FLORENCE, Ala. (November 24, 2025) – The University of North Alabama men's basketball team will play one final time in CB&S Bank Arena this calendar year, welcoming the UT Southern Firehawks on Tuesday at noon.
The early tipoff will provide a jumpstart on the Thanksgiving holiday for the Lions, who will not play against until Monday, Dec. 1 at Jacksonville State. UNA's last four non-conference games will be on the road.
UNA will be accepting canned foods in the front lobby as part of a Thanksgiving Canned Food Drive for those in need during the holidays.
The game will be available on
ESPN+ with "Voice of the Lions"
Benjamin Ray and Bryan Neece on the call.
Chase Glover will serve as courtside reporter. Fans can also catch
Grant Wakefield on Roar Lions Productions, available on Facebook, X (Twitter), YouTube, Twitch, RoarLions.com and the Varsity Network app. To find your preferred listening method,
click here.
Tickets are available by calling 256-765-5466 (LION) or by visiting
this link.
Fans are encouraged to arrive early for the game, as parking is limited due to ongoing construction. As such, the lot near the Hal Self Athletic Annex will be unavailable. Violators will be towed if parked in the construction zone.
Lots A and B will be in the parking lot directly below Flowers Hall. Lot A pass holders will have coned off spots near the staircase. Shuttles will be available to take fans up to the field house lot for entry into CB&S Bank Arena.
Lot C parking will be in the parking lot below the Mitchell Burford Science and Technology Building. Residential Students will have access into Lot C with their hang tags. The public can also park in this lot for $12.
Limited handicap parking will be available in front of the CB&S Bank Arena ticket office.
GAME INFORMATION
Game: North Alabama vs. UT Southern
Date: Tuesday, November 25
Time: 12 p.m. (noon)
Location: Florence, Alabama
Venue: CB&S Bank Arena
Capacity: 3,000
Promotions: Canned Food Drive
Watch:
ESPN+ ("Voice of the Lions"
Benjamin Ray, Bryan Neece,
Chase Glover)
Radio:
Roar Lions Productions (
Grant Wakefield)
Live Stats:
StatBroadcast
Tickets:
Click Here
Game Notes:
Click Here
Social Media:
@UNA_Basketball
NOTES
LAST TIME OUT: Sophomore guard
Kevin de Kovachich had his sixth straight game with double-digit scoring to open the season, but defending NIT champion Chattanooga proved to be too much to handle in a 71-57 loss for North Alabama on Saturday in Tennessee. The Lions jumped ahead early with a 7-0 run, but the Mocs settled in and tied the game at 13-13 with 8:06 left in the half. UTC took a seven-point lead at the break and extended to double digits in the second half.
SCOUTING THE LIONS: The Lions enter with a 2-4 record with home wins over Lane and Northwestern State. UNA is averaging 71.8 points per game with four starters averaging double digits. Leading that charge is de Kovachich, who has scored in double figures in all six games to start the season. He leads the team with 14.7 points per game, while
Corneilous Williams averages 12.8 PPG and a remarkable 10.5 rebounds per game.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT: UT Southern has a 5-3 record to start the season and is coming off a pair of conference games, which it split with a loss to University of Mobile and a win over Faulkner. UT Southern competes at the NAIA level as a member of the Southern States Athletic Conference. The Firehawks average 77.3 PPG with just 69.6 PPG allowed. Senior guard Mike Bell Jr. leads the squad with 15.3 PPG. Tuesday will be UT Southern's first game against a Division I opponent since an exhibition at Tennessee Tech in 2023.
SERIES HISTORY: The Lions have a 6-0 record against UT Southern that dates back to 1994. The last time these two teams met came in 2018 during UNA's first Division I season. UNA won this game 80-68 in
Tony Pujol's first season at the helm. UNA also won meetings in 1994, 1995, 2010, 2014 and 2017.
TURKEY BOWL: Since the first season of Division I in 2018, UNA is 4-0 in home games during the week of Thanksgiving. The first of those came in 2018 with the 80-68 win over UT Southern, who was then known as Martin Methodist. UNA also defeated Mississippi Valley State in 2019 (73-50), Oakwood in 2021 (105-50) and Dalton State in 2024 (100-69).
UNA vs. NON-DIVISION I: UNA has a 21-0 record against non-Division I teams since the move to Division I in 2018, including a win over Lane College this season. All 21 games were coached by
Tony Pujol.
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.
THRILL NEIL: Williams currently ranks 21st in the NCAA with 63 rebounds over six games. He also ranks 23rd in the NCAA with 11.4 RPG. Both totals lead the ASUN. Williams was named Atalntic Sun Conference Player of the Week last Monday after averaging 17.5 PPG and 14.0 RPG.
NO FOUL TROUBLE: So far this season, UNA has only committed 15.8 fouls per game which ranks as the second fewest in the ASUN and the 55th fewest of 364 teams in the country. Drake leads the NCAA with 12.3 fouls per game.
Kevin de Kovachich and
Jamal Albritton are the only two players to foul out in a game so far.
DEPTH PIECES: 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 and had 13 against Chattanooga. In the three games prior against Lane, Northwestern State and ETSU, the Lions had a combined 22 bench points.
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, 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 is in his eighth season at the helm and has 104 wins.
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
