UAB basketball is back. Here’s a guide to everything you need to know about this year’s team before their conference tournament title defense starts on Monday night vs. 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 1st round)

Top returning players: F/C Yaxel Lendeborg (6-9, Sr., 13.8 pts, 10.6 reb), F/C Christian Coleman (6-8, Sr., 7.7 pts, 4.5 reb), G Alejandro Vasquez (6-4, Sr., 11.1 pts, 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)

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

Key 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 Oct. 27

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

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

Notable:

• As head basketball coach of UAB, Andy Kennedy is 101-37 overall (.732), and 60-11 at Bartow Arena (.845).
• Reigning AAC Defensive Player of the Year Yaxel Lendeborg has taken the leap from a conference star to a national star over the course of his one season at UAB. He was voted the AAC Preseason Player of the Year, Preseason All-AAC First-team, 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 top returning Blazers in terms of 3P% in 2023-24, were both named to the Preseason All-AAC Second Team.
• The starting five at their Oct. 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 look not just to return this year but 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 runner-up champions of the NIT Tournament.
• Over the last 10 seasons, UAB has the 24th most total wins in the nation with 224.

UAB 2024-25 men’s basketball schedule

(Home games in bold)

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

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

Nov. 15, @ High Point, 6 p.m.

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

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

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

(Paradise Jam, U.S. Virgin Islands) Nov. 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.

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 p.m.

Jan. 15, @ South Florida, 6 p.m.

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

Jan. 26, @ Memphis, 12 p.m.

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.

Feb. 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.