The 2005-06 UAB men's
basketball schedule features 11 postseason teams from last
year and nine games slated for national or regional television.
The schedule was announced Tuesday by head coach Mike
Anderson.
"This is probably one of the tougher non-conference schedules we
have ever had at UAB," Anderson said. "It's unbelievable. For
the fans, it is, without a doubt, one of the more exciting
schedules we have ever had. The competition is unbelievable."
Eddie Sutton and the Oklahoma State Cowboys (Dec. 28-ESPN2), who
were NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 members last season, highlight a
home non-conference schedule which includes fellow 2005 NCAA
Tournament participant Old Dominion (Dec. 22). The Monarchs are
picked as high as No. 21 nationally by Lindy's preseason
magazine. Western Kentucky (Nov. 29) visits Bartow Arena this
season as well. The Hilltoppers are a consensus pick to win the
Sun Belt East Division by the preseason magazines. Jeff Capel's
VCU Rams return to Bartow Arena (Jan. 2) this year as well after
an NIT bid in 2004-05.
"When I came here, we talked about having a 'national'
schedule," Anderson said. "We've got Oklahoma State coming here
and playing on national television. We've got Old Dominion - a
top 25 team - coming to our place. We've got that national
schedule now. From top to bottom, we have a very difficult
schedule this year. If we don't get our brains beat out, it will
put us in position to compete for a conference championship and
another postseason appearance."
The non-conference road slate doesn't get any easier for
Anderson's club. UAB opens regular season play at the Hall of
Fame Tip-Off Classic in Springfield, Mass., against local
favorite UMass on Friday, Nov. 25 (Fox Sports Net National).
Road games at Big 12 member Nebraska (Dec. 3), Big 10 member and
2005 NCAA Tournament participant Minnesota (Dec. 14-Fox Sports
Net North) and former league foes now in the Big East DePaul
(Dec. 6) and USF (Dec. 30) dot the docket for the Blazers.
The 2005-06 season will also bring a new-look Conference USA to
the table. Marshall, Rice, SMU, Tulsa, UCF and UTEP all
join holdovers East Carolina, Houston, Memphis, Southern Miss
and Tulane as UAB's league mates. UTEP and UCF were both NCAA
Tournament teams a year ago while Houston, Memphis and Rice all
played in the NIT.
"You add an unknown element to conference play this year,"
Anderson said. "That will make it exciting. There are some
very good teams in this league. That, coupled with the
fact that everybody raises their level of play come conference
time, is going to make Conference USA one of the most exciting
and competitive leagues out there this year. The fans are going
to love it."
Anderson welcomes his alma mater for UAB's C-USA opener as Tulsa
visits Bartow Arena on Jan. 11. Houston, East Carolina and
Tulane will all play at Bartow Arena this year, as will Memphis
(March 2-ESPN2), Marshall and Southern Miss, who will also host
the Blazers as UAB's three mirror games in C-USA's 14-game
league schedule. UAB will play Rice, UCF, UTEP and SMU on the
road. The home contest against Houston (Jan. 21) along with road
games at Memphis (Jan. 26), UCF (Feb. 4), UTEP (Feb. 8) and
Southern Miss (Feb. 18) will air on College Sports Television (CSTV)
as part of the network's partnership with Conference USA.
UAB will open its season with two exhibition contests at Bartow
Arena. West Alabama starts things off on Thursday, Nov. 10.
North Georgia visits for the final preseason tune-up for the
Blazers on Tuesday, Nov. 15. UAB will also host SWAC contender
Alcorn State (Dec. 10) and Mid-Continent Conference member
Centenary (Dec. 19) and Valdosta State (Jan. 5) to round out its
non-conference home schedule. The regular season home opener is
Sunday, Nov. 27 at 3 p.m. CT against MEAC upstart South Carolina
State which upset Penn State and Miami (Fla.) last season.
2005-06 UAB MEN'S BASKETBALL SCHEDULE
NOVEMBER
10 WEST ALABAMA (Exh.) 7:30 p.m.
15 NORTH GEORGIA (Exh.) 7:30 p.m.
25 vs. UMass # (FSN) 12:30 p.m. ET/11:30 p.m.CT
27 SOUTH CAROLINA STATE 3:00 p.m.
29 WESTERN KENTUCKY 7:30 p.m.
DECEMBER
3 at Nebraska 7:00 p.m.
6 at DePaul 7:30 p.m.
10 ALCORN STATE 7:30 p.m.
14 at Minnesota (FSN North) 7:00 p.m.
19 CENTENARY 7:30 p.m.
22 OLD DOMINION 7:30 p.m.
28 OKLAHOMA STATE (ESPN2) 6:30 p.m.
30 at USF 7:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. CT
JANUARY
2 VCU 7:30 p.m.
5 VALDOSTA STATE 7:30 p.m.
11 TULSA* 7:30 p.m.
14 at Marshall* 7:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. CT
18 at Rice* 7:05 p.m.
21 HOUSTON* (CSTV) 5:00 p.m.
26 at Memphis* (CSTV) 7:00 p.m.
28 SOUTHERN MISS* 7:30 p.m.
FEBRUARY
4 at UCF* (CSTV) 3:00 p.m. ET/2:00 p.m. CT
8 at UTEP* (CSTV) 9:00 p.m. CT/8:00 p.m. MT
11 EAST CAROLINA* 7:30 p.m.
15 TULANE* 7:30 p.m.
18 at Southern Miss* (CSTV) 2:00 p.m.
25 at SMU* 7:00 p.m.
MARCH
2 MEMPHIS* (ESPN2) 8:30 p.m.
4 MARSHALL* 7:30 p.m.
8-11 at C-USA Tournament $ TBA
ALL TIMES CENTRAL UNLESS NOTED
*Conference USA Game.
# - Tip-Off Classic, Springfield, Mass.
$ - C-USA Tournament, Memphis, Tenn.
FSN - Fox Sports Net; CSTV - College Sports Television
