As we count down to the first day of basketball practice (Oct. 12), let’s take a look at an opponent on North Carolina’s basketball schedule ...
Opponent: UAB (University of Alabama at Birmingham)
Date: Dec. 1, 6 p.m.
Game location: Smith Center, Chapel Hill, N.C.
Series results: UNC leads 2-0 (last won 60-55 on the road in the 2010 postseason NIT)
UAB last season: Blazers finished 15-16, 9-7 in Conference USA
Foe to know: Jerod Haase, first-year head coach.
Haase is already a familiar figure to many UNC fans. He played for Tar Heels coach Roy Williams at Kansas, then served as one of his assistants for 13 seasons (at both schools) before leaving for Birmingham last March.
It didn’t take long for Haase and Williams to agree to this three-year series; next season, the game will be played at UAB.
"The challenge, needless to say is a huge one,’’ Haase said in a prepared statement when the series was announced. “North Carolina is arguably the top program in the country. At the same time, this presents a huge opportunity for us in terms of exposure for our program.”
Tidbits: The Blazers return three starters from last year’s squad, including G/F Jordan Swing, who averaged 11.2 ppg. … Former Tar Heels point guard Bobby Frasor is the director of basketball operations at UAB.
Previous schedule previews:
Opponent: UAB (University of Alabama at Birmingham)
Date: Dec. 1, 6 p.m.
Game location: Smith Center, Chapel Hill, N.C.
Series results: UNC leads 2-0 (last won 60-55 on the road in the 2010 postseason NIT)
UAB last season: Blazers finished 15-16, 9-7 in Conference USA
Foe to know: Jerod Haase, first-year head coach.
Haase is already a familiar figure to many UNC fans. He played for Tar Heels coach Roy Williams at Kansas, then served as one of his assistants for 13 seasons (at both schools) before leaving for Birmingham last March.
It didn’t take long for Haase and Williams to agree to this three-year series; next season, the game will be played at UAB.
"The challenge, needless to say is a huge one,’’ Haase said in a prepared statement when the series was announced. “North Carolina is arguably the top program in the country. At the same time, this presents a huge opportunity for us in terms of exposure for our program.”
Tidbits: The Blazers return three starters from last year’s squad, including G/F Jordan Swing, who averaged 11.2 ppg. … Former Tar Heels point guard Bobby Frasor is the director of basketball operations at UAB.
Previous schedule previews:
- Nov. 9 Gardner-Webb
- Nov. 11 Florida Atlantic
- Nov 16 at Long Beach State
- Nov. 19 Mississippi State in the Maui Invitational
- Nov. 20 Butler/Marquette in the Maui Invitational
- Nov. 21 TBA in the Maui Invitational
- Nov. 27 at Indiana
Robbi Pickeral | email
College Basketball- ESPN.com UNC basketball blogger
- Joined ESPN.com in 2011
- Wrote for Raleigh News & Observer
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