CHARLOTTE, N.C. (January 20, 2026) – The University of North Alabama men's basketball team will look to fast track its way back into Atlantic Sun Conference contention in the "Stock Car Racing Capitol of the World" on Wednesday, as the Lions battle Queens in at 6 p.m. CT in Charlotte, N.C.
The Lions are coming off a pair of tough losses at home but won their most recent road game with an 82-73 win on Jan. 10. Queens is currently the top team in the ASUN with a perfect 6-0 record.
The game will stream on ESPN+ at 6 p.m. CT.
UNA fans can also catch the local radio broadcast with "Voice of the Lions"
Benjamin Ray on all Roar Lions Productions platforms, including Facebook, X, YouTube, Twitch, RoarLions.com and the Varsity Network app. The "Countdown to Tipoff" show begins at 5:40 p.m.
GAME INFORMATION
Game: North Alabama vs. Queens
Date: Wednesday, January 21
Time: 6 p.m. CT
Location: Charlotte, North Carolina
Venue: Curry Arena
Capacity: 2,500
Watch:
ESPN+ (Nick Klos, Josh Springer, Hannah Bradey)
Listen:
Roar Lions Productions ("Voice of the Lions"
Benjamin Ray)
Live Stats:
StatBroadcast
Tickets:
Click Here
Game Notes:
Click Here
Social Media:
@UNA_Basketball
NOTES
LAST TIME OUT: North Alabama capped off a challenging weekend in Florence with a 90-68 loss to Jacksonville inside CB&S Bank Arena.
Corneilous Williams and
Kevin de Kovachich each finished with 17 points, while
Dallas Howell added 11. In two games last week, Williams average 22.5 points and 10.0 rebounds per game following a 28 point, 14 rebound double-double against North Florida. The Lions will look to snap a two-game skid Wednesday, as UNA beat Bellarmine last Saturday on the road.
SCOUTING THE LIONS: UNA is currently 6-11 overall and 1-5 in ASUN play. The Lions have four players averaging double figures with Williams,
Donte Bacchus and
Canin Jefferson all averaging at least 13 PPG. Sophomore
Kevin de Kovachich, who had 17 points in the last game, is averaging 11.1 PPG. UNA ranks among the top NCAA teams in fewest turnovers, fewest fouls per game and most blocks.
SCOUTING THE ROYALS: Queens is currently the top team in the ASUN with a perfect 6-0 record, defeating EKU, Bellarmine, Jacksonville, North Florida, FGCU and Stetson. The Lions and Royals have played the same opponents so far with the locations flipped. The Royals lead the ASUN with 84.2 PPG and have five scorers in double figure averages. Senior guard Nasir Mann is the reigning ASUN Player of the Week and leads Queens with 14.3 PPG, while ASUN Preseason Player of the Year Chris Ashby averages 11.9 PPG. Grant Leonard is in his fourth season as head coach and 13th overall with the program.
SERIES HISTORY: There have been four meetings between Queens and UNA — all since 2022. The home team has won each meeting with Queens winning in 2023 and UNA winning in 2024. The two sides split last season's meetings with Queens winning 75-67 in Charlotte and UNA winning 74-69 in Florence. The win for UNA came in the regular season finale, clinching a share of the ASUN Regular Season Championship and
Tony Pujol's 100th career win.
CAREER HIGHS: In the first five games of ASUN play, UNA had seven players tie or set a new career high in scoring. Those players include four starters —
Corneilous Williams (28 points),
Canin Jefferson (24),
Dallas Howell (24) and
Donte Bacchus (22). The other three are sophomore
DarKaun King (11) and true freshmen
Braylon Patton (13) and
Cortez Graham-Howard (10).
WATCH WILLIAMS: Corneilous Williams ranks atop the ASUN with 9.8 rebounds per game. He currently ranks 22nd in the NCAA in rebounds per game and 13th in offensive rebounding with nearly four per game. He is also one of 39 players in the NCAA with seven or more double-doubles.
SIX YEARS, NEW HEIGHTS: Last Thursday, sixth-year senior
Dallas Howell passed Jamari Blackmon for the second-most career Division I games in a Lion uniform in a start against North Florida. One game prior to that, Howell scored a career-high 24 points in a win over Bellarmine.
SIX YEARS OF HOWELL: Howell has been with the program since 2020, earning a COVID season and an injury redshirt last season. He is one of just seven known players in Division I this season to play for six seasons. However, Howell is the only one of those seven to do it at the same school. The other schools with a sixth-year player include Oklahoma, Iowa State, USC, Texas, Bowling Green and Tarleton State.
CARDIAC LIONS: Last season, UNA finished with an 0-8 record when trailing at halftime. All 24 wins came when tying or ahead at the break. This season, however, UNA has a 4-7 record when trailing at the break, including a 33-32 deficit at the break against Bellarmine. UNA also overcame halftime deficits against Jax State, San Francisco and Lane College.
TRENDS TO WATCH: UNA is 5-2 when outscoring opponents in the paint and 6-1 when outrebounding opponents this season. The Lions, oddly, are 1-4 when shooting over 40 percent behind the arc while 5-7 when shooting under 40 percent.
SHOWING UP: UNA looks to lead the ASUN in average attendance for a second straight season, currently averaging 2,300 fans per game. The Lions averaged 2,367 fans per game last season, ranking ahead of FGCU and Lipscomb in second and third, respectively.
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
