A NEW CAMPAIGN: The fifth-ranked UAH men's basketball team will open up the 2016-17 season this weekend, traveling to the campus of North Alabama in Florence to take on a pair of Sunshine State Conference opponents. The Chargers will take on Saint Leo on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. before turning around to face Tampa at noon on Sunday. Both contests can be heard on 97.7 The Zone in the Tennessee Valley.
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LOFTY EXPECTATIONS: Returning three starters from last year's team that reached the NCAA South Regional final, the Chargers enter the new season with high prospects as in addition to being picked once again to win the Gulf South Conference, UAH was featured prominently in the preseason rankings. In addition to ranking No. 5 in the NABC Top 25, the D2SIDA Poll which was released this week has the Chargers at No. 4.
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KEY RETURNERS: The Chargers return the aforementioned three starters from last year's team that averaged more than 85 points per game including preseason honorable mention All-American
Seab Webster who paced the squad last year with 16.7 points per game and 6.4 rebound per contest.
Brandon Roberts (13.8 points per game) and
Troy Saxton (8.4 points and 2.4 assists per game) are also back, and the team also returns its top five reserves from last year.
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NEW FACES: The team also features a trio of players who will be stepping onto the floor for the first time after redshirting a year ago in
Dalton Barkley,
Malik Cook-Stroupe, and
David Anderson. Barkley and Cook-Stroupe were honored in the preseason as top newcomers to the GSC.
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ABOUT SAINT LEO: Coming off of their NCAA tournament berth last season and featuring a preseason honorable mention All-American of their own, the Lions enter the year picked to finish second in the Sunshine State Conference. Marcus Dewberry earned the preseason accolade after scoring 19.7 points per contest last year.
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SERIES HISTORY: The Chargers are 2-1 all-time against the Lions after the two teams split a pair of meetings last year. In the regular season on the road, UAH fell to SLU 93-90 in overtime, but then the Chargers earned a bit of revenge by winning 98-81 in the opening round of the NCAA tournament. Webster scored 30 and had eight rebounds in the postseason victory.
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ABOUT TAMPA: The Spartans have been picked to finish sixth in the SSC this season, but UT has a wealth of experience as it returns all five starters and its four top scorers from a season ago. Among those returning is Pat Bacon who scored 19.8 points per game last year as a freshman.
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SERIES HISTORY: With UAH having taken then past two meetings, the Chargers are now 2-2 against Tampa. UAH won 82-61 in Florida last year with Webster leading the team with a double-double as he recorded 15 points and 11 boards.
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