April 6, 2004

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ----- For just the third time in school history, and first time since 1994, the UAB men's basketball team concluded the season ranked in the USA Today/ESPN final poll. The Blazers, who were receiving votes heading into the NCAA Tournament, are ranked 23rd in the nation according to the poll, marking the first time since USA Today began doing a post-tournament poll that the Blazers are ranked.

UAB finished the 2003-04 campaign with a 22-10 overall record, earned a share of its first overall Conference USA regular season championship and made one of the more memorable runs in this year's NCAA Tournament. The Blazers reached the Sweet 16 for just the third time in school history after defeating ninth-seeded Washington, 102-100, and the tournament's top overall seed Kentucky, 76-75.

The Blazers were ranked in the season-ending poll on two other occassions in school history. UAB finished the 1982 campaign with a ranking of 17th in the nation according to the Associated Press and ended the 1994 regular season ranked 23rd in the nation according to the USA Today poll, before falling out of the rankings in the first post-tournament poll ever.

UAB is also one of only two C-USA schools to be ranked nationally, according to the poll. Cincinnati is the only other team, coming in at 18th in the nation. Memphis and DePaul were the only other C-USA schools to receive votes.