UAB hosts Arkansas State in important test for Blazers

By Steve Irvine

BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA - December 15, 2024

UAB’s final chance to put a significant mark on what has been an underwhelming performance during non-conference play comes on Sunday with Arkansas State in town.

The Blazers are 5-5 entering the game, which will tip off at 5 p.m. at Bartow Arena, with two of the losses coming at home. They opened the season with a home loss to Vermont, fell to High Point in the lone true road game of the non-conference schedule, dropped a pair of games in the Paradise Jam and lost at home to Middle Tennessee.

UAB also plays Alabama A&M and Alcorn State before American Athletic Conference play begins but Arkansas State offers the only opportunity to move the needle a bit with a win. The Red Wolves are 8-3 overall with a marquee 85-72 win at Memphis last Sunday. Arkansas State also returns several players from last year’s team that beat UAB, 87-68, at home.

Arkansas State generally plays a rotation that stretches eight deep. Taryn Todd (14.5 points per game) and Kobe Julien (12.5 ppg) are the lone double digit scorers. Derrian Ford (9.9 ppg) and Joseph Pinion (9.5 ppg) narrowly miss the double digit mark.  Those four combined to hit 66 of the team’s 100 3-pointers in 11 games. Pinion had five of the team’s 12 3-pointers in the win at Memphis and Todd had a team-high 23 points in a victory over UT-Arlington on Thursday.

UAB hasn’t played since beating Prairie View A&M, 95-66, on Dec. 6. Final exams and practice filled the time in between games. Seven players scored in double figures in the win over Prairie View, including first time UAB starters Tyren Moore and Bradley Ezewiro.

The UAB women’s basketball team will kick off a doubleheader today with a non-conference game against Alcorn State with tip-off slated for 1 p.m.