March 10, 2004

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ----- Mike Anderson, who guided UAB to its first overall Conference USA regular-season championship in only his second year at the helm, has been named the league's 2004 Coach of the Year. The award, announced here Wednesday, was voted upon by the conference's 14 head coaches.

The Blazers, who received a No. 4 seed and first round bye in the upcoming C-USA Tournament, are 19-8 overall this season and have a record of 12-4 in C-USA play. The 12 wins established a new school record for wins in Conference USA in a season, besting the former mark of 10 wins set in 1997 and 1998.

Anderson, who spent 18 seasons as one of former Arkansas head coach Nolan Richardson's top assistants, becomes the first UAB head coach to win the award from Conference USA.

"I feel very blessed," said UAB head coach Mike Anderson, "I'm blessed to be the head coach at UAB and I feel honored to be voted as the head coach of the year by my peers. If it were not for the hard work of my staff and the dedication of our players, I would not be on this podium this afternoon. It truly is an honor."

In two years as the UAB head coach, Anderson has compiled a record of 40-21 (.656) overall and a conference record of 20-12 (.625). After a 21-1record a year ago, the Blazers need just one more win for a second consecutive 20-win season under Anderson.

In Anderson's first year at the helm, the Blazers reached the championship game of the C-USA Tournament and went on to advance to the quarterfinals of the National Invitation Tournament.

The Blazers open the C-USA Tournament when they face the winner of fifth-seeded Charlotte and No. 12 Tulane on Thursday, March 11, at 1 p.m. EST (Noon CST). The game will be televised on ESPN Plus and will be carried in certain markets by CSS. The game can also be heard live on WYDE 101.1 FM with Gary Sanders doing play-by-play and Matt Coulter providing the color commentary.