Head Coach Mike Davis
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UAB BLAZERS BASKETBALL Head Coach Mike Davis Fifth Season At UAB | 11th Season As Head Coach | 21st Season Overall ike Davis is entering his fifth season at Mthe helm of the UAB men’s basketball program. Davis was hired as the program’s fourth head coach on April 7, 2006. Davis owns a record of 85-48 (.639) overall and 41-23 (.641) in Conference USA play during his four seasons in Birmingham. He is now 200- 127 (.612) during his 10-year coaching career. Over his last three seasons alone, Davis has led the Blazers to a record of 70-32 (.686) and three consecutive NIT berths. UAB has now appeared in either the NCAA tournament or NIT in seven of the past eight years. The 2009-10 season also marked the 24th postseason appearance in the 32-year history of UAB basketball (13 NCAA appearances). Davis etched his name in the record books as he became only the second coach in UAB lore to reach 70 wins in a three-year span. The only other coach in program history to accom- plish the feat was Hall of Famer Gene Bartow, who reached the pinnacle on two separate occasions (73 wins from 1983-86 and 71 wins from 1984-87). Davis has been even tougher on foes when playing at Bartow Arena. Over the last three seasons alone, he has guided the team to a 41-5 home record, including 24 straight non-conference regular season home wins (UAB has won 31 straight non-conference regular sea- son home games overall). 30 2010-11 UAB Men’s Hoops UAB BLAZERS BASKETBALL Head Coach Mike Davis Last season, Davis led his team to a school record-tying 25 victories, finishing the year 25-9 overall. Not only did UAB tie the record for most wins in a season, but Davis guided the Blazers to the best start in school history, winning 18 of the first 20 games. The 2009-10 team also made its way into the record books for winning percent- gage (T3rd - .735) and points allowed per game (3rd - 60.4) Though the Blazers were left out of the 2010 NCAA Tournament, Davis guided UAB to a third consecutive NIT berth. The Green and Gold hosted three straight postseason games, defeating Coastal Carolina and NC State before falling to defending national champion North Carolina in front of 8,889 fans. It was the 10th- largest crowd in Bartow Arena history. In 2008-09, Davis led the team to a second- consecutive 20-win season and NIT berth, fin- ishing the year with a 22-12 mark overall and an 11-5 C-USA record. As a result, the Blazers earned a second straight National Invitation Tournament berth. Davis’ second season in 2002-03 was one for the record books as he led the Blazers to an overall record of 23-11 and a 12-4 mark in Conference USA play in 2007-08. The league record earned the Blazers a runner-up finish in the C-USA regu- lar season standings. A Fayette, Ala., native, Davis came to UAB The 23 victories were the third-most wins from Indiana University, where he served as the in a season in program history, while UAB’s 12 head coach of the Hoosiers from 2000-06. While league wins tied for the most conference victories there, he compiled a 115-79 record. His teams in school history. Additionally, the Blazers’ stellar typically have played their best basketball during 14-1 home record tied for the second-best home the postseason, evidenced by Davis’ 21-12 record mark since UAB began playing at Bartow Arena. in the month of March and his 7-4 NCAA Tour- Under Davis’ tutelage, UAB earned its 22nd nament mark, including a run to the national postseason appearance by reaching the second round championship game in 2002. of the 2008 National Invitation Tournament. Davis hopes to make the same type of impact Davis also orchestrated one of the greatest at UAB that he did at IU, including the following turnarounds in UAB lore by improving on the accomplishments: 15 wins in 2006-07 to 23 victories in 2007-08. • Davis is the first coach in Indiana history to The plus-eight win differential matched the best begin his tenure with three straight 20-plus win improvement in back-to-back seasons in school seasons and three straight NCAA Tournament history. After winning only 13 games in 2001- appearances. 02, then-first-year head coach Mike Anderson • Davis led his team to a postseason appear- captured 21 victories in 2002-03. ance in five of his six years at IU, including four Following a tough first campaign on the job, NCAA Tournaments. finishing with a 15-16 overall record, Davis knew • Davis averaged 19.2 wins per season over his what he needed to do to turn things around. six-year Indiana coaching career. Davis and his staff logged a lot of miles and long • Under Davis’ tutelage, Indiana defeated 24 hours to put together what many consider one ranked opponents. of the best recruiting classes in program history. • Davis coached three NBA Draft picks. The Blazers’ 2007-08 class was ranked among the Under Davis, the Hoosiers enjoyed consider- top 25 in the nation by many recruiting service able success, including a trip to the 2002 national websites and magazines, and was picked as high as championship game against Maryland. Although No. 9 in the nation according to CollegeHoops- IU lost the contest, 64-52, Davis proved he was Update.com. ready for big time basketball on a national level. 31 2010-11 UAB Men’s Hoops UAB BLAZERS BASKETBALL Head Coach Mike Davis That’s exactly what he wants to build at UAB. The Davis File “I told my players that I’m excited to play and will play anyone at anytime, anywhere,” Davis Date of Birth: Sept. 15, 1960 said. “Whoever wants to play us home-and-home, Family: we will do it. I feel like that is an opportunity to Wife: Tamilya; Daughter: Lateesha, 30; Sons: Michael Jr., 25, fill the seats and get our players ready for March. Antoine, 11. I don’t really care about winning 25 games a Education: year, but what is important to me is that we are Thomas Edison College, 2000; B.A. - Telecommunications competing.” Named the 25th head coach in Indiana his- tory on Sept. 12, 2000, Davis proved to have the most successful first season of any of his 24 pre- decessors. His 21 wins were four more than any Coaching Experience other first-year IU head coach. His success was 2006- UAB Head Coach not limited to just IU, as his 21 victories ranked 2000-06 Indiana University Head Coach him second among first-year head coaches in the 1997-2000 Indiana University Assistant Coach country in 2000-01. 1995-97 University of Alabama Assistant Coach Davis, selected as the 2001-02 National 1994-95 Univerity of Chicago Assistant Coach Coach of the Year by The Charlotte Observer, 1990-94 Wichita Falls (CBA) Assistant Coach was one of just 14 of a total of 319 men’s basket- 1989-90 Miles College Assistant Coach ball coaches that season who guided a team that Postseason Experience did not include a single senior. His team was 2010 NIT UAB the highest-ranked senior-less team, according to 2009 NIT UAB the RPI, and just one of two to make the NCAA 2008 NIT UAB Tournament. 2006 NCAA Tournament Indiana The strong regular season and Big Ten Tourna- 2005 NIT Indiana ment earned the Hoosiers a No. 20 national rank- 2003 NCAA Tournament Indiana ing and a No. 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament, 2002 NCAA Final Four Indiana the highest by an Indiana team since 1993. 2001 NCAA Tournament Indiana Though new to the role of head coach, Davis 2000 NCAA Tournament Indiana already had contributed significantly to the Indi- 1999 NCAA Tournament Indiana ana program. He spent the previous three seasons 1998 NCAA Tournament Indiana 1997 NCAA Tournament Indiana as an assistant coach with the Hoosiers. His suc- 1996 NIT Final Four Alabama cessful recruitment of several of the country’s top prep players earned him national recognition at Playing Experience Indiana. 1980-83 Alabama In addition to his recruiting success, he was 1983 NBA Draft instrumental in the development of several stand- Second Round Pick (Milwaukee) out players including A.J. Guyton, the Big Ten’s 1983-85 Switzerland/Italy Most Valuable Player in 2000, Kirk Haston, a 1988-89 Topeka Sizzlers (CBA) first-round NBA selection in 2001, and 2002 Honors Big Ten MVP and consensus second-team All- 2002 National Coach of the Year (Charlotte Observer) American Jared Jeffries, who was the 11th overall pick of the 2002 NBA Draft by the Washington Wizards. In Davis’ three seasons as an IU assistant, the Hoosiers compiled a 63-32 overall record and advanced to the NCAA Tournament all three seasons. native spent his collegiate-playing career with the playing under another coaching legend, Wimp Davis came to Indiana after a two-year stint Tide after earning the state’s Mr. Basketball honor Sanderson. He averaged 10.1 points per game for (1995-97) as an assistant coach under David and All-America status in 1979. his career and ranks third all-time on the school’s Hobbs at the University of Alabama. The 1995- He was a standout for four seasons at Alabama steals list with 165. 96 Crimson Tide posted a 23-10 record and and finished his career in the Top 25 on the Crim- During his four seasons at Alabama, the Crim- advanced to the NIT Final Four.