JRut_X

Born & Raised in Birmingham, AL 💚 Deeply Settled in Texas 💙 Texas Dad | Magic City roots, Lone Star life

[JRut_X @JRut_X]

Coach Andy Kennedy just EXPLODED into 400 CAREER WINS and this is straight-up HISTORIC!
623 games. 15th fastest active D1 coach to the mark. Career record ~400-219 (.641) — one of the rare beasts with 20+ wins in 13 of his first 16 seasons. This isn’t a number. This is proof he’s built different!
Born 1968 Louisville, MS — small-town kid turned Parade All-American high school assassin → NC State freshman snatching the ’87 ACC ring → UAB scoring GOD MODE: 1,787 points (2nd all-time), 21.8 PPG senior year (Sun Belt king), career-high 41-point massacre, ~18.8 PPG career. He was dropping bodies before it was a trend!
Coaching domination:
• Ole Miss — all-time wins king (245 victories — school record), 2013 SEC Tournament champion (27-9 masterpiece), 2x SEC Coach of the Year, only post-WWII Ole Miss coach with winning SEC record. Biggest detonations: That SEC title run (pure chaos, glory, upsets), ranked kills in Oxford, turning Rebels into SEC nightmares.
• UAB — fastest to 100 wins in program history (136 games), program-record 29-win season, C-USA title ’22, AAC title ’24, two more NCAA bids (career total 4). Biggest explosions: 2022 C-USA championship (82-73 over La Tech — first NCAA since 2015), smashing #19 Memphis and #20 FAU in ’23-24 (first double-ranked-win season in 15 years), Bartow becoming a death trap again.
Coach AK didn’t stumble to 400 — he stormed it. From Parade All-American to Ole Miss legend to turning his alma mater into mid-major ROYALTY. He’s not chasing rings or rankings — he’s writing a timeless story right here in Birmingham.
Hail Coach AK — the fighter, the mastermind, the Blazer heartbeat. This 400-win roar is just the latest chapter in an epic saga. Blazer Nation, let’s keep the celebration blasting — he’s not done yet! 🏀💚🧡
#GoBlazers #UABMBB #BlazeOn #AACHoops #CoachAK13 #400Wins #AKLegacy #MidMajorRoyalty
@CoachAK13 @UAB_MBB @Tony_Tsoukalas @UAB_Athletics @CoachShuUAB @midmajorball @MidMajorCentral @MrMidMajor @bhambanner @aldotcom @uab_learfield @UABslant @SteveIrvine04 @TheTimStephens @Infernopod_UAB @UABBlazers247 @EFEL_UAB @UABAthleticsFan @DragonsDenEFEL @pensign

[JRut_X @JRut_X]

@KristieNolen3 Hey There! Of course, I sent the original to you in messages. Thank you, as that means the world.

[JRut_X @JRut_X]

Built by Bartow. Defended by AK. It's not changing anytime soon.

[JRut_X @JRut_X]

@TheTimStephens @DiehardSportNet Love it!

[JRut_X @JRut_X]

@GoldnTickit 🙏

[JRut_X @JRut_X]

NEW ROSTER. NEW SIZE. NEW ERA.
UAB Basketball 2026-27 Full Breakdown 🐉
Coach AK just pulled off one of the most complete roster resets in the country.
Only 1 player is back from last season.
11 newcomers.
One of the tallest teams in program history.
This is a brand new team.
The Only Returner
Salim London (6’4” G – Hoover) played every game as a freshman, started 12, and averaged 4.9 PPG. He’s now the veteran. 💪
Frontcourt Transformation
Last year UAB was undersized. This year they went heavy on length:
• Matt Mbole (6’11”, 280) 🧱
• Kaleb Davis (6’11”)
• Aleks Alston (6’10”)
• Antallah Sandlin’el (6’8”)
• Jeremy Elyzee (6’7”)
Guard Overhaul
Proven scorers everywhere:
• Justyn Fernandez (Delaware) – 16.6 PPG 🔥
• Elijah Duval (Southern Utah) – WAC Freshman of the Year
• Deuce Jones (Saint Joseph’s) – former A-10 Freshman of the Year
• TJ Caldwell + Tim Holliday
High School + Staff
Jakobi Sharp and Korie Corbett add youth.
Jesse Bopp and former Blazer Jon Coleman joined the staff. 👨‍🏫
New roster is already on campus getting summer work in.
Early reaction has been strong — a lot of people are calling this the most complete-looking group Coach AK has put together on paper.
They’ll also be playing in a renovated Bartow Arena this season. 🏟️
American Conference opponents locked in. Conference play starts Dec. 30. 📅
The talent is locked in. Now it’s time to build something special. 🐉
New roster. New size. New arena. New era. 🔥
#WinAsOne

[JRut_X @JRut_X]

@taj101276 I’ll be catching them on their Texas swing as usual. Can’t wait!
#GoBlazers

[JRut_X @JRut_X]

@aidanmcdowell__ @E1SPro Go Blazers 🐉

[JRut_X @JRut_X]

@ULM_MBB @coachrc44 Congratulations @coachrc44
Well deserved. They’re getting a fantastic coach, but more than that, a true leader. That’s a game changer! @ULM_MBB

[JRut_X @JRut_X]

Much deserved—ULM got a great one to lead their program. Congrats and best of luck.
@coachrc44

[ULM Men's Basketball @ULM_MBB]

You always find your way back home.

Welcome back to the bayou, @coachrc44‼️

📰: https://t.co/70b2q6sAV9

[JRut_X @JRut_X]

@TravisBranham_ @DanielPoneman @247SportsPortal Thank you for everything you gave to UAB. You wore the green and gold the right way. We will be following you wherever you go next. Wishing you the best!
@jacobmeyer24

[JRut_X @JRut_X]

@TravisBranham_ @gabehekmat @NigelCarter_ @247Sports @247SportsPortal @WEAVE Thank you for everything you gave to UAB and representing the green and gold with pride. Blazer Nation will always be behind you and wishing you nothing but the best wherever you go next.
@evanchatman15

[JRut_X @JRut_X]

Coach AK restored the expectation at UAB.

Compete. Defend. Win.

That’s Blazer basketball.

And make no mistake… this is not the end.

The climb continues.

#UAB #BlazerNation 🔥@UAB_MBB @CoachAK13

[JRut_X @JRut_X]

🔥 Consistency isn’t luck. It’s leadership.

Andy Kennedy is now 1 of only 5 active coaches with 20+ wins in 16 of his first 19 seasons as a head coach.

That list includes names like John Calipari, Mark Few, Thad Matta, and Jamie Dixon.

Elite company.

And he’s doing it in Birmingham with the Green & Gold. 🐉

Blazer Nation already knew. The rest of the country is catching up.

#UAB #Blazers #WinCity @UAB_MBB @CoachAK13

[UAB Men's Basketball @UAB_MBB]

Consistency is key 🔑

One of five coaches to have 20+ wins in 16 of their first 19 seasons as a head coach!

[JRut_X @JRut_X]

Chance Westry delivered in year one at UAB.

Second Team All-Conference
All-Newcomer Team

15.7 PPG | 5.3 APG | 3.9 RPG

One of the most dynamic guards in the American. 🐉 #UAB
@chancewestry1

[UAB Men's Basketball @UAB_MBB]

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐖𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫 🐉🔥

Second Team All-Conference & All-Newcomer Team

Averaged 15.7 points, 5.3 assists, and 3.9 rebounds this year!

[JRut_X @JRut_X]

UAB isn’t just winning games… it’s building a national presence. From Bartow Arena to road arenas across the country, Coach AK has the Blazers being noticed. #UAB @NextRoundLive @UAB_MBB

[The Next Round @NextRoundLive]

These college basketball teams have the best records since the 2020-21 season.

Houston tops the list, with Gonzaga, Duke, Arizona, and UConn rounding out the top 5.

[JRut_X @JRut_X]

Chance Westry named Player of the Week… FOR THE SECOND TIME — back-to-back weeks! 🚀 Second straight week owning the AAC:
20pts/11asts/8rebs vs Charlotte
22pts/11asts/4rebs vs ECU
who’s surprised? Not us! Keep cooking king 👑 #WinAsOne @UAB_MBB @chancewestry1 @CoachAK13

[UAB Men's Basketball @UAB_MBB]

Player of the Week x2 💪

Westry averaged 21 points, 11 assists, and 6 rebounds this week!

#WinAsOne

[JRut_X @JRut_X]

@RickKarle @CoachAK13 @UAB_MBB Also, Coach AK isn’t just a great coach — he’s a role model. Grounded in his faith and lets it guide how he leads young men. You can recruit talent, but you can’t recruit character like that. #UAB

[JRut_X @JRut_X]

@abc3340 @CoachAK13 Also, your 16th 20-win season.
Well done, legend. 🏆

[JRut_X @JRut_X]

Coach AK just notched his 16th career 20-win season! 🔥
Legends at Ole Miss & now a UAB dynasty.
Unreal consistency on another level.
Congrats legend! 🏆🐉 @CoachAK13 #GoBlazers

[BirminghamSports @BirminghamSport]

Andy Kennedy makes history.

First 6th consecutive 20+ win season in the HISTORY of UAB. 4th seed in American.

Andy Kennedy (6th season at UAB)

• 2x Conference Champs, NIT runner-up
• 2x NCAA Tournament (‘21-22, ‘23-24)
• Overall record of 145-61. (82-24 at home.)