2017–18 UAB Blazers men's basketball team

The 2017–18 UAB Blazers basketball team represented the University of Alabama at Birmingham during the 2017–18 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Blazers, led by second-year head coach Robert Ehsan, played their home games at the Bartow Arena as members of Conference USA. They finished the season 20–13, 10–8 C-USA play to finish in sixth place. The defeated Florida Atlantic in the first round of the C-USA Tournament before losing to Western Kentucky. Despite winning 20 games, they did not participate in a postseason tournament.

2017–18 UAB Blazers men's basketball
ConferenceConference USA
2017–18 record20–13 (10–8 C-USA)
Head coach
Assistant coaches
Home arenaBartow Arena
2017–18 Conference USA men's basketball standings
Conf  Overall
TeamW L PCT  W L PCT
Middle Tennessee162 .889  258  .758
Old Dominion153 .833  257  .781
Western Kentucky144 .778  2711  .711
Marshall126 .667  2511  .694
UTSA117 .611  2015  .571
UAB108 .556  2013  .606
North Texas810 .444  2018  .526
FIU810 .444  1418  .438
Southern Miss711 .389  1618  .471
Louisiana Tech711 .389  1716  .515
Florida Atlantic612 .333  1219  .387
UTEP612 .333  1120  .355
Rice414 .222  724  .226
Charlotte216 .111  623  .207
2018 C-USA Tournament winner

Previous season

The Blazers finished the 2016–17 season 17–16, 9–9 in C-USA play to finish in a tie for seventh place. They defeated Charlotte in the first round of the C-USA Tournament before losing to Louisiana Tech.

Offseason

Departures

NameNumberPos.HeightWeightYearHometownPrevious School
Hakeem Baxter0G6'2"186SeniorPhiladelphia, PAGraduated
Denzell Watts1G6'2"235SeniorFlint, MIGraduated
Javien Williams10G6'4"175FreshmanBirmingham, ALTransferred to Tallahassee CC
Dirk Williams11G6'5"178SeniorHomewood, ALGraduated
Tosin Mehinti21F6'9"244SeniorLagos, NigeriaGraduated
Tyler Madison22G6'4"222SeniorColumbiana, ALGraduated

Incoming transfers

NameNumberPos.HeightWeightYearHometownPrevious School
Jalen Perry21G6'3"180JuniorLouisville, KYJunior college transferred from John A. Logan College.

Incoming recruits

US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes
Name Hometown High school / college Height Weight Commit date
Makhtar Gueye
#64 PF
Lake Forest, IL ASPIRE Basketball Academy 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) N/A Oct 24, 2016 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:   Rivals:   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: 75
Luis Hurtado
#83 SG
Weston, FL The Sagemont School 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 175 lb (79 kg) Nov 17, 2016 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:   Rivals:   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: 68
Zack Bryant
PG
Jacksonville, FL Providence School of Jacksonville 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 175 lb (79 kg) Aug 9, 2016 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: NR
Overall recruiting rankings:
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

  • "2017 Team Ranking". Rivals.com.

    Recruiting class of 2018

    Roster

    2017–18 UAB Blazers men's basketball team
    PlayersCoaches
    Pos.#NameHeightWeightYearPrevious schoolHometown
    G 1 Zack Bryant 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)180 lb (82 kg) FrProvidence School Hastings, Florida
    G 2 Nick Norton 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)166 lb (75 kg) SrCentral Catholic High School Bloomington, Illinois
    F 3 Chris Cokley 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)238 lb (108 kg) SrSavannah High School Savannah, Georgia
    G 4 Anderson McCoy (W) 5 ft 11 in (1.8 m)166 lb (75 kg) JrAncilla College Indianapolis, Indiana
    G 5 Deion Lavender 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)190 lb (86 kg) RS JrSouthern Illinois Alton, Illinois
    G 10 Luis Hurtado 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)213 lb (97 kg) FrThe Sagemont School Mérida, Venezuela
    F 11 Makhtar Gueye 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)185 lb (84 kg) FrAspire Academy Rufisque, Senegal
    G 12 Hunter Reynolds (W) 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)161 lb (73 kg) FrChristian Academy of Knoxville Knoxville, TN
    G 13 Nate Darling 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)190 lb (86 kg) SoDeMatha Catholic High School Halifax, Nova Scotia
    G 21 Jalen Perry 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)195 lb (88 kg) JrJohn A. Logan College Louisville, Kentucky
    F 23 Lewis Sullivan 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)223 lb (101 kg) RS JrHazel Green High School Hazel Green, Alabama
    F 33 Thomas Smallwood 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m)243 lb (110 kg) JrLycée Général Saint John Perse Bordeaux, France
    F 34 William Lee 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)206 lb (93 kg) SrDallas County High School Plantersville, Alabama
    Head coach
    Assistant coach(es)

    Legend
    • (C) Team captain
    • (S) Suspended
    • (I) Ineligible
    • (W) Walk-on

    Roster

    Schedule and results

    Date
    time, TV
    Rank# Opponent# Result Record Site (attendance)
    city, state
    Exhibition
    November 2, 2017*
    7:00 pm
    Morehouse W 84–69 
    Bartow Arena (3,203)
    Birmingham, AL
    Non-conference regular season
    November 10*
    7:00 pm
    Jacksonville W 96–67  1–0
    Bartow Arena (3,106)
    Birmingham, AL
    November 13*
    7:00 pm
    Chattanooga
    Cayman Islands Classic campus site game
    W 89–47  2–0
    Bartow Arena (2,985)
    Birmingham, AL
    November 16*
    7:00 pm
    LeMoyne–Owen W 81–57  3–0
    Bartow Arena (2,828)
    Birmingham, AL
    November 20*
    4:00 pm
    vs. Richmond
    Cayman Islands Classic quarterfinals
    L 50–63  3–1
    John Gray Gymnasium (650)
    George Town, Cayman Islands
    November 21*
    4:00 pm
    vs. Buffalo
    Cayman Islands Classic consolation round
    L 91–96 OT 3–2
    John Gray Gymnasium (404)
    George Town, Cayman Islands
    November 22*
    11:00 am
    vs. Iowa
    Cayman Islands Classic 7th place game
    L 85–95  3–3
    John Gray Gymnasium (1,020)
    George Town, Cayman Islands
    November 26*
    3:00 pm
    Mississippi College W 90–53  4–3
    Bartow Arena (3,222)
    Birmingham, AL
    November 30*
    7:00 pm, Stadium
    Memphis
    Bartow Classic
    W 71–56  5–3
    Bartow Arena (4,920)
    Birmingham, AL
    December 5*
    7:00 pm, ESPN3
    at Troy W 90–78  6–3
    Trojan Arena (3,213)
    Troy, AL
    December 9*
    3:30 pm, SECN
    at Auburn
    Rivalry
    L 80–85  6–4
    Auburn Arena (7,965)
    Auburn, AL
    December 16*
    2:15 pm
    vs. Alabama A&M
    BHM JAM
    W 90–58  7–4
    Legacy Arena (7,209)
    Birmingham, AL
    December 20*
    7:00 pm
    New Orleans W 74–67  8–4
    Bartow Arena (3,229)
    Birmingham, AL
    December 23*
    2:00 pm
    Mississippi Valley State W 74–57  9–4
    Bartow Arena (2,783)
    Birmingham, AL
    Conference USA regular season
    December 30
    4:00 pm, Stadium
    Middle Tennessee L 60–63  9–5
    (0–1)
    Bartow Arena (4,143)
    Birmingham, AL
    January 4, 2018
    6:00 pm
    at Florida Atlantic W 75–44  10–5
    (1–1)
    FAU Arena (1,091)
    Boca Raton, FL
    January 6
    6:00 pm
    at FIU W 75–64  11–5
    (2–1)
    FIU Arena (515)
    Miami, FL
    January 11
    7:00 pm
    Southern Miss W 86–75  12–5
    (3–1)
    Bartow Arena (3,351)
    Birmingham, AL
    January 13
    4:00 pm, Stadium
    Louisiana Tech W 74–62  13–5
    (4–1)
    Bartow Arena (3,743)
    Birmingham, AL
    January 18
    8:00 pm, CBSSN
    at WKU L 69–77  13–6
    (4–2)
    E. A. Diddle Arena (5,643)
    Bowling Green, KY
    January 20
    6:00 pm
    at Marshall L 78–86 OT 13–7
    (4–3)
    Cam Henderson Center (6,740)
    Huntington, WV
    January 25
    7:00 pm, beIN
    UTEP W 85–78  14–7
    (5–3)
    Bartow Arena (3,013)
    Birmingham, AL
    January 27
    7:00 pm, ESPN3
    UTSA L 70–82  14–8
    (5–4)
    Bartow Arena (4,259)
    Birmingham, AL
    February 1
    6:00 pm
    at Charlotte W 76–64  15–8
    (6–4)
    Halton Arena (3,266)
    Charlotte, NC
    February 3
    6:00 pm
    at Old Dominion L 60–65  15–9
    (6–5)
    Ted Constant Convocation Center (6,481)
    Norfolk, VA
    February 8
    7:00 pm
    North Texas L 60–67  15–10
    (6–6)
    Bartow Arena (3,383)
    Birmingham, AL
    February 10
    7:00 pm
    Rice W 61–56  16–10
    (7–6)
    Bartow Arena (3,703)
    Birmingham, AL
    February 15
    8:00 pm, CBSSN
    at Louisiana Tech L 60–73  16–11
    (7–7)
    Thomas Assembly Center (3,562)
    Ruston, LA
    February 17
    4:00 pm
    at Southern Miss W 87–69  17–11
    (8–7)
    Reed Green Coliseum (2,405)
    Hattiesburg, MS
    February 24
    6:00 pm, Stadium
    at No. 24 Middle Tennessee L 54–79  17–12
    (8–8)
    Murphy Center (9,717)
    Murfreesboro, TN
    March 1
    7:00 pm, beIN
    Marshall W 91–77  18–12
    (9–8)
    Bartow Arena (3,156)
    Birmingham, AL
    March 4
    7:00 pm
    WKU W 101–73  19–12
    (10–8)
    Bartow Arena (4,363)
    Birmingham, AL
    Conference USA Tournament
    March 7
    9:00 pm, Stadium
    (6) vs. (11) Florida Atlantic
    First round
    W 83–72  20–12
    The Ford Center at The Star (5,198)
    Frisco, TX
    March 7
    9:00 pm, Stadium
    (6) vs. (3) WKU
    Quarterfinals
    L 70–98  20–13
    The Ford Center at The Star (2,531)
    Frisco, TX
    *Non-conference game. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
    All times are in Central Time.

    Source[1]

    References

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