Student Publications
University of Houston
151C Communications Bldg
Houston, TX 77204-4015
713.743.5350

©1991-2007
Student Publications,
All rights reserved.

Last modified:

Contact:
ktruitt@uh.edu

Sports

UH to face a reborn UAB squad

by CHRIS ELLIOTT
The Daily Cougar

Alabama-Birmingham's starting five can say they all have two things in common. 

They all played on the same team last season, and until this season they were a threat to run any team off the court with their up-tempo style of play and ability to pressure the ball.

But that style of play is a thing of the past -- former UAB head coach Mike Anderson packed his bags and went to Missouri.

The 13-12 Blazers are not the same team philosophically as they were last year under the guidance of first year head coach Mike Davis, but UH head coach Tom Penders said they still have the ability to take the Cougars to the wire Saturday night at Hofheinz Pavilion the same way Anderson's squad did in 2006.

"Davis is a proven coach," Penders said. "He's trying to implement his system, and he's got some fine holdover players from last year's team. Like us, they've had some ups and downs, but when they play well, they're a very difficult team."

Davis has been known to try to slow the tempo down and run sets out of the half-court offense for his better interior players. 

UH will attempt to keep the defensive pressure up while running the floor on offense. The Cougars need to do that to stay in their comfort zone, but senior guard Oliver Lafayette said he doesn't think the returning players from last year's UAB team have forgotten their roots.

"We can't play their style of ball," Lafayette said. "We can't walk the ball up the court. They like to play like that, but we know they can run."

Send comments to dcsports@mail.uh.edu