After a cold and snowy week in Birmingham, the UAB Blazers will be back in play versus Old Dominion. Both the men’s and the women’s teams were swept last week by Louisiana Tech and are looking to right the ship. For the men, the hunt for the regular-season championship is now in full gear. While for the women, this weekend is about trying to avoid hitting a new record low.
Men
The men (16-4, 9-3) will return to Bartow this Friday and Saturday to face Old Dominion (11-5, 7-3)
The two programs are longtime rivals dating back to their time in the original SunBelt. The Monarchs are UAB’s ninth most played opponent all-time with the Blazers leading that series 22-14.
The two programs this year feel almost like mirror images of each other. Both sit in second place of their division. Both have struggled shooting, particularly behind the arc. Both rely on several players to go their offenses going rather than just one.
So, like UAB, Old Dominion does not have just one stand-out player. Four Monarchs are averaging ten or more points right now with Malik Curry leading them at 15.7 points per game. Curry is the closest to a stand-out you will find on this Monarch team. The senior guard is a clear anchor to this team.
Despite the similarities, look for the Blazers to get it done at home. The Monarchs are not truly elite in any area, and their shooting struggles will have a hard time against the stellar UAB defense. Plus Old Dominion has struggled on the road this season, and even amid COVID-restricted crowd sizes, Bartow can be an intimidating place for opponents. Look for a couple of close games, but expect a Blazer sweep.
Friday’s game will tip-off at 6:30 p.m. Saturday’s game will tip-off at 3 p.m. Both games will be available to watch on Stadium and to listen to on WJQX 100.5 in Birmingham.
Women
The women (7-11, 2-10) are looking to break their eight-game losing streak with a victory on the road in Norfolk, Va. against Old Dominion (6-8, 3-7).
The Blazers trail in the series 13-8 to Old Dominion.
The Monarchs may have a storied history, but they have struggled this year. They sit at the bottom of the Conference USA east division.
Like UAB, though, many of these losses have been close ones. The Monarchs’ last three losses came in overtime, two of them to a very good Charlotte team that the Blazers were also swept by earlier this year.
The Blazers will have to watch out for Victoria Morris. The senior guard has led this Monarch team. She currently averages a double-double with 15.3 points and 10.9 rebounds per game. Along with UAB’s own Zakyia Weathersby, she is one of only four players in Conference USA to do so.
Nine games is the all-time losing streak for the program, so if the Blazers leave Virginia without a win, it would be a new record for the program.
Even against a down opponent, it will be tough for UAB to take a win on the road. Don’t be surprised if the Blazers return to Birmingham with ten straight losses.
Friday’s game will tip-off at 5:30 p.m. Saturday’s game will tip-off at 3 p.m.
Around the League
Perhaps the biggest men’s basketball game in terms of the hunt for first place is between Western Kentucky and North Texas. The Mean Green are set to host the Hilltoppers in Denton, Tex. Due to inclement weather conditions in Texas, the series was delayed a day.
The two teams currently occupy first place in the East and West divisions, respectively, so the results of this matchup will have huge implications in the hunt for the regular-season crown.
