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Memphis puts winning streak on the line at UAB

Feb 26, 2009 - 11:22 AM No. 4 Memphis (24-3) at Alabama-Birmingham (19-8), 9:00 p.m. EST

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama (Ticker) -- It's been nearly three years since Memphis has lost in Conference USA. It visits the scene of that defeat on Thursday.

The fourth-ranked Tigers look to extend their conference winning streak to 54 games when they visit Alabama-Birmingham.

Memphis (24-3, 12-0 C-USA) has won its last 18 games overall, including a 70-63 victory at Texas-El Paso on Saturday.

Freshman Tyreke Evans is averaging 17.1 points per game to lead the Tigers, who can continue to climb up the rankings if they continue their winning ways. Top-ranked Pittsburgh and No. 3 Oklahoma have already lost this week.

However, in order to do that, Memphis will have to win in a building where it has had a little bit of trouble the last few years.

UAB (19-8, 9-3) posted an 80-74 victory on March 2, 2006 for Memphis' last conference loss, and the Blazers nearly pulled off another upset last season.

The Blazers led by seven with under two minutes to play before the Tigers rallied and Chris Douglas-Roberts' three-point play with seven seconds to play gave Memphis a 79-78 victory.

UAB comes into this contest on a season-high six-game winning streak after an 86-56 triumph over Southern Mississippi on Saturday.

Robert Vaden and Channing Toney each scored 22 points in the win. Vaden leads the team in scoring at 18.6 per game.

Memphis won the first meeting this season, 81-68, on January 17.