Jefferson Reporter

UAB MBB Travels to Vanderbilt for NIT Quarterfinals

UAB men's basketball (27-9, 14-6 C-USA) travels to Nashville to take on Vanderbilt (22-14, 11-7 SEC) for the first time since 1997 in the National Invitation Tournament quarterfinals on Wednesday. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. CT.
WATCH
Doug Sherman and Perry Clark will call the game on ESPN2.
RADIO
Steve Mitchell will join David Crane on the call on 100.5 ESPN JOX 2.
SERIES HISTORY         
Vanderbilt leads the all-time series 4-1 and the Commodores have won each of the last four meetings. The Blazers' lone win in the series came in 1988 during Andy Kennedy's first season at UAB as a player. AK has won three-straight games at Memorial Gymnasium, and he has won six of his last seven meetings with the Commodores.
NIT HISTORY  
The Blazers are returning to the NIT for the first time since the 2015-16 season. UAB's last win in the tournament came in 2010 when the Blazers reached the quarterfinals. Twice UAB has reached the NIT semifinals, winning the third-place game each time.
LAST TIME OUT         
The Blazers advanced to the NIT quarterfinals with a 77-59 win over Morehead State. Ty Brewer finished with 25 points and nine rebounds while Trey Jemison added 11 points and grabbed a career high 16 rebounds. The Blazers matched their program record of 27 wins last season
FAST PACED, HIGH POWERED OFFENSE       
The Blazers are yet again one of the highest scoring teams in the country under Andy Kennedy. After finishing the 2021-22 season ranking sixth in points per game nationally, UAB finds itself at No. 10 with 81.5 points per game. The Blazers are listed at No. 31 according to KenPom in adjusted tempo.
A TALL TASK   
Opposing big men will face an uphill battle against UAB center Trey Jemison, who leads the Blazers in total rebounds (303, 5th in UAB history), rebounds per game (8.4), blocks (67, 9th in UAB history), and blocks per game (1.9) in 2021-22. The 7-foot center teams with transfers Javian Davis and Ty Brewer, along with returners Rongie Gordon and KJ Buffen, to form one of the best front courts in Conference USA.

THE RETURN  
Jordan "Jelly" Walker currently sits in fourth nationally in points per game at 22.6 and third in three pointers per game at 4.33. He dropped 38 points in the season opener against Alabama State, the most scored by a UAB player in a season opener ever. Walker became the first UAB player to score 30+ points eight times as a Blazer, passing Andy Kennedy. Walker has scored 30 or more points in seven games this season, including a 41-point effort against Charlotte, one point shy of his career high. He is 63 points away from 2,000 for his career and 18 points away from matching the UAB single-season record.

NIT QUARTERFINAL TICKETS
Tickets for the quarterfinal matchup at Vanderbilt are available here. 

2023-24 SEASON TICKETS
Season tickets for the 2023-24 UAB men's basketball season are now available starting as low as $110. Season ticket packages will feature all home games during UAB's inaugural season in the American Athletic Conference and provide the most cost-effective way to attend games at Bartow Arena. Fans may renew season tickets, purchase new season tickets or request more information on season ticket options here. For more information about season ticket pricing, call the UAB Athletics Ticket Office at (205) 975-UAB1.

FOLLOW THE BLAZERS
For more information on the UAB men's basketball team, follow @UAB_MBB on Twitter and Instagram. 

Original source can be found here