Steve Irvine Previews UAB MBB Vs NC State
By Steve Irvine
BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA - November 7, 2025
Searching for answers has been a big part of the beginning of the season for the UAB men’s basketball team.
The quest began with a pair of stringent exhibition game losses and continued in the regular season victory over an overmatched Mississippi Valley State team. On Friday night in Raleigh, N.C., Andy Kennedy and his team will face perhaps their toughest test of the non-conference season in a game against North Carolina State with tip-off scheduled for 8 p.m. CST.
Truthfully, though, it could be difficult to get answers tonight against a Wolfpack team that was revamped under first-year NC State head coach Will Wade. The Wolfpack’s roster includes transfers who played significant roles last season at Texas Tech, Houston, North Carolina, Michigan State, Florida State and McNeese State.
In the team’s first game, a 114-66 win over North Carolina Central, the Wolfpack had seven double figure scorers and hit 19 3-pointers. Only three Division I teams had more first game 3-pointers than North Carolina State, which shot 47.5 percent outside of the stripe.
Darrion Williams, a 6-foot-6, 225-pound senior, who was an All-Big 12 selection at Texas Tech after averaging 15.1 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists last season. He averaged 21 points in four NCAA Tournament games, including 23 in an Elite Eight loss to eventual national champion Florida. He led North Carolina State with 19 points and was one of three Wolfpack players with four 3-pointers against North Carolina Central. Williams also had eight assists, four rebounds and one turnover in that game.
Tre Holloman, a 6-foot-2 guard, was a co-captain at Michigan State last season. He averaged 9.1 points and 3.7 assists for the Spartans last season. In his first game with North Carolina State, Holloman had 15 points and four 3-pointers. Holloman and Williams are just the start of a deep roster.
“We don't have that much head to head experience,” Kennedy said of Wade, who is a friend. “But I do know the way in which his teams play. I'm sure he's familiar with the way in which ours play. Both of us are kind of going at it with a limited knowledge base, because we're still trying to figure out our own teams. They're a team that's predicted to do big things this year and we look forward to the opportunity.”
UAB’s Chance Westry, a transfer from Syracuse, is familiar with the Lenovo Center, where Friday’s game will be played.
“I've been there before with Syracuse, but I didn't play,” Westry said. “Big arena, amazing fan base, and playing in front of them, we’ll just bring the UAB skills to showcase what we have.”
But it’s still uncertain just what UAB has to work with this season. That’s where the start of the season, particularly the exhibition games against Vanderbilt and Western Kentucky, were helpful.
“Probably a lot,” Westry said when asked about what was learned in the exhibition games. “I mean 12 new guys. You know, no returning guys. It helped us grow a lot to get to know each other know each other's identity, see who can play and just communicate. I mean it's a new team so obviously everything will be new to us. It felt like we were jelling.”
At this point, it looks like the current starting backcourt of Westry, Ahmad Robinson and Jacob Meyer will contribute a bulk of the scoring load on a regular basis. But Westry said others are capable of leading the team on a given night.
“In practice every day I see people hit shots,” Westry said. “We can score at different levels on this team. We got a lot of potential with Ahmad, with Jacob. Evan (Chatman), he can shoot the 3-ball. Kye (KyeRon Lindsay-Martin), he can play strong down low and we got (Daniel Rivera) finishing around the rim. We got a solid group.”