It's been a stellar decade for the Alabama men's basketball team.

The Auburn Tigers came close to a national championship in 2019, which defined their momentum. The Alabama Crimson Tide, the No. 1 team in the country this fall, made their first Final Four appearance three months ago. Just last season, the once-struggling Samford Bulldogs, with their gritty veteran roster, had their best season in school history.

But among the state's recent successes, it shouldn't be overlooked that one of the winningest basketball programs in the country continues to be a model of consistency.

Over their 46-year history, the UAB Blazers have been one of the best mid-major teams in the country and are often ranked among the top 75 programs in college basketball history, and the past four seasons have been no exception: since head coach Andy Kennedy took over in 2020, UAB has won 101 games, won two conference championships and made multiple NCAA Tournament appearances.

UAB's recent dominance is historic: According to college basketball data archive Sports-Reference, the Blazers have won more games than all but nine Division I teams over the last decade.

Since 2020, UAB has recorded more wins than Auburn, Tennessee, Duke, North Carolina, Virginia and Villanova, far outperforming notable mid-major schools such as Loyola Chicago, Florida Atlantic, Memphis, Dayton and Saint Mary's, and dominating notable intra-conference rivals such as Wichita State and Temple.

Samford, the state's other successful mid-major school, has won 24 fewer games than UAB since 2020. In that same span, the Blazers have won 21 games against KenPom top 100 teams, while the Bulldogs have won two.

RELATED: Andy Kennedy talks about how UAB basketball was better in the NIL era

According to NCAA data, UAB's winning percentage so far is 63.07%, the 28th-best among D1 programs in the country. That percentage is tops among all Alabama teams, ranking UA 34th nationally (62%) and Auburn not even in the top 50. Among programs outside of the “Power 6” conferences, UAB's winning percentage is 10th, behind only traditional powerhouses like UNLV.

Much of the Blazers' success can be attributed to their highest player retention rate of any team in the country: They have never traded a star player in their history, a streak that continues into the NIL era.

“I think there's a belief here, a trust: 'Hey, if I come here, they're going to deliver on what they promised and put me in the best position possible,'” Kennedy told Yellow Hammer in April.

RELATED: 'The Yaks are back!' – UAB star forward announces he's staying

The Blazers have used the transfer portal to accumulate talent without losing many players.

“lots of [our] “Players have bounced around to two or three schools and they want stability to develop in,” Kennedy said. “What better platform could there be than what we've been offering?”

The Blazers are expected to be one of the top teams in the country again next season, and UAB returns star forward Jaxel Lendeborg and nearly all of its key players, plus several highly-anticipated transfers.

UAB will be in my top 25 next season, and they have had a perfect offseason so far. https://t.co/kOF11jL6XX

— Tristan Freeman (@hoopsnut351) April 22, 2024

Charles Vaughn is a sports analyst and contributing writer for Yellow Hammer News.