That statement was they're not going away.
The Hilltoppers (11-10 overall, 3-5 Conference USA) moved past a dreadful road swing by using UAB to send a message.
They never trailed the league-leading Blazers, snapping UAB's nation-best 14-game winning streak with a 69-62 win in front of 3,892 fans at E.A. Diddle Arena.
"Tonight, we played for each other a little bit more and came in with the mindset that no matter, stick together, keep fighting, keep chipping away," graduate senior guard Aaron Cosby said. "We came out on fire, getting stops, and they made a little run.