–2 | 2nd | NCAA 1st Round |
| 2006–07 | Mike Davis | 15–16 | 7–9 | T–8th | |
| 2007–08 | Mike Davis | 23–11 | 12–4 | 2nd | NIT 2nd Round |
| 2008–09 | Mike Davis | 22–12 | 11–5 | 3rd | NIT 1st Round |
| 2009–10 | Mike Davis | 25–9 | 11–5 | T–3rd | NIT Quarterfinals |
| 2010–11 | Mike Davis | 22–9 | 12–4 | 1st | NCAA First Four |
| 2011–12 | Mike Davis | 15–16 | 9–7 | T–5th | |
| 2012–13 | Jerod Haase | 16–17 | 7–9 | T–7th | |
| 2013–14 | Jerod Haase | 18–13 | 7–9 | T–8th | |
| 2014–15 | Jerod Haase | 20–16 | 12–6 | T–4th | NCAA 2nd Round |
| 2015–16 | Jerod Haase | 26–7 | 16–2 | 1st | NIT 1st Round |
| 2016–17 | Rob Ehsan | 17–16 | 9–9 | 7th | |
| 2017–18 | Rob Ehsan | 20–13 | 10–8 | 6th | |
| 2018–19 | Rob Ehsan | 20–15 | 10–8 | 5th | CBI first round |
| 2019–20 | Rob Ehsan | 19–13 | 9–9 | 7th | |
| 2020–21 | Andy Kennedy | 22–7 | 13–5 | 2nd (West) | |
| 2021–22 | Andy Kennedy | 27–8 | 14–4 | 2nd (West) | NCAA First Round |
| 2022-23 | Andy Kennedy | 29–10 | 14–6 | 3rd | NIT Runner–up |
| UAB (American Athletic Conference) (2023–present) ||||||
| 2023–24 | Andy Kennedy | 23–12 | 12–6 | 4th | NCAA First Round |
| 2024–25 | Andy Kennedy | 22–11 | 13–5 | 3rd | |
| Total: | Total: | 959–557 | | | |
| National champion   Postseason invitational champion   Conference regular season champion   Conference regular season and conference tournament champion  Division regular season champion  Division regular season and conference tournament champion  Conference tournament champion ||||||

## Postseason Results

NCAA tournament results
UAB has appeared in 17 NCAA Tournaments, with a combined record of 10–17.
Year
Seed
Round
Opponent
Result
1981#7First Round Second Round Sweet SixteenWestern Kentucky Kentucky IndianaW 93–68 W 69–62 L 72–87
1982#4Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite EightIndiana Virginia LouisvilleW 80–70 W 68–66 L 68–75
1983#10First RoundOklahomaL 63–71
1984#9First RoundBYUL 68–84
1985#7First Round Second RoundMichigan State Memphis StateW 67–55 L 66–67$^{OT}$
1986#6First Round Second RoundMissouri North CarolinaW 66–64 L 59–77
1987#11First RoundProvidenceL 68–90
1990#10First RoundUCLAL 56–68
1994#7First RoundGeorge WashingtonL 46–51
1999#12First RoundIowaL 64–77
2004#9First Round Second Round Sweet SixteenWashington Kentucky KansasW 102–100 W 76–74 L 74–100
2005#11First Round Second RoundLSU ArizonaW 82–68 L 63–85
2006#9Round of 64KentuckyL 64–69
2011#12First FourClemsonL 52–70
2015#14Second Round Third RoundIowa State UCLAW 60–59 L 75–92
2022#12Round of 64HoustonL 68–82
2024#12Round of 64San Diego StateL 65–69
NIT results
UAB has appeared in the National Invitation Tournament 13 times, with a combined record of 18–13.
Year
Round
Opponent
Result
1980First RoundSouthwestern LouisianaL 74–72
1989First Round Second Round Quarterfinals Semifinals Third Place GameGeorgia Southern Richmond Connecticut St. John's Michigan StateW 83–74 W 64–61 W 85–79 L 65–76 W 78–76
1991First RoundMemphis StateL 76–82
1992First RoundTennesseeL 68–71
1993First Round Second Round Quarterfinals Semifinals Third Place GameAlabama Clemson SW Missouri State Georgetown ProvidenceW 58–56 W 65–64 W 61–52 L 41–45 W 55–52
1997First RoundTCUL 62–85
1998First Round Second RoundMissouri MinnesotaW 93–86 L 66–79
2003First Round Second Round QuarterfinalsLouisiana-Lafayette Siena St. John'sW 82–80 W 80–71 L 71–79
2008First Round Second RoundVCU Virginia TechW 80–77 L 49–75
2009First RoundNotre DameL 64–70
2010First Round Second Round QuarterfinalsCoastal Carolina NC State North CarolinaW 65–49 W 72–52 L 55–60
2016First RoundBYUL 79–97
2023First Round Second Round Quarterfinals Semifinals FinalSouthern Miss Morehead State Vanderbilt Utah Valley North Texas W 88–60 W 77–59 W 67–59 W 88–86$^{OT}$ L 61–68 :

### CBI Results

The Blazers have appeared in the College Basketball Invitational (CBI) one time. Their record is 0–1
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
| 2019 | First Round | Brown | L 78–83 |

### Highest Seeds Beaten in NCAA tournament

| Year | Seed | Opponent | Result/Score |
| 2004 | 1 | Kentucky | W 76–74 |
| 1982 | 1 | Virginia | W 68–66 |
| 1981 | 2 | Kentucky | W 69–62 |
| 2015 | 3 | Iowa State | W 60–59 |

### UAB Rivalry Games
## Awards
### Conference Coach of the Year

| Year | Conference | Coach |
| 2004 | Conference USA | Mike Anderson |
| 2011 | Conference USA | Mike Davis |
| 2016 | Conference USA | Jerod Haase |

### Conference Player of the Year

| Year | Conference | Position | Player |
| 1982 | Sun Belt | SG | Oliver Robinson |
| 2011 | Conference USA | PG | Aaron Johnson |
| 2022 | Conference USA | PG | Jordan Walker |

### All--Conference Players Since 2012

| Year | Conference | Team | Position | Player |
| 2012 | Conference USA | 1st | Forward | Cameron Moore |
| 2013 | Conference USA | 2nd | Forward | Rod Rucker |
| 2014 | Conference USA | 1st | Guard | Chad Frazier |
| 2015 | Conference USA | 3rd | Guard | Robert Brown |
| 2016 | Conference USA | 2nd | Forward | Chris Cokley |
| 2016 | Conference USA | 3rd | Guard | Nick Norton |
| 2016 | Conference USA | 1st | Guard | Robert Brown |
| 2016 | Conference USA | 3rd | Forward | William Lee |
| 2017 | Conference USA | 2nd | Forward | William Lee |
| 2018 | Conference USA | 1st | Forward | Chris Cokley |
| 2019 | Conference USA | 3rd | Guard | Zack Bryant |
| 2021 | Conference USA | 2nd | Guard | Tavin Lovan |
| 2022 | Conference USA | 1st | Guard | Jordan Walker |
| 2022 | Conference USA | 3rd | Guard | Quan Jackson |
| 2023 | Conference USA | 1st | Guard | Jordan Walker |
| 2023 | Conference USA | 3rd | Center | Trey Jemison |
| 2024 | American | 1st | Forward | Yaxel Lendeborg |

## Blazers of Note
### Retired numbers

UAB has retired four jersey numbers since its inception and they now hang from the rafters of Bartow Arena. This honor is bestowed only on players who earn AP All-America honors and who complete their degree at UAB.
UAB Blazers retired numbers :
| No. | Player | Career |
| 1 | Aaron Johnson | 2007–2011 |
| 14 | Steve Mitchell | 1982–1986 |
| 20 | Oliver Robinson | 1978–1982 |
| 40 | Jerome Mincy | 1982–1986 |

### In the NBA

UAB has seen numerous players move on to professional careers in the NBA. Some of UAB's highest NBA draft picks include:
* Oliver Robinson (2nd Round/1st Pick/24th Overall) to the San Antonio Spurs
* Walter Sharpe (2nd Round/2nd Pick/32nd Overall) to the Seattle SuperSonics
* Steve Mitchell (2nd Round/12th Pick/36th Overall) to the Washington Bullets
* Robert Vaden (2nd Round/54th Overall) to the Charlotte Bobcats
Other former Blazers to play in the NBA are:
* McKinley Singleton (New York Knicks – 1986–87)
* Alan Ogg (Miami Heat – 1990–92; Milwaukee Bucks – 1992–93; Washington Bullets – 1992–93)
* Stanley Jackson (Minnesota Timberwolves – 1993–94)
* Donell Taylor (Washington Wizards – 2005–07)
* Carldell "Squeaky" Johnson (New Orleans Hornets – 2011–12)
* Elijah Millsap (Utah Jazz – 2015)
* Jordan Walker (Dallas Mavericks 2023-Present
* Trey Jemison (New Orleans Pelicans 2023) (Washington Wizards 2024)(Memphis Grizzlies 2024-Present

### In international leagues

* Paul Delaney (class of 2004), basketball player in the Israeli National League

## UAB Basketball facilities

UAB initially played their home games at the BJCC Coliseum, but moved their home games to an on-campus facility starting with the 1988–89 season. Originally known as UAB Arena, the name was officially changed to Bartow Arena on January 25, 1997. The 8,508-seat arena is named after Coach Gene Bartow, the man who built UAB's men's basketball program from scratch starting in 1978.
Top 10 Home Games at BJCC :
| | Opponent | Attendance |
| 1 | DePaul (1980) | 17,309 |
| 2 | DePaul (1985) | 17,222 |
| 3 | Auburn (1984) | 17,025 |
| 4 | Indiana (1997) | 16,982 |
| 5 | Virginia Commonwealth (1985) | 16,866 |
| 6 | Auburn (1986) | 16,815 |
| 7 | Auburn (1983) | 16,803 |
| 8 | Auburn (1982) | 16,797 |
| 9 | South Florida (1985) | 16,781 |
| 10T | Virginia (1982) | 16,754 |
| 10T | Louisville (1982) | 16,754 |
Top 10 Home Games at Bartow Arena :
| | Opponent | Attendance |
| 1 | Memphis (2008) | 9,392 |
| 2 | Louisville (2005) | 9,354 |
| 3 | Cincinnati (2004) | 9,312 |
| 4 | Cincinnati (2000) | 9,279 |
| 5 | Cincinnati (1996) | 9,213 |
| 6 | Memphis (2009) | 9,153 |
| 7 | Memphis (2011) | 9,119 |
| 8 | Alcorn State (1989) | 9,010 |
| 9 | Arkansas (1990) | 8,951 |
| 10 | Cincinnati (1994) | 8,907 |