1981–82 UAB Blazers men's basketball team

American college basketball season March 2026 August 2023 1981–82 UAB Blazers Basketball UAB Blazers wordmark.png Sun Belt Conference Sun Belt 17 25–6 9–1 Gene Bartow 4th BJCC Coliseum Sun Belt tournament championsSun Belt Regular season champions NCAA tournament Elite Eight The 1981–82 UAB Blazers men's basketball team represented the University of Alabama at Birmingham as a member of the Sun Belt Conference during the 1981–82 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. This was head coach Gene Bartow's fourth season at UAB, and the Blazers played their home games at BJCC Coliseum. They finished the season 25–6, 9–1 in Sun Belt play and won the Sun Belt tournament. They received an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament as No. 4 seed in the Mideast region. After beating No. 5 seed Indiana in the second round, UAB upset No. 1 seed Virginia to reach the Elite Eight. The Blazers fell to Louisville in the Mideast regional final, 75–68. As of 2025, that is the furthest a UAB men’s team has advanced in NCAA Tournament play. Roster 1981 UAB Blazers y Murry Bartow 11 G 5 10 160 Fr Birmingham, Alabama y Marvin Ray Johnson 12 F 6 7 Fr Birmingham, Alabama Jonathan Nicholas 14 G 6 3 Sr Brooklyn, New York Luellen Foster 15 G 6 4 165 So Birmingham, Alabama Oliver Robinson 20 G 6 4 180 Jr Birmingham, Alabama y Scott Simcik 21 G 6 1 Jr Simi Valley, California Raymond Gause 24 G 6 5 195 Sr Memphis, Tennessee Scott McCabe 33 F 6 7 Fr Peoria, Illinois Chris Giles 40 F 6 8 200 Sr Birmingham, Alabama Lex Drum 42 C 6 10 Jr Poplar Bluff, Missouri Craig Lane 44 F 6 6 210 Sr Quincy, Florida Donnie Speer 52 C 6 8 225 Sr Sylacauga, Alabama Norman Anchrum 55 C 6 10 225 Sr Birmingham, Alabama Gene Bartow https://uabsports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/1981-82 https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/alabama-birmingham/1982.html 1981–82 Alabama–Birmingham Blazers Roster and Stats Sports Reference August 14, 2021 Schedule and results 1981-82 NCAA Division I men's basketball rankings 1981 yes yes |- !colspan=9 style=UAB Blazers| Regular season Nov 27, 1981 yes 14 1981 men Benedictine Eagles Benedictine Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center Birmingham, Alabama 100–63 5,055 1–0 Nov 28, 1981 yes 14 Pittsburgh Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center Birmingham, Alabama 78–62 6,053 2–0 Dec 5, 1981 yes 11 1981 men Ole Miss Rebels Ole Miss Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center Birmingham, Alabama 72–58 12,785 3–0 Dec 12, 1981 yes yes 9 1981 men Wichita State Shockers Wichita State 4 Levitt Arena Wichita, Kansas 60–75 10,666 3–1 Dec 14, 1981 yes 16 1981 men Roosevelt Lakers Roosevelt Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center Birmingham, Alabama 86–40 2,891 4–1 Dec 18, 1981 yes yes 16 1981 men Southern Miss Golden Eagles Southern Miss Atlanta, Georgia Cotton States Classic 71–56 7,162 5–1 Dec 19, 1981 yes yes 16 1981 men Georgia Bulldogs Georgia Atlanta, Georgia Cotton States Classic 72–76 7,450 5–2 Dec 22, 1981 yes 19 1981 men Chico State Wildcats Chico State Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center Birmingham, Alabama 80–60 3,217 6–2 Dec 27, 1981 yes yes 19 Missouri 9 Los Angeles, California Winston Tire Classic 80–98 7,364 6–3 Dec 28, 1981 yes yes Michigan Los Angeles, California Winston Tire Classic 73–72 7,774 7–3 Dec 30, 1981 yes Chattanooga Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center Birmingham, Alabama 76–50 5,318 8–3 Jan 2, 1982 VCU Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center Birmingham, Alabama 54–55 7,031 8–4 0–1 Jan 4, 1982 1981 men Jacksonville Dolphins Jacksonville Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center Birmingham, Alabama 82–62 6,092 6–4 1–1 Jan 9, 1982 1981 men South Alabama Jaguars South Alabama Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center Birmingham, Alabama 78–59 10,019 10–4 2–1 Jan 11, 1982 1981 men Charlotte 49ers UNC Charlotte Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center Birmingham, Alabama 85–81 5,516 11–4 3–1 Jan 13, 1982 yes 1981 men Utica Pioneers Utica Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center Birmingham, Alabama 73–44 489 12–4 Jan 16, 1982 yes 1981 men South Florida Bulls South Florida Sun Dome Tampa, Florida 54–49 8,106 13–4 4–1 Jan 23, 1982 yes yes DePaul 4 Rosemont Horizon Rosemont, Illinois 68–79 14,187 13–5 Jan 29, 1982 South Florida Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center Birmingham, Alabama 59–51 8,491 14–5 5–1 Feb 1, 1982 yes Jacksonville Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center Birmingham, Alabama 59–57 OT 3,497 15–5 6–1 Feb 4, 1982 yes 1981 men Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils Mississippi Valley State Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center Birmingham, Alabama 102–77 3,755 16–5 Feb 7, 1982 yes South Alabama Jaguar Gym Mobile, Alabama 86–82 7,512 17–5 7–1 Feb 11, 1982 yes yes 1981 men Saint Louis Billikens Saint Louis St. Louis Arena St. Louis, Missouri 79–63 1,222 18–5 Feb 20, 1982 yes VCU Richmond Coliseum Richmond, Virginia 56–55 5,600 19–5 8–1 Feb 21, 1982 yes UNC Charlotte Charlotte Coliseum Charlotte, North Carolina 78–73 4,160 20–5 9–1 Feb 23, 1982 yes 1981 men Samford Bulldogs Samford Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center Birmingham, Alabama 40–27 7,198 21–5 |- !colspan=9 style=UAB Blazers| Sun Belt tournament Feb 27, 1982 yes 1 South Florida 4 Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center Birmingham, Alabama Semifinals 66–56 11,658 22–5 Feb 28, 1982 yes 1 VCU 2 Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center Birmingham, Alabama Championship Game 94–83 11,408 23–5 |- !colspan=9 style=UAB Blazers| NCAA tournament Mar 13, 1982 yes yes 17 4 ME Indiana 5 ME Memorial Gymnasium Nashville, Tennessee Second Round 80–70Alabama-Birmingham dashed Indiana's hopes of repeating as NCAA champion https://www.upi.com/Archives/1982/03/13/Alabama-Birmingham-dashed-Indianas-hopes-of-repeating-as-NCAA-champion/8652384843600/ UPI Archives March 13, 1982 August 14, 2021 14,761 24–5 Mar 18, 1982 yes yes 17 4 ME Virginia 3 1 ME Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center Birmingham, Alabama Mideast Regional semifinal – Sweet Sixteen 68–66UAB Upsets No. 3 Virginia https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1982/03/19/uab-upsets-no-3-virginia/6aa9498b-82f2-4145-8900-1c0117e13841/ The Washington Post March 19, 1982 August 14, 2021 16,754 25–5 Mar 20, 1982 yes yes 17 4 ME Louisville 20 3 ME Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center Birmingham, Alabama Mideast Regional final – Elite Eight 68–75 16,754 25–6 AP poll ME Mideast 2019-20 UAB Men's Basketball Media Guide https://uabsports.com/documents/2019/11/21/MG_MBB_20.pdf UAB Athletics August 14, 2021 Rankings 1981–82 NCAA Division I men's basketball rankings Awards and honors Oliver Robinson – Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year, Sun Belt tournament MVP Gene Bartow – Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year NBA draft 1982 NBA draft UAB Blazers Round Pick Player NBA club 2 24 Oliver Robinson San Antonio Spurshttps://www.basketball-reference.com/draft/NBA_1982.html 1982 NBA Draft Basketball-reference.com August 14, 2021 References Category:UAB Blazers men's basketball seasons UAB UAB UAB Blazers men's basketball UAB Blazers men's basketball