Amanda Knapp
The UAB Blazers men's basketball team represents the University of Alabama at Birmingham in NCAA Division I men's college basketball. The team started in 1978, with former UCLA, University of Illinois, and Memphis head coach Gene Bartow at the helm. Known as the Father of UAB athletics, Coach Bartow built the Blazers' men's basketball program from scratch, leading the team to early success by reaching the NCAA tournament in just their third season. The Blazers have since made 17 appearances in the NCAA men's basketball tournament, with a combined record of 10-17. They have also appeared in the College Basketball Invitational (CBI) once and the National Invitational Tournament (NIT) 13 times. UAB's most recent conference championship was in the 2021-2022 season when they won the CUSA conference tournament.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year UAB Blazers men's basketball team was started | 1978 |
| Team name | UAB Blazers |
| University represented | University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) |
| Division | NCAA Division I men's college basketball |
| Conference | American Athletic Conference |
| Home games venue | Bartow Arena |
| Former home games venue | BJCC Coliseum, Birmingham–Jefferson Convention Complex, Birmingham Jefferson Civic Complex Arena |
| Coach | Andy Kennedy |
| Former coach | Gene Bartow |
| Number of appearances in the NCAA men's basketball tournament | 17 |
| Number of appearances in the National Invitational Tournament | 13 |
| Number of appearances in the College Basketball Invitational | 1 |
| Number of retired jerseys | 4 |
| Highest NBA draft picks | Oliver Robinson (24th overall), Walter Sharpe (32nd overall), Steve Mitchell (36th overall), Robert Vaden (54th overall) |
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What You'll Learn
- The UAB Blazers men's basketball team was started in 1978
- The team represents the University of Alabama at Birmingham
- The Blazers have made 17 appearances in the NCAA men's basketball tournament
- The team's home games were originally played at the BJCC Coliseum
- The team's mascot is a green dragon named Blaze
The UAB Blazers men's basketball team was started in 1978
The UAB Blazers have had a successful basketball program, with one of the best all-time winning percentages in college basketball. The team has been ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll numerous times, including a ranking of #9 in the nation. UAB has also produced several players who have gone on to play in the NBA, such as Oliver Robinson, Walter Sharpe, and Steve Mitchell. The Blazers have a rivalry with Auburn in men's basketball, with Auburn currently leading the series.
The Blazers' success can be attributed to their high standards from the beginning. By recruiting Coach Gene Bartow, they established a strong foundation for their athletic program. Coach Bartow's expertise and guidance played a pivotal role in the team's rapid achievement, reaching the NCAA tournament in just three years. This early triumph set a precedent for the team's future accomplishments.
The UAB Blazers' basketball program has come a long way since its inception in 1978. With their dedication, talent, and exceptional coaching, they have established themselves as a formidable force in college basketball. The team's success has brought recognition to the University of Alabama at Birmingham and continues to inspire and motivate aspiring athletes. The Blazers' journey serves as a testament to the power of ambition and the rewards that come with hard work and perseverance.
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The team represents the University of Alabama at Birmingham
The UAB Blazers men's basketball team represents the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) in NCAA Division I men's college basketball. The team started in 1978, marking the beginning of UAB's athletics programme.
The Blazers play their home games at the Bartow Arena, which was originally known as the UAB Arena until 25 January 1997 when the name was officially changed. The 8,508-seat arena is named after Gene Bartow, the coach who built the men's basketball programme from scratch. Known as the "Father of UAB athletics", Coach Bartow was able to guide the Blazers to early success, reaching the NCAA tournament in just their third season.
The team has been ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll several times in its history, as recently as 2010, and has been ranked as high as #9 in the nation. The Blazers have appeared in the College Basketball Invitational (CBI) once, with a record of 0-1. They have also made 17 appearances in the NCAA men's basketball tournament, 13 appearances in the National Invitational Tournament, and 11 appearances in the NIT, including 2 appearances in the NIT Final Four. The team has also reached the Sweet Sixteen 3 times and the Elite Eight once.
UAB has a rivalry with Auburn in men's basketball, with Auburn currently leading the series with 11 wins to UAB's 10. The Blazers have a strong record at home, winning more than 80% of their games at the Bartow Arena. The team's mascot is a green dragon named Blaze, and they play in the American Athletic Conference, having previously been affiliated with Conference USA from 1995 to 2023.
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The Blazers have made 17 appearances in the NCAA men's basketball tournament
The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Blazers men's basketball team has a rich history in NCAA Division I men's college basketball. The Blazers started their athletics program with the creation of the men's basketball team in 1978, setting high standards from the outset.
UAB hired former UCLA, University of Illinois, and Memphis head coach Gene Bartow, who is known as the "Father of UAB athletics." In just their third season, Coach Bartow led the Blazers to their first NCAA tournament. Since then, the team has made 17 appearances in the NCAA men's basketball tournament, including 3 Sweet Sixteen appearances and 1 Elite Eight appearance. The Blazers have also appeared 13 times in the National Invitational Tournament (NIT), reaching the NIT Final Four twice.
The Blazers play their home games at the Bartow Arena, an 8,508-seat on-campus facility named after Coach Gene Bartow. The team previously played at the BJCC Coliseum and the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex until they moved to their current home arena for the 1988-89 season. The name was officially changed to Bartow Arena on January 25, 1997, to honour Coach Bartow, who built the men's basketball program from scratch.
The UAB Blazers have achieved notable success in their history, including one of the best all-time winning percentages in college basketball. They have been ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll numerous times and have had several players drafted into the NBA. UAB's most recent conference championship victory was in the 2021-22 season when they won the CUSA conference tournament.
The Blazers have a rivalry with Auburn in men's basketball, with Auburn currently holding a slight edge in the series. UAB's success in the NCAA men's basketball tournament has solidified their place as a competitive force in college basketball.
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The team's home games were originally played at the BJCC Coliseum
The UAB Blazers men's basketball team represents the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) in NCAA Division I men's college basketball. The team began in 1978, marking the start of UAB's athletics programme.
The BJCC Coliseum was an 8,508-seat arena. The UAB Blazers moved to a new home, originally named the UAB Arena, which could accommodate a similar number of spectators. The new arena was named after Coach Gene Bartow, who was central to the success of the men's basketball programme.
Gene Bartow was previously the head coach at UCLA before joining UAB in 1978. Known as the "Father of UAB athletics", he led the Blazers to the NCAA tournament in their third season. The team has since made 17 appearances in the NCAA men's basketball tournament and 13 appearances in the National Invitational Tournament.
The name of the UAB Blazers' home arena was officially changed to Bartow Arena on January 25, 1997. The team has won more than 80% of its games at Bartow Arena.
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The team's mascot is a green dragon named Blaze
The University of Alabama at Birmingham, commonly known as UAB, started its athletics program with the creation of a men's basketball team in 1978. The team, UAB Blazers, has had several mascots over the years, with the current one being a green dragon named Blaze.
The first mascot of UAB was a Viking named Blazer, who was unveiled at a basketball game in 1993. However, he was discontinued before the football season as he scared children at the basketball games, and some in the community thought the mascot was objectifying. Subsequently, from 1979 to 1992, UAB introduced a new mascot, a chicken named "Beauregard T. Rooster," originally worn by UAB employee Frank Sutherland as a Halloween costume. This mascot was also discontinued due to concerns of trademark infringement.
In 1993, UAB introduced a new mascot, a Viking warrior named "Blazer the Warrior." However, this mascot was also short-lived as it was retired the next season due to children being scared of it. It was then that the idea for a dragon mascot was born.
On January 6, 1996, Blaze the Dragon, a friendly green dragon, was introduced at a basketball game. Blaze is based on a fire-breathing European dragon and has become a beloved symbol of UAB's athletic teams. The green colour of the dragon also represents the school's colours, green and gold.
Over the years, the UAB Blazers men's basketball team has achieved significant success, with numerous appearances in the NCAA men's basketball tournament and a high ranking in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll. The team's home games are played at the Bartow Arena, named after Coach Gene Bartow, who is known as the "Father of UAB athletics."
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Frequently asked questions
The UAB Blazers men's basketball team representing the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) in NCAA Division I men's college basketball was started in 1978.
The UAB Blazers initially played their home games at the Birmingham–Jefferson Convention Complex (BJCC Coliseum) but moved their home games to an on-campus facility, Bartow Arena, starting with the 1988–89 season.
The current coach of the UAB Blazers is Andy Kennedy. However, the coach who built the team's men's basketball program from scratch in 1978 was Gene Bartow, who is known as the "Father of UAB athletics".
