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Will lose when ... Opponents can break the press or muscle inside for easy baskets in the half court. Famous Last Words Anderson helped Arkansas win a national championship in the 1990s, so he knows how to get a team prepared for March Madness. The Blazers will not be an easy out. Complete team report Before filling in your bracket, check out Insider's Tournament Guide. Insider Tour | Sign up now

TO THIS POINT    
How They Got Here: At-Large Bid
How They Got Here: One veteran, respected basketball writer who covered UAB's victory over No. 1 seeded Kentucky in the second round of the St. Louis regional called the game one of the greatest upsets in the storied history of the Big Dance. Was it a great upset? Not if you ask the Blazers.

"We worked hard to get here," said guard Mo Finley, who hit the game-winning 17-foot jump shot that stunned the mighty Wildcats, 76-75. "I know you guys (the media) will be calling this an upset. But we felt like we could win this game."

UAB might have had to work harder than the other 15 teams to earn its coveted Sweet 16 berth. The Blazers began the tournament with a marathon, foul-plagued, 102-100 victory over Washington that lasted until well past midnight. Two days later, they were faced with the unenviable task of taking on Kentucky, the tournament's No. 1-seeded team. Undaunted, the Blazers took the fight to Kentucky, taking a double-figure lead, then withstanding a late Wildcat rally that saw them go ahead by six points. UAB chipped away at that lead and eventually had a chance to win when Finley, the Blazers' leading scorer, found himself alone and with the ball just inside the three-point arc. After giving a pump fake to Kentucky's Chuck Hayes, who dove out after him, Finley calmly canned the biggest shot of his life.

UAB, the region's No. 9 seed, next plays Kansas, and few who have seen the Blazers play so far would say they don't have a chance to win. Using the "40 Minutes of Hell" defense taught him by former boss Nolan Richardson, UAB coach Mike Anderson has revitalized a program that only two years ago had fallen on hard times. Kansas guard Aaron Miles will have his hands full with UAB's sub-6-foot dynamos, Finley and point guard Carldell "Squeaky" Johnson. UAB will have its share of troubles trying to handle Kansas's size.

Before making so much noise in the Dance, the Blazers were a big reason why C-USA was so full of NCAA teams. Not too many folks saw UAB coming, as it was a respectable if not remarkable 7-4 in the nonconference with quality losses to Western Michigan, LSU and Mississippi State. But once C-USA tipped off, the Blazers caught fire. A 9-2 start included wins at Charlotte and over Cincinnati. UAB then validated its regular season with a strong showing in the C-USA tournament, beating Charlotte for a second time before bowing to DePaul by a point in the semifinals.

PLAYER TO WATCH      
Gabe Kennedy | F | Senior
Mike Anderson's squad succeeds with balance and consistency, and Gabe Kennedy is one of big reasons why. The forward gives the Blazers a little bit of everything every night, but can always be counted on to rebound and score. Not afraid of the spotlight, his best games have come against Louisville and DePaul.