Creighton has a lot of momentum going into Birmingham on Wednesday night against UAB. With two regular season games under their belt and some impressive distribution of the ball, the Bluejays have given Creighton fans some great optimism for the season.
UAB welcomes the Bluejays for the Blazers’ first regular season game. Bartow Arena is already a tough place to get a win, but it could be especially tough with it being the home opener.
That being said, there are still some questions for both teams. A win by the Bluejays could give the team confidence heading into a neutral court contest this Sunday against Iowa. For UAB, this could be a key win for them come Selection Sunday.
To give us a little more information about the Blazers, we had a chance to talk to Steve Irvine of the Birmingham News. Here is what he had to say.
White & Blue Review: Most college basketball teams started their regular season over the weekend while UAB was still playing exhibition games. Creighton will already have two regular season games played. What challenges will that create for the Blazers?
Steve Irvine: It will definitely be an advantage for Creighton but UAB did get some positive things out of the exhibition games. They played each game without at least one key player and had the chance to experiment with different lineups. Jordan Swing missed the first exhibition game with a minor knee injury and Cameron Moore sat out the second one for violation of the team’s academic policy. Both will play on Wednesday night.
WBR: Where are the Blazers expected to finish in Conference USA this season?
SI: I’ve seen them picked anywhere from second to sixth. Memphis is clearly the C-USA leader and UAB is in a pack that is expected to fight for second place.
WBR: What is the environment like at Bartow Arena? What are the crowds like from year to year?
SI: They really only sell out the building once a year and that’s when Memphis comes to town. However, it can get loud even when it’s not full. I expect an enthusiastic crowd on Wednesday.
WBR: What does the fan base think of head coach Mike Davis? What has he brought to the program that maybe didn’t exist before?
SI: It took the fan base some time to warm up to Davis, partly because of the success the program had under Mike Anderson. Last year’s NCAA Tournament appearance came after three straight NIT trips. He’s won 92 games over the past four years, which is pretty impressive, but some fans still weren’t satisfied because of the lack of NCAA Tournament appearances.
WBR: What players do the Bluejays need to look out for from UAB on Wednesday night?
SI: Cameron Moore nearly averaged a double-double last year and is the Conference USA Preseason Player of the Year. The 6-foot-10 senior is tough matchup because he can score inside and outside. Junior forward Ovie Soko is one of the team’s more athletic players and is expected to be one of the team’s leading scorers after two seasons of handling a lot of the dirty work for the Blazers. Freshman K.C. Whitaker and sophomore Preston Purifoy are outstanding outside shooters.
WBR: From what you have seen so far in the exhibitions, what kind of weaknesses could Creighton exploit?
SI: Cameron Moore has trouble guarding the post and if 7-foot graduate transfer Todd O’Brien can’t get eligible then UAB will struggle in that area all year. UAB is also inexperienced at the point guard position.
WBR: UAB has a veteran frontline. How do you think they will matchup with Creighton’s Doug McDermott and Gregory Echenique? Will this be the key matchup in the game or is there a different matchup you are looking forward to seeing?
SI: I’m actually looking forward to see Moore, Soko and perhaps Beas Hamga match up against Creighton’s strength inside. It will be a good test for UAB.
WBR: What is your final prediction? Will the opening game and the home court be the key to UAB getting the win?
SI: I think it will be a close game. The home court helps but I think it will take some time for UAB to come together with the newcomers and guys playing different roles. I’m not into predicting final scores so I’ll just stick with it being a close game.