FLORENCE, Ala. (November 17, 2023) – A classic in-state rivalry makes its way to Florence on Saturday evening, as the University of North Alabama men's basketball team welcomes Jacksonville State to CB&S Bank Arena on Saturday, Nov. 18 at 7:15 p.m.
 
Outside of West Alabama, UNA has faced Jacksonville State more than any other rival with Saturday marking the 88th all-time meeting. This will also be the 27th meeting between the two in Florence, with UNA holding a 14-12 advantage inside Flowers Hall.
 
Saturday's game is sponsored by United Community Bank. The first 100 children at Saturday's men's game will receive a free Piggy Bank courtesy of UCB.
 
Premium Seating at CB&S Bank Arena inside Flowers Hall 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.
 
Parking is available to the general public along the streets of Circular Road and Stewart Avenue, as well as the parking lot in front of Rice and Rivers Hall and the parking garage. Lots A-C at The Bill Jones Athletic Complex and below the arena are reserved parking spaces. There is also paid parking below the Science Building off Circular Road.
 
NOTES
 
LAST TIME OUT: North Alabama made its first road trip of the season on Tuesday at Mississippi State, falling 81-54 in Starkville. The Bulldogs are the fourth-best team UNA has ever faced in program history, according to the KenPom rankings who had MSU at No. 22 of 362 teams.
 
HOME SWEET HOME: The Lions are 2-1 on the season with both wins coming inside CB&S Bank Arena. Over the last two seasons, UNA owns an 11-4 record at home.
 
SCOUTING THE LIONS: UNA is averaging 76.7 points per game so far this season, including 88.0 PPG at home. Defensively, the Lions are allowing just 69.3 PPG and are averaging a solid 8.3 steals per game.
 
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT: Jacksonville State enters with a 1-2 record with a win over Brescia and losses to Utah Tech and West Virginia. The Utah Tech loss came in overtime, 81-79, and took place in Jacksonville. Saturday's game in Florence marks the second road battle in a stretch of five games for JSU. The Gamecocks are averaging 75.7 PPG while allowing just 64.0 PPG.
 
SERIES HISTORY: Jacksonville State leads the all-time series with a 57-40 record against the Lions. Last year, UNA and JSU battled twice as members of the ASUN Conference. The road team won both meetings, as UNA won the first battle in Pete Mathews Coliseum and JSU won the rematch at CB&S Bank Arena. JSU left the ASUN for Conference USA this offseason, meaning the two will play just one non-conference matchup this year.
 
EVEN STEVENS: UNA and Jacksonville State are nearly identical according to various men's basketball rankings. The Lions and Gamecocks are separated by just six spots in the KenPom ratings with UNA at 212 and JSU at 218 of 362 teams. In last year's net rankings, UNA and JSU finished back-to-back with the Gamecocks at 241 and the Lions at 242.
 
NEARING 1K: UNA's lone graduate transfer this season is forward Tim Smith Jr. by way of Walsh University. He scored 963 points in his career at Walsh and has already scored 33 points over three games at UNA. With 996 career points, he needs just four against Jacksonville State to join the 1,000 career point club.
 
MOVING UP THE RANKS: Smith Jr. is looking to join senior KJ Johnson in the 1,000 career points club on Saturday, as Johnson has 1,283 career points over five seasons split between UNA and Lipscomb. He scored his 1,000th career point last December against Williams — just one day removed from hitting the game-winner against Ole Miss for the program's first win over an SEC team. Johnson ranks fourth among current ASUN players and 90th all-time in career scoring while at an ASUN institution.
 
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, not including reigning ASUN Freshman of the Year and ASUN Sixth Man of the Year Jacari Lane who was first off the bench last season and leads all returners in scoring with 12.7 PPG.
 
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.
 
FAMILY TIES: Former Haleyville High School Drake James began his freshman season at UNA this season. James is the son of former Jacksonville State men's basketball player Shane James. Shane was a two-time all-conference honor roll selection while playing for the Gamecocks. His son now carries on the legacy on the other side of the rivalry following a storied high school career at Haleyville.
 
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 Saturday's game against Jacksonville State with 65 wins over six seasons.
 
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.