LAWRENCE, Kan. (November 16, 2024) – The University of North Alabama women's basketball team is set for two-straight Power Four road matchups against the Kansas Jayhawks and the No. 21 Nebraska Cornhuskers, starting Sunday in Lawrence, Kan.
The Lions hit the road for the third time this season, this time taking on a pair of basketball powerhouses in the Midwest. North Alabama those Big 12 and Big Ten enters with momentum after capturing a 71-62 win against Sun Belt foe South Alabama on Friday.
The Lions are no strangers to facing Power Four competition. Since UNA's first Division I year in 2018, North Alabama has faced 11 Power Four teams all-time, including a 74-71 win against Vanderbilt on Nov. 6, 2018. The win also marked the first in the Division I era.
The Kansas matchup will tip off Sunday at 2 p.m. from Allen Fieldhouse, while the Lions face Nebraska on Tuesday, Nov. 19 at 7 p.m. from Pinnacle Bank Arena. Both games will be available for streaming on ESPN+ and B1G+, and live stats will be provided courtesy of StatBroadcast.
Box scores and a recap will be posted on RoarLions.com following the action, but fans can follow along in real time on the North Alabama Women's Basketball social media pages.
GAME 1 INFO
Game: North Alabama at Kansas
Date: Sunday, November 17
Time: 2:00 p.m.
Location: Lawrence, Kan.
Venue: Allen Fieldhouse
Watch: ESPN+
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Tickets: Click here
Social Media: @UNAwbb
GAME 2 INFO
Game: North Alabama at Nebraska
Date: Tuesday, November 19
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Lincoln, Neb.
Venue: Pinnacle Bank Arena
Watch: B1G+
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Tickets: Click here
NOTES
LAST TIME OUT: North Alabama won the home opener in CB&S Bank Arena at Flowers Hall with a 71-62 win over the South Alabama Jags on Friday. The first meeting since the 1984-85 season, the Lions led wire-to-wire, holding off a South Alabama surge in the third quarter and finishing the win in the fourth. The win also marked first year UNA head coach Candi Whitaker's first win inside CB&S Bank Arena.
LIONS ON THE BOARD: North Alabama is in the top three of two statistical categories as a team, ranking among the best ASUN teams in three-point and free-throw percentage. UNA leads the league in three-point percentage (40.4 percent) while second in the conference in free-throw percentage (70.4).
E.K. FROM DISTANCE: Junior guard Emma Kate Tittle is among the best long-range shooters in the ASUN, ranking first in three-point field goals a game with three while third in three-point percentage (57.1).
CHARITY MAKES A CASE: Senior guard Charity Gallegos is making a statement in her first year at UNA. Gallegos averages 14.7 points per game, good for fourth in the conference. She's 10th in field-goal percentage (35.7 percent) and has the fifth-most assists in the league, averaging 3.7 assists per game.
SUPER CAM: Junior Cameron Jones is off to a career-best start in her third year for the Lions. The Broadview Heights, Ohio native is averaging a career-high 10.7 points per game, including a career-high 16-point performance against Tennessee Tech on Nov. 10. Jones has been a steady presence on the court and at the free-throw line, with her 88.9 percent rating fifth in the ASUN.
SCOUTING THE LIONS: In three contests so far, North Alabama's call to fame has been three-point shooting, free-throws and rebounding. The Lions are hitting threes at a 40.4 percent clip, compared to only 25 percent from opponents. UNA is also knocking down shots from the line, registering a 79.2 percent percentage to opponents' 68.6 percent. One of North Alabama's biggest advantages comes in rebounding, who lead 113-96 on the season.
SCOUTING KANSAS: The Jayhawks enter the contest undefeated on the season at 3-0 to start the season. Kansas opened with an exhibition win against Washburn before securing season wins against Lindenwood, Sam Houston State and Omaha. The Jayhawks were picked eighth in the Big 12 Preseason Poll, and Kansas' leading scorer S'Mya Nichols was voted as a preseason all-conference player. The Jayhawks are coached by Brandon Schneider.
SCOUTING NEBRASKA: The Huskers face the Lions with a 3-0 record on the season. Nebraska opened with a win against Omaha before nabbing two more wins against Southeastern Louisiana and Southern. The Huskers were ranked 23rd in both the USA Today/Women's Basketball Coaches Association and Associated Press poll, led by Preseason All-Big Ten honoree, Alexis Markowski. Leading the Huskers is ninth-year head coach Amy Williams.
PRESEASON RANKS: The Atlantic Sun Conference announced its 2024 preseason information for women's basketball on Oct. 10, with North Alabama voted seventh in the media poll and ninth in the coaches' poll.
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
