THE OFFICIAL ATHLETICS SITE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH ALABAMA LIONS

The 1978-79 UNA Lions (Above) were the first collegiate basketball team from the state of Alabama to win a National Championship

UNA MEN'S BASKETBALL HISTORY     
   

The men's basketball program at the University of North Alabama is one of the most successful in collegiate basketball, having claimed two national championships, made five Final Four appearances and played in nine NCAA championship tournaments.

The foundation for UNA's success in basketball, and its entire athletic program, was put in place by Eddie Flowers. After coming to UNA (then Florence State Teachers College) in 1929, Flowers began the school's athletic program in 1932 and coached the first basketball team that season. He remained as basketball coach until 1948 and as athletic director until 1969. When the Lions' new basketball facility was opened in 1972, it was only fitting that it be named for the founder of Lion athletics - Eddie Flowers - and was named Flowers Hall.

Ed Billingham was hired as the school's second men's basketball coach in 1948 and he directed the Lions for the next 24 years, winning 249 games. He also led the Lions to the NAIA National Tournament in 1960 and 1962.

Bill E. Jones was hired as UNA's third basketball head coach in 1972 and had a 28-17 record in two seasons. Lion basketball alumnus Bill L. Jones was hired in 1974 and the Lion basketball fortunes went to a new level. In 14 seasons, Jones led UNA to six NCAA Tournament appearances and four trips to the Final Four, including an NCAA Division II National Championship in 1979. UNA was the first college or university in the state to win a basketball national championship and is one of just four Division II programs to have won more than one Division II basketball championship. Jones led UNA to Gulf South Conference championships in 1977, 1981 and 1984 and GSC Tournament titles in 1981, 1984 and 1988. He led UNA to NCAA Tournaments in 1977, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1984 and 1988, with his teams winning regional crowns in 1977, 1979, 1980, 1981 and 1984. Under Jones, UNA went to the Final Four in 1977, 1979, 1980 and 1984. In 14 his seasons, Jones led his UNA squads to a combined 165-37 home record at Flowers Hall for an 81.7 winning percentage. He had an overall 259-141 record.

UNA's fourth head coach, Gary Elliott, continued the Lion's success story, taking his teams to a 270-150 record overall and a 148-49 record at home. In Elliott's 15 seasons, he led the Lions to their second national championship in 1991, four NCAA appearances in 1991, 1994, 1995, and 1996 and an average of better than 19 wins per season. The Lions  won 20 or more games five times under Elliott. Elliott, who retired at the end of the 2002-03 season, helped place UNA among the division's elite.

Bobby Champagne took over the Lions Basketball program for the 2003-04 campaign, leading the Lions to a 12-16 overall record his first season and a 14-14 mark the following year. UNA has advanced to the GSC Tournament in each of Champagne's nine seasons at the helm of the program. On Nov. 20, 2004, the Lions knocked off top-ranked Southern Indiana 78-75 at home on its way to a 10-4 record at Flowers Hall.

In 2006, the Lions returned to the NCAA tournament for the first time in 10 seasons finishing with an 18-11 record. Two years later, UNA was back in the Elite Eight. The Lions went 27-9 during the 2007-08 campaign and won the South Region Tournament before falling to top-ranked Bentley at the Mass Mutual Building in Springfield, Mass.

UNA posted back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances in 2012-13 and 2013-14, and brought home the 2014 Gulf South Conference Tournament championship with a 79-73 win over Christian Brothers in the title game. The Lions advanced to the second round of NCAA play before falling to regional champion Tuskegee to cap a 23-10 season.

A new era of UNA basketball began in 2018, as the Lions made the jump to NCAA Division I and joined the Atlantic Sun Conference. Leading UNA into the new era was head coach Tony Pujol, who has compiled 78 wins over six seasons entering 2024-25. Pujol and the Lions made a run to the ASUN conference championship game in 2021, falling 79-75 to Liberty. UNA appeared in its first postseason tournament in 2022-23, playing Southern Utah in the firts round of the CBI in Daytona, Fla. In 2024, the Lions made national headlines with a buzzer-beater against No. 3 Lipscomb to advance to the ASUN Semifinal Round.