FLORENCE, Ala. (January 12, 2023) – The University of North Alabama men's basketball team will honor its past while sparking excitement for the future on Saturday inside CB&S Bank Arena, donning throwback "Florence State" uniforms for an ASUN matchup against Eastern Kentucky University set to tip at 7:15 p.m.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of UNA's name change from "Florence State University" to the "University of North Alabama" in 1974. The uniforms will be debuted during UNA's Gold Rush Game, as fans are encouraged to wear gold in support of the University's "Shine On, Gold" campaign. For more information,
click here.
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, B and 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.
GAMEDAY INFORMATION
Game: North Alabama vs. Eastern Kentucky
Date: Saturday, January 13
Time: 7:15 p.m.
Location: Florence, Alabama
Venue: CB&S Bank Arena at Flowers Hall
Capacity: 2,223
Watch:
ESPN+ — "Voice of the Lions" Benjamin Ray (PxP) and Matt Daniels (Analyst)
Radio:
WLX 98.3 / 103.5 FM — Kevin Johnson (PxP)
Live Stats:
StatBroadcast
Tickets:
RoarLions.com
Promotions: Martial Arts Night / Gold Rush / Throwback Uniforms
Game Sponsor: First Southern Bank
UNA Game Notes:
Click here
Social Media:
@UNA_Basketball
NOTES
LAST TIME OUT: North Alabama and Bellarmine had a defensive battle going in the first half, but the Lions lit up the net in the second half en route to a decisive 69-53 victory in Florence. UNA outscored the Knights 46-26 in the second half, overcoming a four-point deficit at the break. Five Lions scored in double figures, led by
Jacari Lane with 16 points.
SCOUTING THE LIONS: UNA is 7-9 overall and 1-1 in the ASUN entering Saturday. The Lions average 76.2 points per game and are one of the top free throw shooting teams in the league with a 74.9 free throw percentage. Lane leads the team with 14.1 PPG, while running mate
KJ Johnson averages 13.2 PPG and had 12 on Thursday against Bellarmine.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT: EKU was selected the favorite to win the ASUN this preseason and have so far lived up to the hype with a 3-0 record in league play. Despite the recent hot streak, the Colonels finished 4-9 in non-conference play with only one Division I win against Troy. The Colonels average 81.5 PPG to rank second in the league behind Kennesaw State. EKU is led by ASUN Preseason Player of the Year Devontae Blanton (13.5 PPG) and Preseason Defender of the Year Isaiah Cozart (15.7 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 63 blocks).
SERIES HISTORY: Saturday will be the fifth all-time meeting. The series has become an exciting recent rivalry and is currently split 2-2. All three regular season meetings have come down to the wire, including a 76-75 win at the buzzer by UNA and an 80-76 overtime win by EKU in the return trip to Richmond in 2022. Last season, UNA pulled out a thrilling 98-93 overtime road win in Richmond, but were eliminated by the Colonels 10 days later in the ASUN Quarterfinal Round. Saturday's meeting will be just the second to happen in Florence.
100 FOR SOUCIE: Fourth-year Lion
Will Soucie played his 100th career game for UNA on Thursday, becoming just the second player to accomplish this in UNA's Division I era (since 2018). He sits behind former standout Jamari Blackmon with 113 games played from 2018-2022. Another fourth year Lion,
Detalian Brown, is at 99 and will play his 100th game with an appearance against EKU.
CLAMPS WERE ON: On Thursday, UNA held Bellarmine to just 53 points, which is the lowest scoring output by a Division I opponent against UNA since 2021 when Alabama A&M scored 45 points in a losing effort. This marked the second time UNA held an opponent under 60 points with the other coming in a 61-59 win over Jacksonville State in November.
BALL PROTECTION: Senior guard
KJ Johnson has been remarkable at protecting and facilitating the last few games, totaling 11 assists with zero turnovers in the last three games. He also has 23 assists and just five turnovers in the last six games. As a team, UNA has won the turnover battle 10 of 16 times this season.
TALE OF TWO HALVES: In the first two games of conference play, UNA outscored Central Arkansas and Bellarmine by a combined 99-64 in the second half.
FOUR OVER A THOUSAND: The Lions have four players on the active roster who have scored 1,000 career points — Johnson,
Tim Smith Jr.,
Marco Foster and Damain Forrest. Johnson accomplished the feat last season, while Smith Jr. did so against Jacksonville State this season. Foster and Forrest hit the marks in each of the last two games against Rust College and Morehead State, respectively.
ELITE COMPANY: UNA is one of nine known schools in Division I basketball with at least four 1,000 point scorers when factoring in players who scored some of their totals at the JUCO level. The list is led by St. John's (NY) with six, followed by TCU and Missouri with five. North Alabama is joined by Tennessee, Villanova, St. Bonaventure, Memphis and New Mexico with four.
ON THE HORIZON: Saturday will wrap up a three-game home stand to open conference play. Next week, UNA travels across the state line to Austin Peay on Thursday and Lipscomb on Saturday. The three-game road swing ends the following Wednesday, Jan. 24 at defending ASUN champion Kennesaw State.
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
