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2017–18 UAB Blazers men's basketball team
American college basketball season
The 2017–18 UAB Blazers basketball team represented the University of Alabama at Birmingham during the 2017–18 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Blazers, led by second-year head coach Robert Ehsan, played their home games at the Bartow Arena as members of Conference USA. They finished the season 20–13, 10–8 C-USA play to finish in sixth place. The defeated Florida Atlantic in the first round of the C-USA tournament before losing to Western Kentucky. Despite winning 20 games, they did not participate in a postseason tournament.
Previous season
The Blazers finished the 2016–17 season 17–16, 9–9 in C-USA play to finish in a tie for seventh place. They defeated Charlotte in the first round of the C-USA tournament before losing to Louisiana Tech.
Offseason
Departures
Incoming transfers
Incoming recruits
College recruiting information
| Name
|
Hometown
|
High school / college
|
Height
|
Weight
|
Commit date
|
Makhtar Gueye
#64 PF
|
Lake Forest, IL
|
ASPIRE Basketball Academy
|
6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
|
N/A
|
Oct 24, 2016
|
Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/A ESPN grade: 75
|
Luis Hurtado
#83 SG
|
Weston, FL
|
The Sagemont School
|
6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
|
175 lb (79 kg)
|
Nov 17, 2016
|
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/A ESPN grade: 68
|
Zack Bryant
PG
|
Jacksonville, FL
|
Providence School of Jacksonville
|
6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
|
175 lb (79 kg)
|
Aug 9, 2016
|
| Star ratings: Scout: N/A Rivals: N/A 247Sports: N/A ESPN grade: NR
|
| Overall recruiting rankings:
|
- Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
- In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.
Sources:
|
Recruiting class of 2018
| College recruiting information (2018)
|
| Name
|
Hometown
|
High school / college
|
Height
|
Weight
|
Commit date
|
Tamel Pearson
#31 C
|
Chicago, IL
|
Morgan Park High School
|
6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
|
N/A
|
Sep 4, 2017
|
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/A ESPN grade: 79
|
Ryan Boyce
SF
|
Memphis, TN
|
East High School
|
6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
|
180 lb (82 kg)
|
Oct 13, 2017
|
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/A ESPN grade: NR
|
Jude Akabueze
C
|
Lagos, Nigeria
|
North Marion High School
|
6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
|
208 lb (94 kg)
|
Nov 19, 2017
|
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/A ESPN grade: NR
|
| Overall recruiting rankings:
|
- Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
- In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.
Sources:
|
Roster
| 2017–18 UAB Blazers men's basketball team
|
| Players |
Coaches
|
| Pos. |
# |
Name |
Height |
Weight |
Year |
Previous school |
Hometown
|
| G
|
1
|
Zack Bryant
|
6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
180 lb (82 kg)
|
Fr |
Providence School
|
Hastings, Florida
|
| G
|
2
|
Nick Norton
|
5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) |
166 lb (75 kg)
|
Sr |
Central Catholic High School
|
Bloomington, Illinois
|
| F
|
3
|
Chris Cokley
|
6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) |
238 lb (108 kg)
|
Sr |
Savannah High School
|
Savannah, Georgia
|
| G
|
4
|
Anderson McCoy (W)
|
5 ft 11 in (1.8 m) |
166 lb (75 kg)
|
Jr |
Ancilla College
|
Indianapolis, Indiana
|
| G
|
5
|
Deion Lavender
|
6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) |
190 lb (86 kg)
|
RS Jr |
Southern Illinois
|
Alton, Illinois
|
| G
|
10
|
Luis Hurtado
|
6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) |
213 lb (97 kg)
|
Fr |
The Sagemont School
|
Mérida, Venezuela
|
| F
|
11
|
Makhtar Gueye
|
6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) |
185 lb (84 kg)
|
Fr |
Aspire Academy
|
Rufisque, Senegal
|
| G
|
12
|
Hunter Reynolds (W)
|
6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) |
161 lb (73 kg)
|
Fr |
Christian Academy of Knoxville
|
Knoxville, TN
|
| G
|
13
|
Nate Darling
|
6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
190 lb (86 kg)
|
So |
DeMatha Catholic High School
|
Halifax, Nova Scotia
|
| G
|
21
|
Jalen Perry
|
6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
195 lb (88 kg)
|
Jr |
John A. Logan College
|
Louisville, Kentucky
|
| F
|
23
|
Lewis Sullivan
|
6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) |
223 lb (101 kg)
|
RS Jr |
Hazel Green High School
|
Hazel Green, Alabama
|
| F
|
33
|
Thomas Smallwood
|
7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) |
243 lb (110 kg)
|
Jr |
Lycée Général Saint John Perse
|
Bordeaux, France
|
| F
|
34
|
William Lee
|
6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) |
206 lb (93 kg)
|
Sr |
Dallas County High School
|
Plantersville, Alabama
|
|
- Head coach
- Assistant coach(es)
- Legend
- (C) Team captain
- (S) Suspended
- (I) Ineligible
- (W) Walk-on
Roster
|
Schedule and results
Date
time, TV
|
Rank#
|
Opponent#
|
Result
|
Record
|
Site (attendance)
city, state
|
| Exhibition
|
November 2, 2017*
7:00 pm
|
|
Morehouse
|
W 84–69
|
|
Bartow Arena (3,203)
Birmingham, AL
|
| Non-conference regular season
|
November 10*
7:00 pm
|
|
Jacksonville
|
W 96–67
|
1–0
|
Bartow Arena (3,106)
Birmingham, AL
|
November 13*
7:00 pm
|
|
Chattanooga
Cayman Islands Classic campus site game
|
W 89–47
|
2–0
|
Bartow Arena (2,985)
Birmingham, AL
|
November 16*
7:00 pm
|
|
LeMoyne–Owen
|
W 81–57
|
3–0
|
Bartow Arena (2,828)
Birmingham, AL
|
November 20*
4:00 pm
|
|
vs. Richmond
Cayman Islands Classic quarterfinals
|
L 50–63
|
3–1
|
John Gray Gymnasium (650)
George Town, Cayman Islands
|
November 21*
4:00 pm
|
|
vs. Buffalo
Cayman Islands Classic consolation round
|
L 91–96 OT
|
3–2
|
John Gray Gymnasium (404)
George Town, Cayman Islands
|
November 22*
11:00 am
|
|
vs. Iowa
Cayman Islands Classic 7th place game
|
L 85–95
|
3–3
|
John Gray Gymnasium (1,020)
George Town, Cayman Islands
|
November 26*
3:00 pm
|
|
Mississippi College
|
W 90–53
|
4–3
|
Bartow Arena (3,222)
Birmingham, AL
|
November 30*
7:00 pm, Stadium
|
|
Memphis
Bartow Classic
|
W 71–56
|
5–3
|
Bartow Arena (4,920)
Birmingham, AL
|
December 5*
7:00 pm, ESPN3
|
|
at Troy
|
W 90–78
|
6–3
|
Trojan Arena (3,213)
Troy, AL
|
December 9*
3:30 pm, SECN
|
|
at Auburn
Rivalry
|
L 80–85
|
6–4
|
Auburn Arena (7,965)
Auburn, AL
|
December 16*
2:15 pm
|
|
vs. Alabama A&M
BHM JAM
|
W 90–58
|
7–4
|
Legacy Arena (7,209)
Birmingham, AL
|
December 20*
7:00 pm
|
|
New Orleans
|
W 74–67
|
8–4
|
Bartow Arena (3,229)
Birmingham, AL
|
December 23*
2:00 pm
|
|
Mississippi Valley State
|
W 74–57
|
9–4
|
Bartow Arena (2,783)
Birmingham, AL
|
| Conference USA regular season
|
December 30
4:00 pm, Stadium
|
|
Middle Tennessee
|
L 60–63
|
9–5
(0–1)
|
Bartow Arena (4,143)
Birmingham, AL
|
January 4, 2018
6:00 pm
|
|
at Florida Atlantic
|
W 75–44
|
10–5
(1–1)
|
FAU Arena (1,091)
Boca Raton, FL
|
January 6
6:00 pm
|
|
at FIU
|
W 75–64
|
11–5
(2–1)
|
FIU Arena (515)
Miami, FL
|
January 11
7:00 pm
|
|
Southern Miss
|
W 86–75
|
12–5
(3–1)
|
Bartow Arena (3,351)
Birmingham, AL
|
January 13
4:00 pm, Stadium
|
|
Louisiana Tech
|
W 74–62
|
13–5
(4–1)
|
Bartow Arena (3,743)
Birmingham, AL
|
January 18
8:00 pm, CBSSN
|
|
at WKU
|
L 69–77
|
13–6
(4–2)
|
E. A. Diddle Arena (5,643)
Bowling Green, KY
|
January 20
6:00 pm
|
|
at Marshall
|
L 78–86 OT
|
13–7
(4–3)
|
Cam Henderson Center (6,740)
Huntington, WV
|
January 25
7:00 pm, beIN
|
|
UTEP
|
W 85–78
|
14–7
(5–3)
|
Bartow Arena (3,013)
Birmingham, AL
|
January 27
7:00 pm, ESPN3
|
|
UTSA
|
L 70–82
|
14–8
(5–4)
|
Bartow Arena (4,259)
Birmingham, AL
|
February 1
6:00 pm
|
|
at Charlotte
|
W 76–64
|
15–8
(6–4)
|
Halton Arena (3,266)
Charlotte, NC
|
February 3
6:00 pm
|
|
at Old Dominion
|
L 60–65
|
15–9
(6–5)
|
Ted Constant Convocation Center (6,481)
Norfolk, VA
|
February 8
7:00 pm
|
|
North Texas
|
L 60–67
|
15–10
(6–6)
|
Bartow Arena (3,383)
Birmingham, AL
|
February 10
7:00 pm
|
|
Rice
|
W 61–56
|
16–10
(7–6)
|
Bartow Arena (3,703)
Birmingham, AL
|
February 15
8:00 pm, CBSSN
|
|
at Louisiana Tech
|
L 60–73
|
16–11
(7–7)
|
Thomas Assembly Center (3,562)
Ruston, LA
|
February 17
4:00 pm
|
|
at Southern Miss
|
W 87–69
|
17–11
(8–7)
|
Reed Green Coliseum (2,405)
Hattiesburg, MS
|
February 24
6:00 pm, Stadium
|
|
at No. 24 Middle Tennessee
|
L 54–79
|
17–12
(8–8)
|
Murphy Center (9,717)
Murfreesboro, TN
|
March 1
7:00 pm, beIN
|
|
Marshall
|
W 91–77
|
18–12
(9–8)
|
Bartow Arena (3,156)
Birmingham, AL
|
March 4
7:00 pm
|
|
WKU
|
W 101–73
|
19–12
(10–8)
|
Bartow Arena (4,363)
Birmingham, AL
|
| Conference USA tournament
|
March 7
9:00 pm, Stadium
|
(6)
|
vs. (11) Florida Atlantic
First round
|
W 83–72
|
20–12
|
The Ford Center at The Star (5,198)
Frisco, TX
|
March 7
9:00 pm, Stadium
|
(6)
|
vs. (3) WKU
Quarterfinals
|
L 70–98
|
20–13
|
The Ford Center at The Star (2,531)
Frisco, TX
|
*Non-conference game. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. All times are in Central Time. |
Source[1]
References
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