Game #128 of 362 35% complete

As you can see, I was sitting behind the ESPN announcers. I was surprised at the low turnout of the crowd for a Sunday afternoon game. Perhaps the reason was that it was Super Bowl Sunday.

The American Athletic Conference brought in 6 new teams this year. The turnover at these smaller conferences resembles the transfer portal where the best teams or individual players are always looking for higher ground. The conference did strengthen itself this year with the addition of Florida Atlantic (a final four participant) and North Texas who defeated AAC fellow member UAB in the 2023 NIT final. As a UConn fan, I wish the AAC members nothing but success but I am glad that we are in the Big East.

I had a great seat sitting in the second row right behind the ESPN announcers. The analyst was Pooh Richardson who I remember from his UCLA days. I took a picture of me on the TV monitor at the game and on on the replay when I got back home as you can see below.

The UAB coach was Andy Kennedy who has been a familiar face with his tenure at Cincinnati and Ole Miss. He never looked happy on the sideline regardless of who was winning.

Another first in the Operation 351 mission is a player who has the same first and last name. UAB has a player named Tony Toney. Another unusual name was UAB forward Yaxel Lendeborg who was the best player on the court and a probable all league selection. He and teammate Eric Gaines led the UAB Blazers with 17 points.

If you had to come up with a costume resembling a Hurricane, this will do I guess.

I was impressed by a display honoring the POWs and MIAs in the concourse.

Tulsa made the Elite 8 in the year 2000 eventually succumbing to North Carolina 59-55. The concourse had a team picture for this event which was the highest the Hurricanes have gone in the NCAA tournament.

UAB pulled away in the end and was the best club on the floor. The Blazers now have an overall record of 16-8 placing them on the March madness tournament bubble.

I have 2 more games to go in my Operation 351 season visiting Myrtle Beach for games with Costal Carolina and UNC Wilmington.