1985–86 UAB Blazers men's basketball team

The 1985–86 UAB Blazers men's basketball team represented the University of Alabama at Birmingham as a member of the Sun Belt Conference during the 1985–86 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. This was head coach Gene Bartow's 8th season at UAB, and the Blazers played their home games at BJCC Coliseum. They finished the season 25–11, 9–5 in Sun Belt play and lost in the championship game of the Sun Belt tournament. They received an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament as No. 6 seed in the West region. The Blazers defeated Missouri in the opening round[1] before falling to No. 3 seed North Carolina in the round of 32, 77–59.[2]

1985–86 UAB Blazers men's basketball
NCAA tournament, Second Round
ConferenceSun Belt Conference
Record25–11 (9–5 Sun Belt)
Head coach
Home arenaBJCC Coliseum
1985–86 Sun Belt Conference men's basketball standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L PCTW L PCT
Old Dominion11–3 .78623–8  .742
Western Kentucky10–4 .71423–8  .742
UAB9–5 .64325–11  .694
Jacksonville †9–5 .64321–10  .677
VCU6–8 .42912–16  .429
South Alabama5–9 .35716–16  .500
South Florida5–9 .35714–14  .500
UNC Charlotte1–13 .0718–20  .286
† 1986 Sun Belt Conference tournament winner
Rankings from AP Poll

Roster
1985–86 UAB Blazers men's basketball team
PlayersCoaches
Pos.#NameHeightWeightYearHometown
G 4 Tracy Foster 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)200 lb (91 kg) Jr Fort Wayne, Indiana
G 14 Steve Mitchell 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)185 lb (84 kg) Sr Memphis, Tennessee
G 21 Larry Wiksell 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)175 lb (79 kg) Jr Ventura, California
G 24 Michael Charles 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)180 lb (82 kg) So Birmingham, Alabama
G 25 Chris Thomas 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)205 lb (93 kg) Fr Alabaster, Alabama
C 31 Eddie Collins 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)220 lb (100 kg) So Marion Junction, Alabama
G 32 James Ponder 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)180 lb (82 kg) Jr Atlanta, Georgia
F 33 Reggie Turner 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)210 lb (95 kg) Fr Birmingham, Alabama
F 34 Dylan Howard 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)205 lb (93 kg) Fr Fort Wayne, Indiana
F 40 Jerome Mincy 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)225 lb (102 kg) Sr Memphis, Tennessee
F 44 Anthony Gordon 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)190 lb (86 kg) Sr Memphis, Tennessee
C 50 Archie Johnson 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)215 lb (98 kg) So Memphis, Tennessee
C 52 Cedric Evans 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)200 lb (91 kg) So Fort Pierce, Florida
F 55 Bruce Baker 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)205 lb (93 kg) So Benton, Illinois
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
    Legend
    • (C) Team captain
    • (S) Suspended
    • (I) Ineligible
    • (W) Walk-on

    Roster

    [3]

    Schedule and results
    Date
    time, TV    		 Rank# Opponent# Result Record Site (attendance)
    city, state
    Regular season
    Nov 21, 1985*
    		 No. 16 vs. Texas A&M
    Preseason NIT    		 W 71–68  1–0
    		 The Summit (1,250)
    Houston, Texas
    Nov 24, 1985*
    		 No. 16 vs. No. 6 Duke
    Preseason NIT    		 L 54–66  1–1
    		 The Summit (947)
    Houston, Texas
    Nov 26, 1985*
    		 Missouri Baptist W 94–52  2–1
    		 Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center (10,053)
    Birmingham, Alabama
    Dec 4, 1985*
    		 No. 17 at ETSU W 63–44  3–1
    		 Freedom Hall Civic Center (4,775)
    Johnson City, Tennessee
    Dec 6, 1985*
    		 No. 17 vs. Lehigh
    Amana-Hawkeye Classic    		 W 71–61  4–1
    		 Carver-Hawkeye Arena (8,253)
    Iowa City, Iowa
    Dec 7, 1985*
    		 No. 17 vs. Arkansas State
    Amana-Hawkeye Classic    		 W 78–59  5–1
    		 Carver-Hawkeye Arena (10,942)
    Iowa City, Iowa
    Dec 10, 1985*
    		 No. 16 Auburn W 62–56  6–1
    		 Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center (15,502)
    Birmingham, Alabama
    Dec 13, 1985*
    		 vs. Hawaii Pacific
    Early Season Tournament    		 W 69–59  7–1
    		 Neal S. Blaisdell Center (3,200)
    Honolulu, Hawaii
    Dec 14, 1985*
    		 No. 16 vs. Texas State
    Early Season Tournament    		 W 65–56  8–1
    		 Neal S. Blaisdell Center (2,543)
    Honolulu, Hawaii
    Dec 17, 1985*
    		 No. 14 Cincinnati W 69–53  9–1
    		 Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center (5,871)
    Birmingham, Alabama
    Dec 20, 1985*
    		 No. 14 Campbell
    UAB Classic    		 W 86–46  10–1
    		 Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center (5,269)
    Birmingham, Alabama
    Dec 21, 1985*
    		 No. 14 Chattanooga
    UAB Classic    		 W 76–60  11–1
    		 Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center (6,207)
    Birmingham, Alabama
    Dec 27, 1985*
    		 No. 14 vs. TCU
    UNLV Holiday Classic    		 W 69–62  12–1
    		 Thomas & Mack Center (5,700)
    Las Vegas, Nevada
    Dec 28, 1985*
    		 No. 14 at No. 12 UNLV
    UNLV Holiday Classic    		 L 72–73  12–2
    		 Thomas & Mack Center (17,980)
    Las Vegas, Nevada
    Jan 4, 1986
    		 No. 16 Old Dominion W 66–51  13–2
    (1–0)    		 Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center (10,497)
    Birmingham, Alabama
    Jan 6, 1986
    		 No. 14 at South Florida W 57–46  14–2
    (2–0)    		 Sun Dome (2,945)
    Tampa, Florida
    Jan 9, 1986
    		 No. 14 VCU W 72–70 OT 15–2
    (3–0)    		 Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center (7,491)
    Birmingham, Alabama
    Jan 13, 1986
    		 No. 12 South Alabama W 77–64  16–2
    (4–0)    		 Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center (5,719)
    Birmingham, Alabama
    Jan 16, 1986
    		 No. 12 Western Kentucky L 72–75 OT 16–3
    (4–1)    		 Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center (10,071)
    Birmingham, Alabama
    Jan 18, 1986*
    		 No. 12 at DePaul L 61–70  16–4
    		 Rosemont Horizon (12,591)
    Rosemont, Illinois
    Jan 21, 1986
    		 No. 18 at Jacksonville W 75–67  17–4
    (5–1)    		 Jacksonville Memorial Coliseum (6,078)
    Jacksonville, Florida
    Jan 23, 1986
    		 No. 18 UNC Charlotte W 81–63  18–4
    (6–1)    		 Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center (7,717)
    Birmingham, Alabama
    Jan 25, 1986
    		 No. 18 at Western Kentucky L 75–81  18–5
    (6–2)    		 E. A. Diddle Arena (13,300)
    Bowling Green, Kentucky
    Jan 27, 1986
    		 South Florida W 71–56  19–5
    (7–2)    		 Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center (8,091)
    Birmingham, Alabama
    Jan 30, 1986
    		 at Old Dominion W 71–58  20–5
    (8–2)    		 Norfolk Scope (7,214)
    Norfolk, Virginia
    Feb 1, 1986
    		 Jacksonville L 60–65  20–6
    (8–3)    		 Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center (12,167)
    Birmingham, Alabama
    Feb 6, 1986
    		 at VCU L 57–63  20–7
    (8–4)    		 Richmond Coliseum (7,152)
    Richmond, Virginia
    Feb 8, 1986*
    		 South Carolina W 83–54  21–7
    		 Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center (6,251)
    Birmingham, Alabama
    Feb 15, 1986
    		 at South Alabama L 46–48  21–8
    (8–5)    		 Jaguar Gym (4,259)
    Mobile, Alabama
    Feb 17, 1986
    		 at UNC Charlotte W 70–54  22–8
    (9–5)    		 Charlotte Coliseum (6,507)
    Charlotte, North Carolina
    Feb 22, 1986*
    		 at No. 7 Michigan L 54–62  22–9
    		 Crisler Arena (13,609)
    Ann Arbor, Michigan
    Sun Belt tournament
    Feb 27, 1986*
    		 (3) (6) South Alabama
    Quarterfinals    		 W 64–51  23–9
    		 Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center (6,802)
    Birmingham, Alabama
    Feb 28, 1986*
    		 (3) (2) Western Kentucky
    Semifinals    		 W 57–45  24–9
    		 Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center (8,011)
    Birmingham, Alabama
    Mar 1, 1986*
    		 (3) (4) Jacksonville
    Championship game    		 L 69–70  24–10
    		 Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center (8,715)
    Birmingham, Alabama
    NCAA tournament
    Mar 13, 1986*
    		 (6 W) vs. (11 W) Missouri
    First Round    		 W 66–64  25–10
    		 Dee Events Center (11,298)
    Ogden, Utah
    Mar 15, 1986*
    		 (6 W) vs. (3 W) No. 8 North Carolina
    Second Round    		 L 59–77  25–11
    		 Dee Events Center (11,234)
    Ogden, Utah
    *Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
    W=West.
    All times are in Central Time.

    [4][5]

    Rankings
    Main article: 1985–86 NCAA Division I men's basketball rankings

    [6]

    NBA draft
    Main article: 1986 NBA draft
    Round Pick Player NBA Club
    236Steve MitchellWashington Bullets

    [7]

    References
    1. "West Regional Roundup". UPI Archives. March 14, 1986. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
    2. "N. Carolina, Louisville Pull Away". The Washington Post. March 16, 1986. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
    3. "1985–86 Alabama–Birmingham Blazers Roster and Stats". Sports Reference. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
    4. "2019-20 UAB Men's Basketball Media Guide" (PDF). UAB Athletics. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
    5. "1985-86 Men's Basketball Schedule". UAB Athletics. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
      • ESPN College Basketball Encyclopedia: The Complete History of the Men's Game. Random House. 2009. pp. 899–900. ISBN 978-0-345-51392-2.
    7. "1986 NBA Draft". Basketball-reference.com. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
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