UAB opened its 2026-27 season Monday, Nov. 2, against McNeese in the Field of 68 Opening Day Marathon, giving Andy Kennedy and a largely rebuilt roster an immediate early-season test.
The game tipped at 5:30 p.m. ET, 4:30 p.m. CT, at the Rock Hill Sports & Event Center in Rock Hill, S.C. It also marked the start of a season in which UAB entered with only one returning player from the previous roster, making the opener more than just a date on the calendar. It was the first real look at how quickly the Blazers could come together around a roster with very little continuity.
A tough opener right away
McNeese came in as the three-time defending Southland Conference champion, which made the matchup an immediate challenge for UAB. The Cowboys were coming off a 28-6 season, including a 19-3 mark in Southland play, and they averaged 79.7 points per game while holding opponents to 66.8 points per contest.
That kind of opponent was a fitting first game for a team still learning itself. With one returning player and several new pieces, UAB did not get a slow warmup before conference play or the rest of the nonconference schedule. Instead, the Blazers were thrown into a game that could help reveal how competitive this group can be early.
What UAB brings into the season
Andy Kennedy began his seventh season as the head coach of his alma mater after guiding UAB to a sixth consecutive 20-win season and a 145-62 record through his first six years. The standard has been set, but this season is about assembling a new version of the program around a roster that looks very different from a year ago.
Among the new faces are players with a range of recent backgrounds and production. Deuce Jones arrived after averaging 15.3 points per contest and 3.6 assists per game while starting 24 of 31 games. Elijah Duval brings size at 6-foot-11 after putting up 10.0 points, 12.2 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game, along with 14 double-doubles. Matt Mbole is listed at 6-foot-10 after appearing in 25 games. The group also includes players who bring different scoring and rebounding profiles, along with experience from multiple levels of college basketball.
UAB's opener was less about figuring out one player and more about seeing how a new roster functions under pressure. With the season just beginning and a strong opponent waiting first, the game offered an early answer to the biggest question around the program: how fast can this team become a unit?
