2021–22 UAB Blazers men's basketball team
The 2021–22 UAB Blazers men's basketball team represented the University of Alabama at Birmingham during the 2021–22 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The team was led by second-year head coach Andy Kennedy, and played their home games at the Bartow Arena in Birmingham, Alabama as a member of Conference USA.[1][2] They finished the season 27–8, 14–4 in C-USA play to finish second in the West Division. As the No. 2 seed out of the West Division, they defeated Florida Atlantic, Middle Tennessee, and Louisiana Tech to win the C-USA tournament. They received the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA tournament as the No. 12 seed in the South Region, where they lost in the first round to Houston.
2021–22 UAB Blazers men's basketball | |
---|---|
C-USA tournament champions | |
NCAA tournament, First Round | |
Conference | Conference USA |
West Division | |
Record | 27–8 (14–4 C-USA) |
Head coach |
|
Assistant coaches |
|
Home arena | Bartow Arena |
Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Team | W | L | PCT | W | L | PCT | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
East | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Middle Tennessee | 13 | – | 5 | .722 | 26 | – | 11 | .703 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Western Kentucky | 11 | – | 7 | .611 | 19 | – | 13 | .594 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Florida Atlantic | 11 | – | 7 | .611 | 19 | – | 15 | .559 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Charlotte | 10 | – | 8 | .556 | 17 | – | 14 | .548 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Old Dominion | 8 | – | 10 | .444 | 13 | – | 19 | .406 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
FIU | 5 | – | 13 | .278 | 15 | – | 17 | .469 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Marshall | 4 | – | 14 | .222 | 12 | – | 21 | .364 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
West | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
North Texas | 16 | – | 2 | .889 | 25 | – | 7 | .781 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
UAB † | 14 | – | 4 | .778 | 27 | – | 8 | .771 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Louisiana Tech | 12 | – | 6 | .667 | 24 | – | 10 | .706 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
UTEP | 11 | – | 7 | .611 | 20 | – | 14 | .588 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rice | 7 | – | 11 | .389 | 16 | – | 17 | .485 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
UTSA | 3 | – | 15 | .167 | 10 | – | 22 | .313 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Southern Miss | 1 | – | 17 | .056 | 7 | – | 26 | .212 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
† 2022 C-USA Tournament winner |
Previous season
The Blazers finished the 2020–21 season 22–7, 13–5 in C-USA play to finish in second place in West Division. They defeated Rice in the quarterfinals of the C-USA tournament before losing to Western Kentucky in the semifinals. Despite winning 22 games, they did not participate in a postseason tournament.
Offseason
Departures
Name | Number | Pos. | Height | Weight | Year | Hometown | Reason for departure |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tyreek Scott-Grayson | 0 | G | 6'5" | 177 | Senior | Brick, NJ | Graduate transferred to Northeastern |
Koby Jeffies | 4 | G | 6'3" | 190 | RS Freshman | Olive Branch, MS | Transferred to UT Martin |
Jalen Benjamin | 5 | G | 5'10" | 140 | RS Sophomore | Raleigh, NC | Transferred to Mount St. Mary's |
Simeon Kirkland | 10 | F | 6'10" | 225 | Junior | Ocala, FL | Transferred to New Orleans |
Kassim Nicholson | 11 | G | 6'7" | 200 | Senior | Jackson, MS | Transferred to Tennessee State |
Terrell Ard, Jr. | 15 | F | 6'7" | 210 | Freshman | Acworth, GA | Transferred to Presbyterian |
Tobias Rotegaard | 33 | G | 6'7" | 210 | Freshman | Kongsberg, Norway | Transferred to Long Beach State |
Incoming transfers
Name | Number | Pos. | Height | Weight | Year | Hometown | Previous School |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tyreke Locure | 0 | G | 6'0" | 165 | Junior | New Orleans, LA | South Alabama |
Justin Brown | 4 | G | 6'6" | 208 | Graduate Student | Atlanta, GA | South Florida |
KJ Buffen | 5 | F | 6'7" | 230 | Senior | Gainesville, GA | Ole Miss |
Jordan Walker | 10 | G | 5'11" | 170 | RS Senior | Port Washington, NY | Tulane |
Jamal Johnson | 11 | G | 6'4" | 195 | RS Senior | Birmingham, AL | Auburn |
AD Diedhiou | 22 | C | 6'10" | 240 | Junior | Dakar, Senegal | Odessa College |
Josh LeBlanc Sr. | 23 | F | 6'7" | 230 | Senior | Baton Rouge, LA | LSU |
Elijah Tate | 24 | G | 6'3" | 185 | Sophomore | Baton Rouge, LA | Odessa College |
Recruiting class of 2021
There were no incoming recruiting class of 2021.
Roster
2021–22 UAB Blazers men's basketball team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Players | Coaches | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
Schedule and results
Date time, TV |
Rank# | Opponent# | Result | Record | High points | High rebounds | High assists | Site (attendance) city, state | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Exhibition | |||||||||||
November 1, 2021* 6:30 p.m. |
Auburn Montgomery | W 101–70 | 19 – Brown | 9 – LeBlanc | 5 – Locure | Bartow Arena (1,655) Birmingham, AL | |||||
Non-conference regular season | |||||||||||
November 9, 2021* 6:30 p.m., CUSA.tv |
UNC Asheville | W 102–77 | 1–0 |
19 – 2 Tied | 8 – Jemison | 5 – Walker | Bartow Arena (2,923) Birmingham, AL | ||||
November 12, 2021* 6:00 p.m., CUSA.tv |
Morehead State | W 85–71 | 2–0 |
23 – Walker | 4 – Buffen | 7 – Walker | Bartow Arena (2,829) Birmingham, AL | ||||
November 14, 2021* 2:00 p.m., CUSA.tv |
Rhodes | W 98–61 | 3–0 |
20 – Ertel | 12 – Jemison | 4 – 2 Tied | Bartow Arena (2,575) Birmingham, AL | ||||
November 18, 2021* 6:00 p.m., SECN+ |
at South Carolina | L 63–66 | 3–1 |
15 – Walker | 8 – Jemison | 3 – Walker | Colonial Life Arena (8,856) Columbia, SC | ||||
November 21, 2021* 2:00 p.m., ESPN+ |
Alabama A&M | W 86–41 | 4–1 |
15 – Johnson | 11 – Jemison | 8 – Walker | Bartow Arena (2,918) Birmingham, AL | ||||
November 25, 2021* 6:00 p.m., FS1 |
vs. New Mexico Las Vegas Invitational semifinals |
W 86–73 | 5–1 |
26 – Walker | 12 – Jemison | 6 – Walker | Orleans Arena Paradise, NV | ||||
November 26, 2021* 10:30 p.m., FS1 |
vs. San Francisco Las Vegas Invitational finals |
L 61–63 | 5–2 |
14 – Lovan | 7 – Jemison | 2 – Lovan | Orleans Arena Paradise, NV | ||||
December 1, 2021* 6:30 p.m., ESPN+ |
East Tennessee State | W 70–56 | 6–2 |
20 – Buffen | 16 – Buffen | 6 – Walker | Bartow Arena (2,695) Birmingham, AL | ||||
December 4, 2021* 5:30 p.m., BSMW/ESPN+ |
at Saint Louis | W 77–72 | 7–2 |
18 – Walker | 11 – Jemison | 7 – Walker | Chaifetz Arena (5,743) St. Louis, MO | ||||
December 12, 2021* 2:00 p.m., CUSA.tv |
Millsaps | W 103–29 | 8–2 |
16 – Buffen | 11 – Buffen | 4 – Walker | Bartow Arena (2,578) Birmingham, AL | ||||
December 14, 2021* 6:30 p.m., ESPN+ |
Grambling State | W 79–61 | 9–2 |
22 – Walker | 7 – LeBlanc | 3 – Jackson | Bartow Arena (2,543) Birmingham, AL | ||||
December 18, 2021* 4:00 p.m., CBSSN |
West Virginia | L 59–65 | 9–3 |
13 – Walker | 12 – Jemison | 4 – Walker | Legacy Arena (4,554) Birmingham, AL | ||||
December 22, 2021* 6:30 p.m., CUSA.tv |
Mississippi Valley State | W 100–58 | 10–3 |
14 – Walker | 10 – Buffen | 4 – Walker | Bartow Arena (2,695) Birmingham, AL | ||||
Conference USA regular season | |||||||||||
December 30, 2022 6:30 p.m., CUSA.tv |
UTEP | W 75–62 | 11–3 (1–0) |
25 – Ertel | 6 – Buffen | 4 – Walker | Bartow Arena (2,795) Birmingham, AL | ||||
January 1, 2022 2:00 p.m., CUSA.tv |
UTSA | W 87–59 | 12–3 (2–0) |
20 – Buffen | 9 – Buffen | 6 – Lovan | Bartow Arena (2,730) Birmingham, AL | ||||
January 6, 2022 7:00 p.m., CBSSN |
at North Texas | W 69–63 | 13–3 (3–0) |
17 – Walker | 8 – LeBlanc | 4 – Lovan | UNT Coliseum (3,207) Denton, TX | ||||
January 8, 2022 3:00 p.m. |
at Rice | L 80–85 | 13–4 (3–1) |
20 – Walker | 6 – Jemison | 7 – Walker | Tudor Fieldhouse (500) Houston, TX | ||||
January 13, 2022 6:30 p.m., ESPN+ |
FIU | W 84–56 | 14–4 (4–1) |
20 – Walker | 11 – Buffen | 3 – Jemison | Bartow Arena (2,995) Birmingham, AL | ||||
January 15, 2022 3:00 p.m., ESPN+ |
Florida Atlantic | W 76–65 | 15–4 (5–1) |
29 – Jackson | 10 – Jemison | 5 – Walker | Bartow Arena (3,456) Birmingham, AL | ||||
January 22, 2022 3:00 p.m., Stadium |
at Louisiana Tech | W 83–76 | 16–4 (6–1) |
36 – Walker | 13 – Buffen | 2 – Tied | Thomas Assembly Center (4,071) Ruston, LA | ||||
January 27, 2022 8:00 p.m., CBSSN |
at Western Kentucky | W 68–65 | 17–4 (7–1) |
21 – Walker | 12 – Jemison | 5 – Walker | E. A. Diddle Arena (4,136) Bowling Green, KY | ||||
January 29, 2022 6:00 p.m., ESPN+ |
at Marshall | L 81–84 | 17–5 (7–2) |
23 – Walker | 5 – Tied | 8 – Walker | Cam Henderson Center (4,233) Huntington, WV | ||||
February 5, 2022 3:00 p.m., ESPN+ |
Middle Tennessee | W 97–75 | 18–5 (8–2) |
42 – Walker | 10 – Jackson | 5 – Jackson | Bartow Arena (4,273) Birmingham, AL | ||||
February 10, 2022 6:00 p.m., CBSSN |
Southern Miss | W 84–63 | 19–5 (9–2) |
25 – Walker | 10 – Jackson | 8 – Walker | Bartow Arena (3,638) Birmingham, AL | ||||
February 13, 2022 1:00 p.m., ESPNU |
at Old Dominion | L 72–81 | 19–6 (9–3) |
20 – Walker | 10 – Buffen | 7 – Walker | Chartway Arena (3,777) Norfolk, VA | ||||
February 17, 2022 7:00 p.m., Stadium |
Rice | W 92–68 | 20–6 (10–3) |
21 – Jackson | 11 – Buffen | 12 – Walker | Bartow Arena (2,643) Birmingham, AL | ||||
February 19, 2022 3:00 p.m., Stadium |
North Texas | L 57–58 | 20–7 (10–4) |
17 – Walker | 10 – Jackson | 3 – Jackson | Bartow Arena (4,271) Birmingham, AL | ||||
February 24, 2022 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ |
at UTSA | W 68–56 | 21–7 (11–4) |
16 – Buffen | 12 – Jemison | 3 – Walker | Convocation Center (805) San Antonio, TX | ||||
February 26, 2022 8:00 p.m., ESPN+ |
at UTEP | W 69–66 | 22–7 (12–4) |
22 – Walker | 12 – Jemison | 7 – Walker | Don Haskins Center (6,100) El Paso, TX | ||||
March 2, 2022 7:00 p.m., ESPN3/ESPN+ |
at Southern Miss | W 81–68 | 23–7 (13–4) |
21 – Walker | 12 – Jemison | 6 – Walker | Reed Green Coliseum (2,680) Hattiesburg, MS | ||||
March 5, 2022 2:00 p.m., Stadium |
Louisiana Tech | W 87–74 | 24–7 (14–4) |
24 – Walker | 9 – Jemison | 7 – Walker | Bartow Arena (4,547) Birmingham, AL | ||||
Conference USA tournament | |||||||||||
March 10, 2022 8:30 pm, Stadium |
(W2) | vs. (E3) Florida Atlantic Quarterfinals |
W 80–66 | 25–7 |
26 – Walker | 14 – Jackson | 3 – Tied | Ford Center at The Star Frisco, TX | |||
March 11, 2022 2:00 pm, CBSSN |
(W2) | vs. (E1) Middle Tennessee Semifinals |
W 102–98 3OT | 26–7 |
40 – Walker | 10 – Tied | 3 – Walker | Ford Center at The Star Frisco, TX | |||
March 12, 2022 7:30 pm, CBSSN |
(W2) | vs. (W3) Louisiana Tech Championship |
W 82–73 | 27–7 |
27 – Walker | 8 – Jemison | 4 – Walker | Ford Center at The Star Frisco, TX | |||
NCAA tournament | |||||||||||
March 18, 2022 8:20 pm, TNT |
(12 S) | vs. (5 S) No. 15 Houston First Round |
L 68–82 | 27–8 |
17 – Walker | 11 – Buffen | 5 – Walker | PPG Paints Arena (17,410) Pittsburgh, PA | |||
Source[3]
References
- Dudley, Evan (July 30, 2021). "UAB releases 2021-2022 men's basketball schedule". The Birmingham News. Retrieved August 5, 2021.
- "UAB Men's Basketball Releases 2021-22 Schedule". University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Athletics. July 30, 2021. Retrieved August 5, 2021.
- "Mens Basketball Schedule 2021-2022". UAB Athletics. Retrieved October 28, 2021.