UAB Basketball Will Do Damage In Conference USA

• Last year, Western Kentucky was the team to beat out of Conference USA. Now, the Blazers want to get in on the action with their talented club.

• UAB has a massive amount of experience on its team. It is their experience playing together that could be problematic early, and by March, this should be the best team in the conference.

Transfers Everywhere

It is very easy to see why UAB is going to be a real threat in C-USA next season.

They have star transfers everywhere now on the roster. The Blazers needed to get a shooter to add to the backcourt, but instead they got four of them. Rags to riches in any sense, but this is crazy how much they have improved. Justin Brown started at South Florida for three and a half seasons and has hit over 1.5 three-pointers per game over his time with the Bulls. Jamal Johnson was even better from beyond the arc last season at Auburn, and will be one of the best three-point shooters in the conference.

Tyreke Locure had a breakout season at South Alabama in his second year, and averaged 13.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.1 assists in 2020. Jordan Walker comes from Tulane where he averaged 13.0 points and 4.3 assists last season.

This is one of the better transfer classes in the country to add to one team, and it instantly makes UAB a contender for the conference crown.

Starters Return As Well

UAB returns their top three scorers from a good team a year ago. Per ESPN, Michael Ertel led the way with 13.2 points per game and Tavin Lovan was just behind him at 12.2. Lovan also had a team high 2.3 assists per game.

Quan Jackson started 18 games and added 10.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and a team high 2.1 steals per game. The backcourt lacks in three-point shooting, but they are a group that can score around the basket and play great defense. That is where those transfers come in to save the day.

UAB has a massive amount of experience on its team. It is their experience playing together that could be problematic early, and by March, this should be the best team in the conference.