ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. | Alabama State hits the floor for the final time before the Christmas break with a pair of games at the St. Pete Shootout at the MacArthur Center, beginning with in-state foe UAB Saturday afternoon.

Tip is set for 5 pm (est) on the campus of Eckerd College, with the game carried on the Hornet Sports Network beginning with pregame at 4:45 pm (est).

The two teams have not met since November 2015 and will meet for the first time in this tournament. The Hornets played a pair of games last season in this tournament against Liberty and Campbell and will face the Blazers and Austin Peay (Sunday) this season.

#The Series
The two teams have met eight times since 1988, including seven times in the city of Birmingham and one in Montgomery. UAB leads the all-time series 8-0 – including 7-0 on their home floor.

Since 1988, the series has seen a pair of games decided by a pair of points each including the first meeting (87-85) and the last time the two met in 2015 (72-70).

#What to Watch
Tobi Ewuosho is the lone player averaging double figures for the Hornets as he has scored in double figures in eight of the first 10 game this season. In the two games he has not scored in double figures, he has finished with nine and currently averages 12.9 per game.

Ewuosho leads the team in rebounding at 6.5 rebounds per game and is among the conference leaders in free throw shooting at 79.6 (39-of-49) percent this season.

Leon Daniels and Jacoby Ross are averaging 6.3 points per game for the Hornets, with Daniels scoring 12 in the last contest against Boise State. Other than Ewuosho, three others are averaging 3.0 rebounds per game or more.

UAB has three players in double figures this season, led by Jalen Benjamin at 11.8 points and Tavin Lovan at 11.4 points per game. Zack Bryant – who has played only three games this season – is the other at 11.0 points per game. A pair of Blazers, Lovan (5.1) and Will Butler (5.5) are averaging five or more rebounds per game.

#How to Keep up with the Action
The game will be carried on the Hornet Sports Network beginning with pregame at 4:45 pm (est) and can be heard for the duration of the contest.

Fans can also keep up with the game via Live Stats provided by Eckerd College, and by following the Hornets on Twitter by following @BamaStateMBB.

#Follow the Hornets
For complete coverage of Alabama State University men's basketball, please follow the Hornets on social media @BamaStateMBB (Twitter), /BamaStateSports (Facebook) and @BamaStateSports (Instagram) or visit the official home of Alabama State athletics at BamaStateSports.com.