Well-Traveled Tigers Tip Off Tuesday Night

DAYTON, Ohio (AP) — UAB has heard all the talk that it doesn’t belong in the NCAA tournament.

The Blazers not only disagree, they sound as if they intend to prove the experts wrong.

Asked what he thought about pundits who said UAB (22-8) hadn’t earned its way, point guard Aaron Johnson said, “I’d rather not comment on ignorance.”

Both 12th-seeded teams badly wanted in the field. But neither really wanted to be in under these conditions. Clemson (21-11) lost Saturday in the ACC semifinals. Within 48 hours, the Tigers found themselves in Ohio going through final preparations for their biggest game of the season so far.

Think that’s bad? The winner has to rush down to Tampa, Fla., where it’ll meet fifth-seeded West Virginia (20-11) in the first game on Thursday’s docket.