CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (November 21, 2025) – For the first time since 1970, the University of North Alabama men's basketball team will battle Chattanooga with a Saturday showdown scheduled for 3:30 p.m. CT in Chattanooga, Tenn.
This will be the second of two games for UNA in the scheduling alliance between the Atlantic Sun Conference and the Southern Conference. UNA hosted ETSU last week, falling 78-74 in a tight battle.
Fans can watch on ESPN+ or obtain tickets through the Chattanooga ticket office. Due to home events, there will not be a UNA radio broadcast for this game.
GAME INFORMATION
Game: North Alabama vs. Chattanooga
Date: Saturday, November 22
Time: 3:30 p.m. CT
Location: Chattanooga, Tennessee
Venue: McKenzie Arena
Capacity: 4,177
Watch: ESPN+
Live Stats: SIDEARM
Tickets: Click Here
Game Notes: Click Here
Social Media: @UNA_Basketball
NOTES
LAST TIME OUT: North Alabama faced perhaps the toughest opponent on the schedule Monday night at Clemson, falling 81-61 to the Tigers in South Carolina. The Lions swapped the lead a few times early on and outscored the Tigers in the second half, but Clemson overpowered with stellar first half shooting and jumped to a sustainable lead by the intermission. Clemson is currently the highest-ranked team for UNA — 27th in the KenPom.
SCOUTING THE LIONS: UNA has a 2-3 overall record with both wins coming at home. All three losses have come against tough opponents, including high-majors Mississippi State and Clemson and ETSU, who is receiving votes in the College Insider Mid-Major Top 25. Redshirt junior Corneilous Williams is UNA's man-in-the-middle, averaging 13.8 points per game and 11.4 rebounds per game, which leads the ASUN and ranks 12th in the country. Sophomore guard Kevin de Kovachich leads the team with 14.0 PPG and has scored in double figures all five games this season.
SCOUTING THE MOCS: Chattanooga has a 2-3 record with wins over Union Commonwealth and South Carolina State and losses to St. Mary's, UNLV and ASUN member FGCU. Despite having a three-game skid before Wednesday's win over SCSU, Chattanooga has won 19 of the last 24 games, including five wins in the postseason to win the 2025 NIT Championship. Jordan Frison and Teddy Washington Jr. led the way in scoring last time out, and both guards are averaging 13.0 PPG for the season.
SERIES HISTORY: This will be the 25th meeting between UNA and Chattanooga and the first since 1970. Chattanooga has a 17-7 advantage, including seven straight from 1967-70. UNA hunts its first win over UTC since 1966 and first road win at UTC since 1953.
LIONS AGAINST THE SOCON: The Lions look to change their fortunes against SoCon opponents, as UNA does not currently have a winning record against any SoCon schools all-time. This includes a 14-16 record against Samford and 0-1 records against ETSU, Wofford, Western Carolina, VMI and UNCG. The Lions seek their first win over a SoCon team since beating Samford in 2019.
DEPTH EXPERIENCE: In the first four games of the season, UNA was heavily reliant on the starting five. Those five players entered the Clemson game averaging no less than 31 minutes per game. In the Clemson game, UNA got the bench involved in the second half and 11 different players scored at least one field goal. UNA finished with a season-high 22 bench points against the Tigers. In the three games prior against Lane, Northwestern State and ETSU, the Lions 22 bench points combined.
A ONE YEAR STREAK: Before the loss to ETSU, UNA had a 16-game winning streak at home that spanned exactly 365 days, including 11 wins over ASUN opponents. This was the fifth-longest streak in the nation behind St. Thomas (W19), Akron (W18), Duke (W18) and Miami Ohio (W17). The last time UNA lost at home before ETSU was a 97-96 overtime loss to Samford, who was then the defending Southern Conference champion. Both losses came on Nov. 15, 2024 and Nov. 15, 2025.
PUJOL CAN PULL WINS: Since Tony Pujol took over at UNA in 2018 — the first season of Division I basketball — the Lions have a 33-5 record at home against non-conference opponents. UNA also went 11-0 against ASUN opponents in The Bank last season.
C2 IN THE RANKS: Redshirt junior Corneilous Williams currently ranks 12th in the NCAA with 57 rebounds over five games. He also ranks 12th in the NCAA with 11.4 RPG. Both totals lead the ASUN.
DOUBLE FIGURE PLAYER: Sophomore Kevin de Kovachich has scored double figures in all five games this season and leads the Lions with 14.0 PPG. He is also the only Lion with five or more assists in a game so far.
WASHINGTON THE COMMANDER: Despite playing just eight minutes last Tuesday, junior forward Tank Washington played hero in overtime against Northwestern State. He scored his first two points as a Lion with a go-ahead layup to make it 83-81 with 2:06 left in overtime. Later, with the Lions up 85-83, Washington was guarding leading scorer Micah Thomas, forced him into a bad shot, then cleaned up the offensive rebound with a game-winning block with one second left. This ultimately secured the win.
PRESEASON HYPE: The Lions were picked first in the ASUN Preseason Media Poll and second in the ASUN Preseason Coaches Poll last month. UNA was also the only team to have more than one player on the all-conference preseason team, as both Corneilous Williams and Donte Bacchus were voted. Williams was one of two unanimous picks along with ASUN Preseason Player of the Year Chris Ashby from Queens.
LOCKED IN: Back in August, UNA Director of Athletics Dr. Josh Looney announced a new five-year contract for head men's basketball coach Tony Pujol on Monday, extending him through the 2029-30 season. Pujol was hired on April 2, 2018 and has been the program's only coach during the Division I era. He enters his eighth season at the helm and has 104 wins over eight seasons.
ON DECK: The Lions kick off Thanksgiving week with a Tuesday matinee against UT Southern. The opening tip is set for noon inside CB&S Bank Arena.
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
