FLORENCE, Ala. (November 8, 2023) – A pair of traditional in-state rivals will meet inside CB&S Bank Arena on Thursday night in Florence, as the University of North Alabama men's basketball team welcomes Alabama A&M for a 7 p.m. tip.
 
Thursday's game will be sponsored by Marriott Shoals.
 
Premium Seating at CB&S Bank Arena is sold out for the year, but general admission season tickets and single game tickets are still available. For ticket information, contact bbond@una.edu, call 256-765-5466 or visit online at this link.
 
GAMEDAY INFORMATION
Game: North Alabama vs. Alabama A&M
Date: Thursday, November 9
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Florence, Alabama
Venue: CB&S Bank Arena inside Flowers Hall
Capacity: 2,223
TV: ESPN+ — "Voice of the Lions" Benjamin Ray (PxP) and Matthew Daniels (Analyst)
Radio: WLX 98.3 / 103.5 FM — Josh Caray (PxP)
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Game Notes: Click here
Tickets: RoarLions.com
Social Media: @UNA_Basketball
 
NOTES
 
LAST TIME OUT: UNA opened the season with a 93-60 win on Monday against Blue Mountain Christian. The Toppers started hot with an 11-5 lead at the second media timeout, but were eventually toppled as the Lions took the lead midway through the first half and never looked back.
 
THE BANK IS OPEN: With Monday's win, the Lions have won each of the last 14 home openers and have a 10-4 record over the last two seasons at CB&S Bank Arena.
 
STRONG DEBUT FOR SMITH: Graduate transfer Tim Smith Jr. made a splash in his UNA debut on Monday, dropping 19 points and grabbing 10 rebounds for a double-double to lead in both categories. Smith Jr. shot 8-14 from the field and 3-5 behind the arc over 20 minutes of action.
 
USUAL SUSPECTS: The Lions started four returning players alongside Smith Jr., including KJ Johnson, Damian Forrest, Jacari Lane and Will Soucie. The quartet combined for 32 points, led by 15 points from Johnson. Forrest was two points shy of a double-double with eight points and 10 rebounds.
 
FEED FULCHER: Another player making his debut for UNA on Monday was junior guard Josiah Fulcher, who led all bench players with 18 minutes. He had an efficient night, shooting 6-6 from the floor with one triple to finish with 13 points and four rebounds. Head coach Tony Pujol also singled out Fulcher's defense, which resulted in a number of stops at the other end.
 
EVERYBODY, YEAH: The Lions dressed 15 players on Monday, and all 15 players saw action against the Toppers. Twelve of the 15 scored at least two points with three in double figures.
 
BUILDING ON SUCCESS: North Alabama finished with an 18-15 record last season, representing the most single-season wins since the Lions made the jump to NCAA Division I in 2018-19.
 
HUNTING ANOTHER POSTSEASON RUN: Last season, UNA played in the 2023 College Basketball Invitational (CBI) to mark the first postseason tournament in the program's NCAA Division I history. Prior to that, UNA's last postseason appearance was an NCAA Regional in 2013-14. UNA has participated in 14 NCAA Tournaments (all Division II), including five Final Four appearances and two National Championship wins.
 
THE ART OF BALANCE: The Lions have 16 players on the 2023-24 roster, including eight returning lettermen and eight newcomers. Of this group, there are three freshmen, three sophomores, six juniors, three seniors and one graduate student.
 
VETERAN LEADERSHIP: Experience is key for potential Atlantic Sun Conference contenders, and UNA brings that to the table this season with four returning starters. UNA returns 70 percent of its scoring to the starting lineup.
 
STAY IN YOUR LANE: Reigning ASUN Freshman of the Year and ASUN Sixth Man of the Year Jacari Lane played in all 33 games with eight starts last season, averaging a team-leading 16.6 points per game in ASUN games last season. He ranked sixth in the nation among all NCAA freshmen in conference scoring. Lane was selected to the Preseason All-ASUN team last month at the ASUN Tipoff Event.
 
ROOKIES RISE AT UNA: In the last five seasons, UNA leads all ASUN schools in all-freshman team selections with six. This includes current players Lane and junior Detalian Brown. The Lions have three freshmen this season — Canin Jefferson, Drake James and Hugh Hargett.
 
IRON MEN: Last season, the duo of now-junior Will Soucie and now-senior Damian Forrest started all 33 games. The two averaged a combined 15.7 points per game from their respective guard and forward positions. Brown and Soucie have the most career games at UNA under their belt with Brown at 86 and Soucie at 85 following Monday's opener. Forrest, in his third season, was an academic All-ASUN selection in 2023.
 
DYNAMIC DUO AT GUARD: The UNA backcourt will be strong with the battery of Lane and rising senior KJ Johnson. The pair combined for 25 points per game last season at UNA and combined for 207 assists. Johnson had a pair of memorable back-to-back games last year, including the game-winning shot to defeat Ole Miss 66-65 last December, then scoring his 1,000th career point the next day at home against Williams Baptist. The Lipscomb transfer enters his senior season with 1,241 career points.
 
PUJOL CONTINUES PROGRAM GROWTH: UNA head coach Tony Pujol enters his sixth season at the helm, serving as the first and only coach of UNA's Division I era. Pujol enters with 64 wins over six seasons to his name and led UNA to an 18-15 overall record in its first season out of the four-year Division I transition period.
 
THE VAULT IS UNA'S MOST VALUABLE ASSET: Under Pujol, the Lions are 22-2 in non-conference home contests over a span of six seasons. The men's basketball program often credits this to "the vault" — UNA's student section within CB&S Bank Arena located behind the UNA bench.
 
STRENGTH IN STAFF: The UNA men's basketball coaching staff experienced some restructuring this offseason, including the promotion of Ahmad Smith to Associate Head Coach and Sean Foley to Special Assistant to the Head Coach. Additions to the staff include Austin Burnette as an assistant coach, Landon Travis to handle basketball operations and Eric Wagenlander to direct efforts in player development. Assistant Coach Carter Heston and Director of Sport Performance Leo Stern also return from last year's staff.
 
PRESEASON POLLS: North Alabama was picked seventh of 12 teams in the preseason coaches and media poll for the ASUN. The Lions received one first place vote in the coaches poll. EKU was picked to win in both polls.
 
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.