RE: UAB Preview

[ALACOMBE]

No Senior night for Gene?  Does this mean that UC is confident
that he will get that sixth year?  Or do they know something...
Also I guess this is see ya later for Derek - I thought they
were petitioning for a sixth year for him also (or is it a
seventh)?


> -----Original Message-----
> From: jon breiner [mailto:address@hidden
> Sent: Tuesday, March 04, 2003 8:49 PM
> To: address@hidden
> Cc: address@hidden; address@hidden
> Subject: [UC Basketball] UAB Preview
>
>
> When Murray Bartow resigned, I figured it had to be worth 5
> victories alone,
> but new coach Mike Anderson having UAB at 8-6 and 16-9 overall,
> is more than
> I expected.  Anderson comes from Arkansas where he was an assistant for 17
> years.  The Blazers lost 4 of their top 5 scorers with only junior guard
> Morris Finley returning.  I'll be honest, this is a "paper"
> preview because
> I have not seen UAB play yet this year, but from what I have been able to
> find out, I am not looking forward to Wednesday night.
>
>
>
> I keep thinking, this is the game UC will do well in, right?
> Play hard one
> game, not so hard the next, etc.  That means UC should do well against UAB
> which means throw it out the window, no chance in hell it will happen,
> right?  Or does that mean it will happen because we think it won't, but
> maybe..  ARGGGHHH!!!!  Does anyone else's head hurt?
>
>
>
> Finley is the main reason UAB has had such a good season.  The
> 5'11" Finley
> has increased his scoring from 11 to 18 per game.  There have been only 2
> games where Finley has not scored double digits and he is coming
> in red hot
> averaging 21 points over his last 5 games including 31 points against
> Marquette in his last game.  Finley also contributes otherwise.
> He averages
> 3 assists, 3 rebounds and 2 steals per game.  Not stellar numbers, but
> decent and he does this while shooting 41% from 3-point land.
> Taron Barker
> often gets talked up for his defense and he will not want to get burned
> repeatedly on Senior Night so this is a key matchup.
>
>
>
> If you compliment Finley with a few new guys and a few old guys, you have
> this year's Blazers.  The key newcomers are 6'7" forward Demario
> Eddins, 6'
> 9" JUCO transfer Gabe Kennedy, and 6'5" guard Richard Jones.
> Eddins is the
> key player here.  They wiry (190 pounds!) freshman averages 29 minutes per
> game (compared to slightly under 20 for the other two).  Eddins
> is also the
> second leading scorer and contributes 4 rebounds per game.  He is turnover
> prone so perhaps a trapping, pressure defense could cause him problems.
> Kennedy is a large presence in the middle carrying 240 pounds and 3rd
> leading scorer at 9.8 per game.  The freshman Jones will not hesitate to
> shoot the long ball.
>
>
>
> As for the "old" guys, you will most likely remember Eric Bush.  The 5'10"
> senior is a steady point guard.  Not spectacular, but can be a defensive
> pest averaging 3 steals per game.  Guard Jeffrey Collins is back for his
> second year.  He is kind of a streaky player.
>
>
>
> Some other notes of interest:  UC did not play UAB last season.
> UC has won
> 7 straight against UAB and is 8-1 all time at the Shoe against
> the Blazers.
> BTW, brownie points to anyone who can tell me what is special about that
> loss at the Shoe.  The Blazers dance team has the best looking girls in
> conference.  They do not get the pub that UL and Memphis get, but
> try going
> to a tournament some time and you will agree (just seeing if you read this
> far!).  This battle could decide the number 4 seed for the tournament, and
> more importantly the final first round bye.  The 8pm game will be
> on Channel
> 19 locally.  Finally, Taron Barker, Derek Hollman and Leonard
> Stokes will be
> recognized in pre-game ceremonies for Senior Night. And in a
> surprise, Jimmy
> Hubbard will likewise be honored.  Jimmy would have completed his
> eligibility this year had he not "retired" due to back problems.
>
>
>
> Keys for UC:
>
>
>
> 1. Finley.  He could cause us problems like Demon Brown.  I think Barker
> will be the primary defender on Finley, but Stokes, Williams and Bobbitt
> could all see a turn, and don't be surprised to see Jamaal Lucas
> get a shot
> at stopping Finley.  He is easily the player likely to kill UC by
> scoring 28
> when UC cannot consistently do that in one half.
>
>
>
> 2. Rebound.  UAB is a mediocre rebounding team giving up 5 more per game
> than they get.  UC is average with potential.  What a great chance to show
> potential.
>
>
>
> 3. Senior $hit, step up!  Man, Hollman may or may not be back, but for
> Stokes and Barker, this is their chance to shine.  Stokes mother, Candace
> Quarles, will be attending her first game and I think Leonard
> will be fired
> up.  Barker would love nothing more than to leave a tribute to
> his legacy of
> a defensive stopper by smothering Finley in the final game at the
> Shoe.  To
> an extent, each has an opportunity to put their last stamp on our minds.
>
>
>
> I love senior night.  It's a chance to thank the players who have given
> their hearts and bodies to the game and to the team of which I am a huge
> fan.  I flirted with the idea of picking UAB believe it or not.
> But I think
> they are not as capable of smothering the inside as an ECU, SLU, or
> Charlotte is.  I expect a bit more of a spread (wide open at times?) game
> where UC seems to play better, and of course I cannot pick against the
> Bearcats on senior night.
>
>
>
> UC 77  UAB 71
>
>
>
> jon b