Check out the scores of the last six games in this series. The teams have split 3-3. Three of the games went to OT. The other three were decided by one possession. A total of 6 overtime games have been played. But because of geographic distance, you hardly ever hear of this series being a rivalry. They play again on CBS Sports Network on Thursday night.
1/30/2010 65-74 2ot Bartow Arena, Birmingham, AL - UTEP wins
3/6/2010 50-52 Don Haskins Center, El Paso, TX - UTEP wins
1/8/2011 100-97 3ot Bartow Arena, Birmingham, AL - UAB wins
2/4/2012 61-60 Don Haskins Center, El Paso, TX - UAB wins
1/30/2013 78-72ot Bartow Arena, Birmingham, AL - UAB wins
1/18/2014 61-63 Bartow Arena, Birmingham, AL - UTEP wins
I remember games where (was his name Aaron 'Speedy' Johnson?) would frustrate the bejeezus out of us with his speed (of course) and ability to see the open floor and always find the right Blazer for the open jumper or easy layup. That dude was as good a PG as I have ever seen at the college level, with the exception of our Tim Hardaway. Oh...and Robert Vaden burrying 3 after 3 after 3 on our asses...and our defenders were up in his mug!
UAB has had some very talented teams with solid coaching. Our rivalry has been exciting and close, and we're going to miss that should UAB not be allowed to continue as a member of C-USA.
(01-28-2015 11:25 AM)GreenMississippi Wrote: Aaron "SQUEAKY" Johnson was incredibly fun to watch. We played one of the most entertaining basketball in the NCAA during his tenure.
UAB fans really got into the UTEP player's craw. Emotionally it felt like a rivalry.
Squeaky Johnson and Aaron Johnson were two different point guards.
Carldell "Squeaky" Johnson played under Mike Anderson.
AJ played under Mike Davis.
(This post was last modified: 01-28-2015 11:29 AM by Memphis Blazer.)
(01-28-2015 10:05 AM)Memphis Blazer Wrote: Aaron Johnson broke his nose in the 2 overtime game in 2010. With him out, the Miners were able to pull ahead in the 2nd OT.
I'm not sure which Miner it was... Character maybe??? On that play, he ran into our Center, flopped, and hit Aaron Johnson in the nose on the way down. Not only did we lose AJ on that play but it was Kenneth Cooper's 5th foul.
(01-28-2015 10:05 AM)Memphis Blazer Wrote: Aaron Johnson broke his nose in the 2 overtime game in 2010. With him out, the Miners were able to pull ahead in the 2nd OT.
I'm not sure which Miner it was... Character maybe??? On that play, he ran into our Center, flopped, and hit Aaron Johnson in the nose on the way down. Not only did we lose AJ on that play but it was Kenneth Cooper's 5th foul.
On that one play we went from #25 to NIT team.
Now, now. You guys won your share of barn burners. That triple OT game, I think Barbee was still coach, where you guys toughed it out at the end and won at your house. I lost my voice screaming at the radio on that one. An epic game.
And wasn't it you guys we were playing when Floyd and Asst coach Johnson got ejected at the beginning of the second half (also your house). They brought in a fat cop to confront Floyd and that really pissed him off. You guys must have won that game because there was no way the stripes were gonna let us walk away with a W.
I have great respect for your program and I certainly consider you to one of our greatest rivals.
(01-28-2015 08:02 PM)roundsound Wrote: And wasn't it you guys we were playing when Floyd and Asst coach Johnson got ejected at the beginning of the second half (also your house). They brought in a fat cop to confront Floyd and that really pissed him off. You guys must have won that game because there was no way the stripes were gonna let us walk away with a W.
East Carolina. And what happened there was worse than Hitler according to some on this board.
(01-28-2015 10:05 AM)Memphis Blazer Wrote: Aaron Johnson broke his nose in the 2 overtime game in 2010. With him out, the Miners were able to pull ahead in the 2nd OT.
I'm not sure which Miner it was... Character maybe??? On that play, he ran into our Center, flopped, and hit Aaron Johnson in the nose on the way down. Not only did we lose AJ on that play but it was Kenneth Cooper's 5th foul.
On that one play we went from #25 to NIT team.
Now, now. You guys won your share of barn burners. That triple OT game, I think Barbee was still coach, where you guys toughed it out at the end and won at your house. I lost my voice screaming at the radio on that one. An epic game.
And wasn't it you guys we were playing when Floyd and Asst coach Johnson got ejected at the beginning of the second half (also your house). They brought in a fat cop to confront Floyd and that really pissed him off. You guys must have won that game because there was no way the stripes were gonna let us walk away with a W.
I have great respect for your program and I certainly consider you to one of our greatest rivals.
Don't get me wrong. UTEP is probably my second favorite program in C-USA at least in basketball. I will always remember that feeling of disgust when I saw AJ's nose and Cooper's 5th foul. I was a student and sitting 2nd row in the student section that day. I knew we were toast. The fact that it even went to OT was amazing.