Sure hope UAB coach Andy Kennedy took Ty Brewer to the craps table after the Blazers’ historic NIT semifinal victory in Las Vegas.
The UAB basketball player tossed around hot magic all night against Utah Valley. Someone needed to keep rocks in his hands and let him work the tables after wearing out the nets.
Brewer scored 30 points on Tuesday night at Orleans Arena in the Blazers’ 88-86 overtime victory against Utah Valley. It was an all-time performance. He couldn’t miss. He fired off shots like Bugsy Siegel at the Flamingo. He scored like Frank Sinatra at the Sands. He flew like Elvis over everything and into the NIT championship game.
Here’s why the new transfer rules for college basketball are making the game better for the players. Brewer is a college basketball journeyman. He started his career at Southeastern Louisiana before transferring to East Tennessee State and then UAB for this season. The senior’s points total tied a career high from back in 2019 two schools ago. But he also had 12 rebounds and a career-high five steals, too.
It’s more than that, though.
Brewer’s 30 against Utah Valley will go down as one of the greatest efforts in UAB basketball history. He only missed three shots all game, made key plays at the end of regulation and then buried the go-ahead bucket on a tough jumper with 45 seconds left in overtime. He was untouchable. He made 14 of 17 attempts from the field, was 4 of 5 from 3-point range and didn’t go to the free-throw line the entire game.
What was on his mind?
“My mentality was just do anything and everything I can and just go hard doing it,” Brewer said. “So, whatever happens just happens.”
It was beautiful. Brewer played with a freedom of spirit that carried his team on a night when star player Jelly Walker went 5 of 23 from the field and 1 of 8 from 3-point range. Walker’s late free throws attempts were crucial, though, and he had six assists, five rebounds and two steals.
And credit Walker for this. He deferred to backcourt mate Eric Gaines in overtime, and it was the difference between winning and losing. Gaines led UAB with seven points in the extra period and finished with 13.
What does this mean for UAB?
“To be remembered,” Gaines said. “That’s one thing coach always says. If you can’t make history, let’s be that team that’s remembered. So, come out [Thursday], get the dub and we’ll be that UAB team remembered by history.”
It’s not the NCAA Tournament, but it’s still a special moment for the Southside Dragons. UAB (29-9) is playing for a trophy at 8:30 p.m. on Thursday against fellow Conference USA member North Texas (30-7). This is the first time UAB has ever played in the NIT championship game, and no team from the state of Alabama has ever won the tournament.
When Kennedy took over as coach three years ago he said he wanted to bring UAB basketball back to that standard established by Gene Bartow. Bartow consistently won games in the NCAA Tournament. UAB missed out on March Madness this season, but being one of six teams still playing basketball this late in March counts for something. UAB is a program on the rise, and that’s undeniable.
Bartow never won 29 games in a season with UAB either, and he also never coached this deep in a national tournament with the Blazers.
UAB was not the best team in Conference USA this season or even the second best, but maybe it’s time for the NCAA Tournament selection committee to reconsider some things based on this postseason by the Blazers, North Texas, FAU and Charlotte (winners of the CBI).
UAB went 1-2 against FAU this season and 1-2 against North Texas. FAU, turns out, was pretty good. The Owls are in the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament and play San Diego State on Saturday in Houston.
Does CUSA, long disrespected by the NCAA Tournament selection committee, need any more proof that the conference was underrated this season by the basketball nerds and their computers? Half the teams still standing are from the conference.
How’s this for analytics? Between UAB, North Texas, FAU and Charlotte, CUSA is 17-1 in the postseason. Maybe someone can plug those numbers into a machine and let the NCAA Tournament selection committee know it’s time for a change or two.
Changes are coming. This weekend is where the CUSA party officially ends. UAB, North Texas, FAU and Charlotte are all moving up to the American Athletic Conference for next season. It’s never last call in Vegas, but the Blazers and North Texas will be closing down the NIT in style.
Joseph Goodman is the lead sports columnist for the Alabama Media Group, and author of “We Want Bama: A season of hope and the making of Nick Saban’s ‘ultimate team’”. You can find him on Twitter @JoeGoodmanJr.
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