The unofficial online home for fans of the UAB Blazers. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

Despite the occasional frustration and head-scratching loss, this has been one of the most enjoyable seasons of UAB basketball in my 30+ years of being a fan. This team plays hard. All these transfers have blended together with the goal of the “Bartow Standard” and veteran holdovers from the past coaching staff have put aside egos to fill their roles. It isn’t perfect and isn’t always pretty but on the whole this was a highly successful regular season and I haven’t felt this confident about the direction of UAB basketball since the Anderson years.

How we ultimately remember this team will be written in Frisco. I believe their best basketball has not yet been played. I believe they have the most complete team in the league, when playing near that peak, and I believe they have on paper probably the best bracket they could have gotten.

Assuming the first matchup is FAU, our guys definitely should not overlook that one. Owls are well coached and gave us some problems in Bartow. They have been very tough in Boca. Definitely cannot look past these guys to the semis, or there won’t be a semis for UAB.

The top half of our side is underrated imo. ODU is a difficult matchup for the Blazers as they showed last month. They have not been consistent but their size and physical style are a challenge. I don’t think they have enough to win 4 games but they definitely could spring an upset or two.

UTEP has really improved in the 2nd half of the conference schedule as evidenced by a strong finish and by pushing UAB to brink and upsetting UNT. Middle Tennessee is just the most improved team in the league this season. They are extremely athletic. Any of these three teams will be hurdle.

But I like the Blazers’ chances. I feel like our best games are in front of us.

Southern Miss is a 3-point underdog against UTSA tonight according to KenPom. FAU beat Southern Miss by 27 in Boca Raton. FAU beat UTSA by 9 in San Antonio.