By Ryan Nelson (@TheRyanNelson_)

UAB Blazers 

UAB is set to host their in-state rival Auburn this Saturday in primetime. Unlike last season's matchup, the Blazers will play in the comfort of Bartow arena. Which will likely mean discomfort for the Tigers. 

'Rivalry' and 'passion', two words fans of the Blazers and Tigers haven't experienced in Birmingham since 1995. Now these teams will add yet another chapter to their historic rivalry. 

If "#Blockingham'' is any indication, the Blazers pride themselves on their ability to deny shots at the rim. The Blazers lead the conference in total blocks (42). 

2015 Conference USA defensive player of the year, F William Lee, leads this team in blocks per game (3.0). Head coach Rob Ehsan wants to see the ball flying away from the rim as early in the game as possible. 

Expect the Blazers' offensive production to come from F Chris Cokley, who leads the team in scoring (13.7 PPG). 

UAB head coach Rob Ehsan showed he is unafraid to go with the hot hands, mean bench players F Tosin Mehinti, G Tyler Madison, G Denzell Watts, and G Javien Williams, can see extended minutes. 

Ehsan's squad entered the 2016-17 as the favorite to win it all in C-USA, according to the head basketball coaches in the league. The Blazers were riding a school record 26-game home win streak before losing the Furman at home 84-74, on November 14th. The Blazers were regular season conference champs in the 2015-16 season. 

The Blazers biggest weakness is their inability to score the rock consistently. Right now they're tied for 198th in the country in scoring, with 73.7 points per game. 

Auburn Tigers 

The Tigers can maul teams offensively. They're coming off a 90-83 win over USC Upstate. Auburn ranks fourth in the SEC in scoring (79.8), and have two freshmen amongst the top 10 scoring leaders in the conference. G Mustafa Heron, who is averaging 16.2 PPG, and F Danjel Purifoy averages 14.7 PPG. 

Freshman G Jared Harper also ranks among the best scorers in the SEC. The freshman is 31st in the conference in scoring with 10.5 PPG. 

Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl may be taking his team into unfamiliar territory, but he has the advantage of taking a squad the Blazers haven't seen before into Birmingham. 

"UAB is looking at us going, 'Gosh, that's a brand new team again,'" said Pearl. "It's a completely different group."

The Tigers have struggled on the defensive end of the court this season. Right now they're ranked 215th in points allowed (73.2). They'll need a strong offensive effort against a team known for being stout defensively. 

Watch LIVE STREAM on Facebook

Don't have beIN SPORTS? No problem, this game will be live-streamed on Facebook Saturday December 3rd, at 8PM ET. Visit beIN SPORTS USA on Facebook to learn more.