UAB basketball is back. Here’s a guide to everything you need to know about this year’s team before its conference tournament title defense begins Monday night against Vermont.

Head Coach: Andy Kennedy (fifth season)

Last season’s record: 23-12 (12-6 in AAC)

Postseason: AAC Tournament Champions, NCAA Tournament appearance (lost to 5th seed SDSU in first round)

Top returning players: F/C Yaxel Lendeborg (6-9, Sr., 13.8 ppg, 10.6 reb), F/C Christian Coleman (6-8, Sr., 7.7 ppg, 4.5 reb), G Alejandro Vasquez (6-4, Sr. , 11.1 ppg, 3.4 rpg). F Efrem “Butta” Johnson (6-4, Jr., 11.2 ppg, 2.3 rpg), G Tony Toney (6-2, Sr., 4.6 ppg, 1.9 rpg)

Key additions: G Greg Gordon (6-5, Sr., Transferred from Iona), G Ja’borri McGhee (6-1, Jr., Transferred from South Plains CC), G Tyren Moore (5-11, Sr., Transfer from Georgia Southern), F Bradley Ezewiro (6-9, Jr., Transfer from St. Louis), F Makhi Myles (6-6, Fr., Commit from Starkville HS, MS), G Reginald Kennedy Jr. (6-1 , Fr., Committed from Middle Georgia Prep, GA)

Key Losses: G Eric Gaines (9.2 ppg, 3.1 reb, 3.6 ast), G Daniel Ortiz (6.6 ppg, 1.4 reb, 0.8 ast)

Results of the exhibition: 88-79 Win at Western Kentucky on October 27th

Season opener: Monday vs. Vermont (6:30 p.m.)

AAC opener: Dec. 31 @ North Texas (3:00 p.m.)

Remarkable:

• As UAB’s head basketball coach, Andy Kennedy is 101-37 overall (.732) and 60-11 at Bartow Arena (.845).
• AAC Defensive Player of the Year Yaxel Lendeborg made the jump from conference star to national star in one season at UAB. He was voted AAC Preseason Player of the Year, Preseason All-AAC First Team, named to the Naismith Player of the Year Watch List and to the Karl Malone Offensive Player of the Year Watch List.
• “Butta” Johnson and Alejandro Vasquez, the top two Blazers returning in 3P% in 2023-24, were both named to the preseason All-AAC Second Team.
• The starting five at their Oct. 27 exhibition on WKY were Ja’Borri McGhee, Greg Gordon, “Butta” Johnson, Christian Coleman and Yaxel Lendeborg.
• The Blazers have earned trips to the NCAA Tournament in two of the last three seasons and are looking not only to return this year, but to win their first March Madness game since the 2014-15 season. Although they did not make it to “The Big Dance” in 2022-23, they were the NIT Tournament runner-up champions.
• Over the past 10 seasons, UAB has the 24th most wins in the nation with 224.

2024-25 UAB Men’s Basketball Schedule

(Home games in daring)

November 4, vs. Vermont, 6:30 p.m

November 7, vs. Southern Miss., 6:30 p.m

November 15 @ High Point, 6pm

Nov. 18 vs. Auburn Montgomery, 6:30 p.m

(Paradise Jam, US Virgin Islands) Nov. 22 vs. Longwood, 11:30 a.m.

(Paradise Jam, US Virgin Islands) Nov. 23-24 vs. Illinois St. or McNeese St., TBD

(Paradise Jam, US Virgin Islands) November 25, TBD

December 1, vs. Middle Tennessee, 3 p.m

December 6, vs. Prairie View A&M, 6:30 p.m

December 15, vs. Arkansas St., 5 p.m

Dec. 18 vs. Alabama A&M, 6:30 p.m

December 22, against Alcorn St., 2 p.m

Dec. 31 @ North Texas, 3 p.m

Jan. 4 vs. Tulsa, 1 p.m

Jan. 7 vs. Tulane, 6:30 p.m

Jan. 12 @ Florida Atlantic, 4:00 p.m

Jan. 15 @ South Florida, 6 p.m

Jan. 21 vs. UTSA, 6:30 p.m

Jan 26 @ Memphis 12pm

Jan. 29 @ Tulsa, 7 p.m

Feb. 1 vs. Charlotte, 1 p.m

Feb. 3 vs. North Texas, 8 p.m

Feb. 11 @ East Carolina, 6 p.m

February 16, vs. South Florida, 3 p.m

Feb. 19 @ Rice, 7 p.m

Feb. 23 vs. Temple, 1 p.m

Feb. 27 @ Wichita St., TBD

March 2 vs. Memphis, 4 p.m

March 6 vs. Florida Atlantic, 6 p.m

March 9 @ Tulane, 1 p.m