UAB Preview

Middle Tennessee hopes to snap a 2-game losing streak in a home-and-home series with the UAB Blazers this Thursday and Sunday. Blazers old alum and new head coach Andy Kennedy has enjoyed quite the fruitful debut year coaching his alma mater. UAB has started their season 12-2 and their conference season 5-1, claiming the best winning percentage in C-USA thus far.

UAB has five different guards averaging over 9 and a half points, led by Louisiana-Monroe grad transfer Matt Ertel with 13.4. Defensively, UAB stands possibly the best team in the conference. They lead C-USA in opponents points per game (57.8) and field goal percentage (38.3%).

Over their 12 games this season, MTSU has scored less than 60 in seven and shot under 40% in eight of them. Considering UAB's defensive prowess and the fact Middle will be down two starting guards (Donovan Sims and Jalen Jordan), those totals are likely to grow in this two game series.

On the flip side, the one area MTSU has been successful in this year is defending guards, which as mentioned is where UAB gets most of their points. Dontrell Shuler, Jordan Davis, and company will need to continue that trend for a chance to win either game.

The Thursday game will be played in Murfreesboro at 8 pm on CBSSN. The second game will occur Sunday at 2 pm in Birmingham on ESPN+.