GAME NOTES: The Sun Belt Conference meets Conference USA on Saturday night at Bartow Arena, as the ULM Warhawks visit the UAB Blazers in the season opener for both teams.

Although ULM's 2013-14 season did not appear to be very successful (10-17, 7-11 Sun Belt), it was a vast improvement for coach Keith Richard's squad, which won a combined 14 games in the previous three seasons.

UAB was also an improved team a year ago. After going 16-17 in Jared Haase's first season, the Blazers jumped to 18-13 (7-9 C-USA) in 2013-14, although they lost out an opportunity to go to a postseason tournament with three straight losses to close out the season, including in the second round of the C-USA Tournament to Charlotte (80-70).

The Blazers have won both previous meetings against the Warhawks, most recently in December of 2012, 79-69.

If the Warhawks are to improve once again this season, they will need to do so without two of their best playmakers in Amos Olatayo (13.2 ppg) and Jayon James (9.6 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 4.6 apg), who have both graduated. The cupboard isn't completely bare, however. Tylor Ongwae (16.2 ppg, 5.8 rpg) earned Third Team All-Sun Belt honors a year ago and he'll likely have free reign once again to control things on the offensive side of the court. Nick Coppola (6.9 ppg, 3.3 apg) is back as the starting point guard but shot a mere 37.4 percent from the floor. Marvin Williams (8.5 ppg, 4.8 rpg) and Chinedu Amajoyi (4.1 ppg, 3.0 rpg) are also back in the fray and will play pivotal roles.

The Blazers are going to have a new-look unit this season after the departures of five of their top six scorers, including Chad Frazier (17.7 ppg), who was kicked off the team in the offseason. The only returning starter is C.J. Washington (13.0 ppg, 6.9 rpg), who will be the unquestioned focal point this season as he's surrounded by a number of unknowns. UAB was fortunate enough to land a quality recruiting class that includes William Lee, Alabama's Gatorade Player of the Year, and Lewis Sullivan, who should both see immediate minutes in the frontcourt. Robert Brown, who made 25 starts for Virginia Tech in 2012-13 and sat out last season per NCAA transfer rules, will be a big boost to the backcourt.

The new-look Blazers still expect to have a solid frontcourt rotation a season after boasting a +8.1 rebounding margin, and Washington and company should be able to make a mark against an undersized ULM squad.