Fresh off cruising to its first win of the season Monday night, the Troy University men’s basketball team will make the trek up I-65 to Birmingham tangle with in-state rival UAB.

Troy picked up the first win of the Phil Cunningham era Monday at Trojan Arena with a 102-69 rout of Division III LaGrange.

After the win, Cunningham said he didn’t have time to think about it being his first win, because he had work to do.

“We are already thinking about UAB,” Cunningham said. “In this sport man, they come so fast and furious, that you don’t have much time to think about that one before. You just have to keep moving.”

Troy is 0-6 all time against UAB, and got routed at home by the Blazers 75-55 a season ago.

“Coach Fletcher has looked at some tape on UAB already,” Cunningham said after Monday’s win. “They are a historically a really good basketball program, and I’m pretty sure they will be this year as well. Ole Miss and UAB are two of our tougher non-conference games we will play all season, and we got them right out of the gate.”

Troy was out rebounded by LaGrange, 49-25 Monday night. UAB out rebounded the Rutgers Scarlet Knights 54-27 in a 79-76 win for the Blazers.

UAB is 2-0 with wins over Columbus State and Rutgers.

The seventh ever meeting between the Blazers and Trojans is set for a 7 p.m. tip off Thursday at Bartow Arena.