Roundup: Thursday, January 9th
Women's basketball gets back on track as football secures multiple commitments.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Wednesday evening: Beat Memphis 73-56 at Bartow
The women’s basketball team (10-6, 1-3) picked up its first conference win of the season yesterday, defeating the visiting Memphis Tigers (3-11, 1-2) by a 17-point margin. Although the game was competitive in its infancy, UAB used a second-quarter spurt to take a lead they would never relinquish. The Blazer backcourt duo of Maddie Walsh and Journey Armstead played perhaps its best game of the season — the guards combined for 40 points on 17-28 shooting — and the Green and Gold scored at a healthy rate of 1.04 points per possession while holding their opponents to just .80 PPP.
After losing its initial second-quarter lead, Memphis never again got within two possessions of the Blazers. UAB’s defense suffocated the Tigers, holding them to just nine points in the second quarter, ten points in the third, and 15 points in the fourth. The blowout only grew more and more pronounced as time went on. By the night’s waning moments, the Blazers had jumped out to a game-high 19-point lead.
Along with her scoring output, Armstead contributed six assists and five rebounds, bringing her season averages to 10.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game. In her first year in Birmingham, the junior college transfer has quickly established herself as a star — Torvik ranks her far and away the best pure point guard in the American.
UAB forward Rayne Tucker posted 12 points, six rebounds, and three assists, while forward Molly Moffitt turned in 11 points and three assists.
Catalyzed in part by defensive improvement, UAB’s Torvik ranking jumped from 175th to 170th after this game. The Blazers gave up plenty of paint points in their previous losses to Temple and Wichita State, but they held Memphis — a team with the conference’s second-best offense by Torvik — to just 24. Although the Blazers still have one of the lowest analytical rankings in the AAC, they’re gaining on their next opponent, #168 FAU.
The FAU game will take place on Saturday and will mark the start of a brutal road trip that will see the Blazers play Torvik #52 USF on the road on Tuesday the 14th.
FOOTBALL
Yesterday, the Blazers picked up commitments from Idaho State (FCS) DB Calvin Pitcher and Saint Francis (FCS) DB Pierre Royster. According to On3, UAB also secured the services of Maryland DB Perry Fisher.
Calvin Pitcher — DB, Idaho State
6’1”, 195 lbs — one year of eligibility remaining
Pitcher announced his decision in a social media post. The Corona, California native has spent his entire career at FCS Idaho State, contributing from the moment he first stepped onto the field in 2021. Over four years, the two-time team captain racked up over 200 tackles while quarterbacking the Bengals’ defense, earning an All-Big Sky nod in 2023. With 34 career games under his belt, Pitcher is one of the most experienced players the Blazers have brought in.
Pitcher missed most of the 2024 season with an injury and subsequently entered the portal as a grad transfer. He has one year of eligibility remaining. More information about Pitcher’s time at Idaho State can be found here.
Pitcher is the fifth defensive back the Blazers have snagged in the past week, joining Kent State S Josh Baka, Boston College DB Jaylen Cheek, and the two players listed below.
Pierre Royster — DB, Saint Francis
6’2”, 200 lbs — one year of eligibility remaining
Royster announced his decision in a social media post. The Norfolk, Virginia native began his career at FCS Norfolk State in 2021. He would stay with the Spartans for two seasons, appearing in 17 games, making 36 total tackles, and recording one sack over that time period. Royster then spent two productive years with Saint Francis; he finished his FCS career boasting a statline of 145 tackles, 9 tackles for loss, 5 PBUs, and 1 interception. He’s even more experienced than Pitcher, having appeared in 35 career games.
Perry Fisher — DB, Maryland
6’3”, 198 lbs — two years of eligibility remaining
Although Fisher’s commitment hasn’t been publicly announced as of this morning, On3 categorizes him as a UAB hard commit. Fisher, a Tallahassee, Florida native, played quarterback in high school but converted to defensive back when he signed with Maryland in 2022. He redshirted during his freshman year with the Terps but enjoyed a breakout 2023 that culminated in a fantastic performance in the Music City Bowl against Auburn. To the great satisfaction of Maryland head coach Mike Locksley, Fisher racked up three tackles, a sack, a fumble recovery, and two PBUs against the Tigers.
“I saw the light go on for Perry,” Locksley told PressBoxOnline when describing Fisher’s practices leading up to the Music City Bowl. “… He’s a very versatile guy, and what I’m hoping to see is maturity, because the time he spent in our program translates to the consistency from him.”
Fisher was one of Maryland’s starting cornerbacks in 2024, seeing 11 games and 501 total snaps; however, according to TerrapinTimes, he struggled in increased playing time. His PFF grade hovered around an unimpressive 57.
Pitcher, Royster, and Fisher (if he truly is committed) become the 10th, 11th, and 12th publicly announced members of UAB’s incoming transfer class, joining WR Kaleb Brown, WR Evan McCray, TE Antonio Ferguson, DE Jamichael Rogers, QB Peyton Floyd, S Josh Baka, OL Deivi Martinez, RB Jevon Jackson, and DB Jaylen Cheek.
Judging by Trent Dilfer’s Twitter feed, UAB has picked up double-digit players over the past three days, but only Baka, Martinez, Jackson, Cheek, Pitcher, Fisher, and Royster have publicly committed.
“All of the names will be coming soon,” Dilfer tweeted yesterday afternoon. “Go Blazers!”
Among the confirmed visitors to UAB:
Stony Brook wide receiver Jayce Freeman, Alabama State safety Dasheen Jackson, and Old Dominion edge rusher Amorie Morrison, all of whom took official visits over the weekend.
Jackson may have already signed — a Ryan Lewis tweet from Tuesday night implies that the Blazers reeled in an Alabama State Hornet. Lewis, a new UAB defensive assistant, spent last season coaching Jackson as ASU’s defensive coordinator.
Western Kentucky linebacker Kylan Guidry, Rhode Island linebacker Devin Hightower, and Southern (FCS) defensive tackle Jelani Davis, all of whom took official visits earlier this week.
Washington State safety Jackson Lataimua, who took his official visit yesterday.
Syracuse DL Michael Nwokocha and Nicholls State (FCS) linebacker Eli Ennis, both of whom will take official visits at unannounced dates.