Birmingham Blazers Shock Kentucky, Storm to Sweet 16

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The UAB Blazers women's basketball team etched their name in NCAA Tournament history with a stunning 72-68 victory over No. 1-seeded Kentucky on Saturday at Bartow Arena, advancing to the Sweet 16 and sending shockwaves through the Birmingham community. Kentucky's Gerald Fitch missed a desperate 3-pointer with 2.2 seconds left, and Chuck Hayes' tip-in rimmed out at the buzzer, preserving the Blazers' second tournament upset over the Wildcats. The win improves UAB to 22-9 and marks their deepest postseason run since 1982, celebrated during the program's 25th anniversary season.

The Birmingham crowd of over 7,000 roared as the Blazers channeled the grit of their 1981 second-round triumph over Kentucky, a victory long hailed as the turning point for UAB hoops. Coach's strategic adjustments and the team's relentless defense held Kentucky's high-powered offense in check, setting up a date with fourth-seeded Kansas in the regional semifinals. Local fans, from UAB students to Birmingham natives, flooded social media with pride, dubbing the Blazers 'Cat Killers' for felling another top seed after Stanford fell to Alabama earlier.

This upset revives memories of UAB's 2000 first-round thriller, where Shaquetta Rhodes' putback with three seconds left in overtime sealed an 80-79 win over Oregon, led by Deanna Jackson's career-high 32 points. As the only Alabama team still dancing deep into March Madness, the Blazers embody the state's fierce underdog spirit, with Birmingham businesses and Legion Field tailgates buzzing ahead of their next clash.