This is an opinion column.

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The trick is for UAB’s fans to do it again.

The city shows up and shows out every time the Blazers play Memphis at Bartow Arena. This most recent installment of the rivalry, a 97-88 victory for UAB, featured an announced attendance of 7,577. Bartow holds 8,508. I’m curious to see what the attendance will be for next Thursday night’s game against Final Four debutant FAU.

I’m hopeful for another big crowd based on Sunday’s upset of No.19 Memphis. They call the football game between UAB and Memphis the Battle for the Bones. On the basketball court, Blazers point guard Eric Gaines brought all the sauce to the rivalry and cooked the Tigers cold. The game coincided with the NFC championship game, but Blazers fans still packed out Bartow. The 8 p.m. tip next Thursday for FAU stands alone. It’s a perfect opportunity for UAB to sell out Bartow Arena. Gaines demands a sold show. Get tickets here for the game.

I made sure to keep an eye on the concession stands during the game on Sunday. Event execution is key for a return crowd. No one wants to wait in line 20 minutes for popcorn. I was impressed with the way UAB’s event team handled the large crowds at the concession stands. It has been a problem in the past, but UAB was prepared on Sunday.

UAB’s jump to the American Athletic Conference is an important step for the Blazers. That former glory the Blazers enjoyed under hall of fame coach Gene Bartow is returning. The drubbing of Memphis in the Bartow Classic felt like the beginning of something special for the Southside Dragons. The arena was spirited and motivated. The students and UAB’s lively band played major roles in the win.

Everyone showed up to support the Blazers. UAB’s old mascot, Beauregard T. Rooster, even made an appearance.

But will the fans show up two games in a row? I’m betting they will. Coach Andy Kennedy’s Blazers are immensely talented and fun to watch. UAB has now knocked off ranked opponents two years in a row at Bartow. The Blazers upset FAU in 2023, but the Owls returned serve in the CUSA tournament and then went on their historic run to the Final Four.

The AAC is a multi-bid league. The win against Memphis (15-5, 4-3) was a résumé builder, but it wasn’t a Quad 1 victory according to the NCAA’s net rankings. UAB is currently ranked 137 in NET. If Team Birmingham (13-7, 5-2) can take down No.22 FAU (17-4, 7-1 AAC), then the Blazers will start building a case for the NCAA Tournament. UAB is entering a tough stretch. The games at North Texas (8 p.m. Wednesday) and SMU (5 p.m. Sunday) are must wins and both would qualify as Quad 1 victories.

SMU’s current NET ranking of 38 is second in the AAC behind FAU, 27. North Texas, another team that jumped from CUSA to the AAC, is solid once again this season with a NET ranking of 69. FAU needed a game-saving basket back by star guard Johnell Davis on Sunday to survive its test against Mean Green (12-7, 5-2).

UAB participating in a conference with highly ranked teams makes college basketball feel important again in Birmingham. That was my biggest takeaway of the Bartow Classic. There were NBA scouts in attendance. Memphis fans drove down for the game and were heckling Tigers coach Penny Hardaway from the stands.

“They all play selfish basketball, Penny,” one irate Memphis fan shouted right behind my ear.

Memphis features some great individual players this season, but UAB never felt overtmatched or lucky to be ahead. The most surprising thing about the game wasn’t that UAB thoroughly dominated Memphis with a nine-point victory. That was easy enough to see coming. What impressed me most is that UAB’s rowdy student section didn’t rush the court after the victory.

Smart bunch of kids.

UAB’s students know a massive upset when they see one and UAB’s manhandling of Memphis wasn’t that. UAB had 21 turnovers and coach Andy Kennedy’s team still thumped a ranked opponent. UAB didn’t play its best, in other words, but won handily nonetheless.

UAB never should have been left behind in CUSA when teams like Memphis, Louisville and Cincinnati made the leap to the AAC. The emphatic victory against Memphis proved it. It signaled a return of the Blazers. It was the biggest home basketball game for UAB since the 15th Street Classroom Building and penny beer night at T.C.’s in the Lakeview District.

UAB has changed dramatically since it was a commuter school on the quarter-semester system. Everything was moving forward over the last decade except athletics. Everyone has their own theories, but the bottom line is that the only thing holding UAB athletics back at this point is a tepid fanbase.

UAB basketball has everything in place to be a top-tier program in the new age of collegiate athletics. Andy Kennedy is an excellent coach with name recognition. He’s attracting high-major talent to Birmingham like Gaines and power forward Yaxel Lendeborg. Bartow Arena is centrally located on Birmingham’s Southside and a special place to watch a basketball game. There isn’t a bad seat in the entire building. It’s nothing like Alabama’s Coleman Coliseum, which needs to be torn down and rebuilt from scratch. When Bartow is packed it sounds like an aircraft carrier.

Bartow knew what he was doing when he designed the place. That old arena is still a gem. My only suggestion is to move the students to the middle of the action and add a few luxury suites. That stuff will happen if fans continue backing the team.

Statement games like UAB’s victory against Memphis should be the norm. UAB basketball deserves to pack Bartow for every game. The only difference between Memphis basketball and UAB basketball at this point is consistent support from generational fans.

Oh, and better uniforms. Nothing against Memphis, but those UAB “Birmingham” jerseys are in a class of their own.

SOUND OFF

Got a question about college basketball, college football, pro soccer or sports in general? Want to get something off your chest? Send Joe a question about what’s on your mind for his Friday mailbag. Ask him anything.

Joseph Goodman is the lead sports columnist for the Alabama Media Group, and author of the signature book about Nick Saban’s reign at Alabama, “We Want Bama”. It’s a love story about wild times, togetherness and rum.