UAB basketball is back. Here's 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)

The balance of last season: 23-12 (12-6 in AAC)

Off season: AAC tournament champion, NCAA tournament appearance (lost to 5th seed SDSU in 1st round)

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

Important 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., transferred from Georgia Southern), F Bradley Ezewiro (6-9, Jr., transferred from St. Louis), F Makhi Myles (6-6, Fr., committed from Starkville HS, MS), G Reginald Kennedy Jr. (6-1 , Fr., commitment from Middle Georgia Prep, GA)

Most important losses: G Eric Gaines (9.2 pts, 3.1 Reb, 3.6 Ast), G Daniel Ortiz (6.6 pts, 1.4 Reb, 0.8 Ast)

Exhibition results: 88-79 win @ Western Kentucky on October 27th

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

AAC opening: December 31st @ North Texas (3 p.m.)

Notable:

• As UAB's head basketball coach, Andy Kennedy is 101-37 overall (.732) and 60-11 at Bartow Arena (.845).
• Reigning AAC Defensive Player of the Year Yaxel Lendeborg made the leap from conference star to national star over the course of his only season at UAB. He was named AAC Preseason Player of the Year, Preseason All-AAC First-Team, and was named to the Naismith Player of the Year Award watch list and the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year watch list.
• “Butta” Johnson and Alejandro Vasquez, the two Blazers with the highest 3P% return percentage in 2023-24, were both named to the Preseason All-AAC Second Team.
• The starting five at their October 27 exhibition @ 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 to not only return this year but also win their first March Madness game since the 2014-15 season. While they didn't make it to the Big Dance in 2022-23, they were the runners-up in the NIT tournament.
• Over the last 10 seasons, UAB has the 24th total number of wins in the country with 224.

UAB 2024-25 men's basketball schedule

(Home games in clearly)

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

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

November 15, @ High Point, 6 p.m

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

(Paradise Jam, U.S. Virgin Islands) November 22, vs. Longwood, 11:30 a.m

(Paradise Jam, U.S. Virgin Islands) 23-24 November, vs. Illinois St. or McNeese St., TBD

(Paradise Jam, U.S. Virgin Islands) November 25, TBD, TBD

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

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

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

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

Dec. 22 vs. Alcorn St., 2 p.m

December 31, @ North Texas, 3 p.m

Jan. 4, vs. Tulsa, 1 p.m

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

January 12, @ Florida Atlantic, 4 p.m

January 15, @ South Florida, 6 p.m

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

January 26, @ Memphis, 12 p.m

Jan. 29, @ Tulsa, 7 p.m

February 1, against Charlotte, 1 p.m

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

February 11, @ East Carolina, 6 p.m

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

February 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