The lowdown
2000-01 record: 17-14; 8-8 in C-USA (4th in National)
Final Ranking: NR
Postseason: None.
Three Questions for 2001-02
1. Can George A.J. Arnold be a go-to player? Will he become a 16- to 18-point scorer?
2. Will Morris Finley be the true point? If not, will they go with JC transfer Eric Bush? How can they adjust to having a new point in a point-dominated league.
3. What kind of production can they count on inside? Will they be able to hang on the defensive backboard with Memphis?
Three Key Facts
1. The Blazers recorded their sixth straight winning season in 2000-01 and Murry Bartow's team has 90 wins over his five-year tenure in Birmingham. Only two C-USA schools, Cincinnati and Charlotte, have won more games during that five-year span.
2. UAB should be given extra praise for enduring injuries and still winning 17 games last season. Myron Ransom and Morris Finley both missed the entire season with injuries, while five other players missed time. In all, UAB lost a total of 85 player games in 2000-01.
3. UAB's recruiting class ranked No. 33 by The HoopScoop Online.
Andy Katz's Scenarios
Best case: UAB is a tough team to beat at home, wins enough games to make a run at NIT berth.
Worst case: UAB struggles at the point and inside and finishes out of contention for a postseason berth.
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Key Players Returning
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Player
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Yr.
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Pos.
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Ht./Wt.
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Comment
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George P.J. Arnold
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Sr.
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G
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6-5/205
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PTS: 13.4 | REB: 2.9 | AST: 1.1
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Eric Batchelor
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Sr.
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F
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6-7/210
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PTS: 11.5 | REB: 4.1 | AST: 0.8
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Will Campbell
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Sr.
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F
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6-8/245
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PTS: 8.7 | REB: 8.1 | AST: 0.6
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Key Losses
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Player
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Pos.
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Ht./Wt.
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Comment
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LeAndrew Bass
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G
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6-3/185
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PTS: 14.6 | REB: 3.7 | AST: 4.9
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David Walker
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F
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6-5/205
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PTS: 9.8 | REB: 7.4 | AST: 1.1
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UAB Signings
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Player
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Pos.
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Ht.
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High School/College
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Jeffrey Collins
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G
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6-4
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Birmingham, Ala./Ramsay H.S.
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Antonae Roberson
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F
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6-5
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San Jose, Calif./San Jose City College
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Eric Bush
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F
G
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5-10
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Anderson, Ind./Barton County (Kan.) CC
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Cedric Davis
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F
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6-8
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Dayton, Ohio/Sinclair (Ohio) CC
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