RELIVE THE RUN TO THE ELITE 8

05.15.10

GRADUATION

Two members of the UNA Basketball Team graduated May 15th. Doug Hunter and Corey Speight celebrated in the graduation ceremonies held in Flowers Hall. Hunter a 6'7" forward, earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree. Speight, a 6'1" received a Master's of Education. Hunter will return next season for his final year of eligibility and Speight will enter the workforce.


This is a very exciting time for everyone associated with the UNA Basketball Program. We look forward to watching these young men as they make valuable contributions to our community

01.27.10

BOUNCING BACK

Six players reached double digits in scoring as the University of North Alabama men's basketball team raced past Concordia-Selma 116-78 Saturday evening at Flowers Hall. Rory Miller led all scorers with 32 points as the Lions climbed back above the .500 mark for the season with a 10-9 record.

Miller reached at least 30 points for the second consecutive game, this time, getting the total in only 26 minutes of playing time. The Lions built a 52-32 lead at the break before scoring 64 points in the second half.

Jared Strode added 24 points for North Alabama while Eddie Lima just missed a double-double with 13 points and nine rebounds. Daviel Clements (12 points), Marquel Darrington (11 points) and Warrick Mastin (10 points) rounded out the top scorers for the Lions. Concordia (1-15) was led by Gabriel Ball's 18 points.

In the second half, UNA shot a blistering 65.7 percent from the field. The Lions led by as many as 42 points after a layup by Lima with 1:16 remaining.

UNA will hit the road for another non-conference match-up on Thursday. The Lions will take on Lambuth with tip-off set for 8 p.m. in Jackson, Tenn.

01.22.10

TOUGH WEEK

Late three-point baskets by West Alabama and Alabama-Huntsville costs the University of North Alabama men's basketball team a pair of road Gulf South Conference victories last week.

On Saturday, Jason Swanson connected on a buzzer-beating three-pointer to give West Alabama a 78-76 home win. Two days later, UAH guard Josh Magette drained a pair of long-range shots in the final two minutes to lift the Chargers to a 87-78 victory at Spragins Hall. With the two losses, UNA falls to 8-9 overall with a 1-3 showing in GSC play. Against West Alabama, the Lions rallied from a 17-point second-half deficit to take the lead in the final minute of play. A jumper by Jared Strode put UNA on top 76-75 with 13 seconds remaining. Swanson, however, was able to connect on his first three-point basket of the season to give UWA the victory.

Rory Miller led the Lions with 26 points on the night. Strode added 20 points and six rebounds, while Daviel Clements tossed in 17 points for UNA. In the UAH game, Magette scored a team-high 16 points, including a pair of clutch three-pointers as the Chargers improved to 13-4 on the season. His first one gave UAH a 79-74 lead with 1:50 remaining. He then drained another at the 1:14 mark to put the game out of reach.

Clements led the Lions with 25 points on the night. Miller added 22 points and seven rebounds while Strode tossed in 13 points for UNA. North Alabama will travel to Pensacola, Fla., for its next road GSC match-up on Jan. 20. The Lions will take on West Florida Wednesday with tip-off set for 7 p.m. at the UWF Field House.

01.15.10

BUZZ BEATING LOSS

West Alabama's Jason Swanson drained a three-point basket as time expired to lift the Tigers to a 78-76 Gulf South Conference win over UNA Thursday evening at Pruitt Hall on the UWA campus.

The Lions had battled back from a 17-point second-half deficit to take a 76-75 lead on a jumper by Jared Strode with 13 seconds remaining. Swanson, however, gave UWA its first conference victory with the three-pointer as the Tigers improved to 10-8 overall in 1-1 in league play. With the loss, North Alabama falls to 8-8 overall and 1-2 in the GSC.

West Alabama took a 39-27 lead at the break, and stretched the advantage to 17 points early in the second half. A layup by Brandon Hampton gave the Tigers a 56-39 advantage with 13:33 remaining.

The Lions were able to slowly chip away at the deficit and grab a one-point advantage in the final minute of play. With UWA leading 75-71, Daviel Clements hit a three-pointer with 37 seconds left. UNA was able to force a turnover on the ensuing possession to set up Strode s final shot. The three-pointer left just enough time for the Tigers to come back down the floor for the game-winner.

Rory Miller led the Lions with 26 points on the night. Strode added 20 points and six rebounds, while Clements tossed in 17 points for UNA.

UNA will play at Alabama-Huntsville in another key GSC road game Saturday. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. at Spragins.

01.10.10

LIONS OPEN WITH CONFERENCE WIN

The North Alabama men's basketball team shot nearly 60 percent from the floor in the second half to maintain its half-time lead over West Georgia and open Gulf South Conference play with an 84-70 over the Wolves Saturday evening at Flowers Hall.

Rory Miller scored 13 points in the first half and gave the Lions their largest lead of the half when he converted a three-point play to make it 33-24. West Georgia (7-8, 0-1) trimmed the margin to 36-33 before Jacobe Shannon scored three points in a 5-0 run that helped UNA take a 41-35 lead into halftime.

The Lions used their transition game to keep the momentum early in the second half. Miller opened the half with a three-point play after scoring on a fast-break and Jared Strode followed with layup and a dunk to extend the lead to 48-35. The Lions were 16-of-27 over the final 20 minutes to extend a 41-35 advantage to a 12-point victory.

UNA improved to 8-6 on the season with a 1-0 early showing in the GSC. Strode led all scorers with 24 points for the Lions. The senior from Winchester, KY, was 9-of-13 from the floor and added six free throws. He scored 15 points in the second half as UNA pulled away.
Miller finished the game with 20 points and 7 rebounds. Daviel Clements came off the bench and added 16 points. Shannon took advantage of his second start of the season and led UNA with 8 rebounds and 5 assists. The junior from Baton Rouge, LA also had 3 steal and no turnovers in 27 minutes of play. Brett Jackson also had a solid performance adding 7 points, 4 rebounds, 3 steals and 3 blocks.

West Georgia was led by Deion Sims 21-point effort.

North Alabama will host Valdosta State on Sunday in a rescheduled GSC contest from earlier in the week. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m. at Flowers Hall.

01.06.10

LIONS GET A WIN

North Alabama picked up some much-needed momentum entering Gulf South Conference play Monday night with a 76-67 victory over Southern Arkansas.

Jared Strode led four players in double figures with 19 points as the Lions (7-6) never trailed. Strode scored 14 of his points in the second half as the Lions held off the Muleriders in their final game before Thursday's GSC opener against Valdosta State.

"I hope this gives us a lift for conference play," coach Bobby Champagne said. "It's a long road trip and we're going to have a quick turnaround for Thursday's game, but it was good to get this one and get a split on the road."

Brett Jackson helped the Lions get off to a good start. The sophomore forward was 5-for-5 from the floor and had 6 rebounds in the first half.

The Lions jumped out to a quick lead and pushed the margin to 23-13 after a layup by Daviel Clements. Southern Arkansas (5-7), however, rallied to tie it at 26-all just before halftime. But a layup by Clements and a 3-pointer at the buzzer by Warrick Mastin sent UNA into halftime with a 31-26 advantage.

"We got off to a good start, but then we didn't finish well," Champagne said. "We were lucky to get back up by 5 at halftime. They started pressing us and we got rattled."

The Muleriders tied it at 37 early in the second half before a 3-pointer by Jacobe Shannon put the Lions up for good. UNA later scored three consecutive baskets off of offensive rebounds with Strode, Rory Miller and Mastin getting the baskets to extend the lead to 52-44.

SAU managed just 14 of 28 free throws and connected only once on 11 three-point attempts on the night. Add in 22 turnovers and it made for too big a hill to climb as the Lions built 14-point leads twice in the second half en route to the win. Jacobe Shannon gave UNA a 58-44 advantage at 8:17 on a trey and then built the same margin at 69-55 with two free throws with 2:52 left to play. Southern Arkansas got no closer than eight points the rest of the way as North Alabama rolled on to the nine-point victory.

Miller and Shannon then hit back-to-back 3-pointers to give UNA its largest lead at 58-44. The Lions made just 12-of-24 free throws in the second half, but hit enough the maintain a comfortable lead.

Jackson finished with 12 points for the Lions, while Clements and Miller scored 11 each. Shannon had 9 points off the bench.

"We went to our bench early in the second half and those guys gave us a spark," Champagne said. "Jacobe Shannon played the rest of the way at point guard and did a nice job."

Channin Harden scored 16 points to lead Southern Arkansas. The Muleriders made just one 3-pointer on the night. UNA also held a 33-29 rebounding advantage.

"We did a good job of getting in front of them and not giving them any 3-pointers," Champagne said. "It was good to have 11 offensive rebounds because several of them were huge."

Thursday's GSC opener against Valdosta State has been rescheduled for Sunday at 3:00pm at Flowers Hall. The game was changed due to the inclement weather predicted for the Shoals on Thursday. UNA will host West Georgia on Saturday at 3:00pm at Flowers Hall.

01.05.10

SNOW STORM

Due to the pending snow storm we are re-scheduling the VSU Basketball games from Thursday, Jan. 7 to Sunday, Jan. 10. The game times are 1:00pm (Women) and 3:00pm (Men).

Please communicate (over-communicate, if that is possible) this information to our fans, staff, ticket and table workers, officials, and students.

We will still have the "Take a Parent to the Game" promotion for the elementary schools for this event on Sunday.

Thanks,

Mark D. Linder
Director of Athletics
University of North Alabama

01.03.10

UNA HOLDS OFF HARDING FOR 91-87 VICTORY

Daviel Clements layup with 24 seconds remaining gave North Alabama a one-point lead and the Lions forced two turnovers and hit 3-of-4 free throws the rest of the way to hold on for a 91-87 victory over Harding Monday evening at Flowers Hall. Clements, a junior from Jessup, GA, had 29 points to lead all scorers on the night as UNA climbed back above the .500 mark for the season at 6-5. With the loss, Harding falls to 6-4 on the year.

North Alabama took a 53-38 lead at the half before the Bisons rallied. Harding opened the second half with a 29-13 run to grab a 67-66 lead with 9:43 remaining. From there, neither team led by more than four until the closing seconds.

A pair of free throws by Harding s Bradley Spencer gave the Bisons an 83-81 lead at the two minute mark. After the two teams traded possessions without scoring, Rory Miller connected on a three-point shot from the corner to put the Lions on top by one with 1:10 remaining. Harding quickly responded with a layup by Kevin Brown before Clements shot in the final minute gave UNA the lead for good.

Miller finished the game 8-of-12 from the floor with a pair of three-pointers to finish with 23 points. Jared Strode also reached double digits in scoring with 16 points while Brett Jackson had a solid night with seven points and team-highs in rebounds (8) and blocks (4).

The Bisons had five players in double digits in scoring, led by Brown s 20 points.

UNA will hit the road for its next two outings against more teams from the Gulf South Conference West Division. The Lions will play at Arkansas-Monticello next Saturday, Jan. 2, before traveling to Southern Arkansas on Monday, Jan. 4.

Next home game Jan. 7 vs. Valdosta State, tip-off set for 3pm.

12.21.09

LIONS COME UP SHORT IN UPSET BID

Turnovers spoiled any chance of North Alabama handing the fifth-ranked Arkansas Tech Men s Basketball team its first loss as the Wonderboys picked up an impressive 89-76 victory over North Alabama at Flowers Hall. Tech improved to 10-0 on the season. UNA fell to 5-5 on the year.

The Lions turned the ball over 28 times that led to 35 points for the visitors. In the first half both offenses sizzled as the team s combined to hit 32 of their 59 shots (54 percent) and score a combined 87 points. UNA shot 54 percent from the field (15-for-28), while Tech shot 55 percent (17-for-31) in the half as they led 46-41 at halftime.

Tech opened the second half on an 18-11 run to push out to a 62-50 lead with 12:43 left in the game following two free throws by senior guard Renard Allen. UNA, though, would not go away, as the Lions used a 6-0 run to pull within 64-56 with 11:45 on a free throw by Rory Miller.

From the point, Tech used 9-0 spurt to push in front 71-56 with 10:05 left in the game. The Wonder Boys would maintain at least a seven-point margin the rest of the game to earn its second win this season over the Lions. Tech picked up an 88-73 win over UNA in Russellville on Dec. 5.

UNA was paced offensively by 20 points apiece from Jared Strode and Daviel Clements. Clements scored 15 of those points in the first half. Miller added 19 points and seven boards in the loss.

Tech finished the game shooting 50 percent from the field and 40 percent from the 3-point line, while UNA shot 48 percent from the floor and 33 percent from long distance. The game featured 52 fouls as the two teams combined to shoot 62 free throws. Tech was 27-for-34 (79 percent) from the line, while UNA was 21-for-28 (75 percent) at the stripe.

The Lions will host Harding Monday evening with the tip-off set for 6 p.m. at Flowers Hall.

12.15.09

LIONS NOTCH WIN

Jared Strode scored 21 points and pulled 10 rebounds to lead the University of North Alabama to a 95-82 win over Martin Methodist at Flowers Hall.

The Lions held a narrow 41-38 lead at halftime but extended the lead to double-digits in the second half and held on for the 13-point win. An early run in the second half paved the way for the Lions who move to 5-4 on the season. "The start of the second half was the key," Coach Bobby Champagne said. "We stressed getting off to a better start than we did in the first half and the guys responded. But we have to be able to come out and play with a lot of energy to start the game." UNA scored the first eight points of the second half to take control of the game.

Marquel Darrington and Trent McCants hit back-to-back treys in the 8-0 run to start the half, putting UNA up 49-38. Martin Methodist later cut the margin to 51-48, but Jared Strode hit a 3-pointer to push the lead back to six.

UNA hit 14 three-point baskets led by Daviel Clements with five. The Lions had five players score in double-figures as Strode and Rory Miller had 21 points each, Clements 17, Warrick Mastin 11 and Brett Jackson 10.

Aubre Bodison scored 22 to pace the RedHawks (10-3).Will Shackleford also scored 12 and Marques Washington added 10 for the visitors

UNA was outrebounded 46-42 but made up the difference on the three-point baskets. UNA shot 47.8 percent from the field for the game, including 14-of-29 from 3-point range. Clements got hot midway through the half, hitting four treys in a five-minute span to extend the Lions' lead to 80-66 with 5:14 remaining.

"When we play with emotion we can be a very good team," Champagne said. "It is no coincidence that when you play with some intensity and energy that good things happen for you and you shoot with more confidence. "We had several guys step up. Brett Jackson gave us a spark in the first half and our point guard play with Marquel and Trent was really good. And it was good to see Rory Miller score the way he did."

Strode and Miller led UNA with 21 points each. Clements added 17 points, while Warrick Mastin had 11 and Jackson scored 10. This was Strode s second double-double of the season.

The Lions got off to a slow start and trailed by as many as 8 in the first half. Jackson had five points in a 7-0 spurt that gave UNA its first lead at 22-19. Strode scored eight points in the final three minutes of the half to help the Lions take a 41-38 lead into halftime.

UNA will host # 5 Arkansas Tech on Saturday. The women's game tips off at 1 p.m., with the men to follow at 3 p.m.

12.10.09

STRODE NAMED PLAYER OF WEEK AGAIN

Strode collects his second laurel of the season, leading the Lions to a 2-1 record in a trio of road contests. He averaged 24.0 points and 7.0 rebounds in 34.0 minutes, while shooting 59.1 percent from the floor and 66.7 percent at the foul line.

The senior began the week, leading all players with 28 points and seven rebounds in an 83-75 win at Ouachita Baptist. Next, he led the Lions with 26 points and four boards in just 29 minutes of an 88-73 setback at then No. 14 Arkansas Tech. The Winchester, KY native completed the week, notching his first career double-double via 18 points and 10 rebounds in a 79-67 victory at in-state foe Miles.

12.09.09

UNA GETS A ROAD WIN

Rory Miller scored 25 points to lead the North Alabama men to a 79-67 road win over Miles College on Monday evening at Fair-Park Arena.

Miller, a 6-7 forward from Jesup, GA, had a game-high 12 points at the half, but UNA still trailed 35-34. The deficit marked the fifth straight game North Alabama has trailed at the break. The Lions, however, were able to rally by hitting 57.7 percent of their shots over the final 20 minutes.

"We started a smaller lineup tonight and our defensive pressure was better," coach Bobby Champagne said. "But we still got off to a slow start, as we always seem to do. But we did a much better job controlling the game in the second half."

The Lions were able to grab the lead early in the second half and led by as many as 15. Daviel Clements had a pair of key 3-pointers to help UNA maintain the lead.

Miller also led the team with 14 rebounds and was joined by Jared Strode, who added another double-double for UNA. Strode tossed in 18 points and grabbed 10 boards, including seven in the second half.

"Rory did a good job scoring in the post, but the rest of the guys did a good job getting the ball inside. Once we got it inside we were able to reverse the ball and knock down some shots. We shot well in the second half and did a better job guarding."

UNA will return home next Tuesday to face Martin Methodist.

12.07.09

LIONS SPLIT TWO-GAME TRIP

After being almost perfect shooting free throws in beating Ouachita Baptist on Friday, North Alabama couldn't get anything to fall Saturday night at Arkansas Tech.

UNA's bad free-throw shooting in the first half put the Lions in a big hole they could not recover from in losing 88-73 to the No. 14 Wonder Boys.

The Lions were 31-of-33 at the line in Friday's win, but hit just 2-of-13 in the first half against Arkansas Tech. The result was a 43-34 Wonder Boys lead at halftime. UNA finished just 13-of-27 at the line.

"It was the complete opposite on Friday's game in that we just couldn't make a free throw," coach Bobby Champagne said. "We got off to a slow start tonight, and Arkansas Tech had a lot to do with that. They did what good teams do and did exactly what they needed to do to get the win."
The Wonder Boys (7-0) used an early 10-0 run to take a 16-2 lead. UNA (3-4) rallied to cut it to 32-27 on a basket by Jacobe Shannon, but Tech came back to take the 43-34 lead into halftime.

UNA tried to rally in the second half, cutting Tech's lead to 67-62 when Rory Miller converted a three-point play with 6:26 remaining. But the Wonder Boys answered with a 3-pointer by Willie Sanders and then pulled away in the final minutes.

Jared Strode led UNA with 26 points. Miller added 15 points for the Lions, while Brett Jackson and Shannon added 10 points apiece. Brandon Friedel hit 7-of-9 shots from 3-point range and finished with 27 points for Arkansas Tech.

"Tech made plenty of three-point shots with several of them coming after they got an offensive rebound," Champagne said. "We were a little tougher than Ouachita Baptist on Friday, but we were not as tough as Arkansas Tech was tonight.

"We played well in spurts, but we just are not getting a consistent team effort over 40 minutes. Playing well in spurts is not good enough to win on the road in this league."

UNA will return to action Tuesday at Miles College. Tip-off is set for 7pm.

12.01.09

LIONS DROP A PAIR

Lions Drop Tough Road Game at Delta State

After taking an 8-point lead at the half Delta State held off several North Alabama charges during the final 20 minutes to come away with a 75-70 victory in Silers Coliseum.

Joe McCray led four DSU players in double figures with 17 points for the Statesmen (3-2), while Rodderick Ollie added 14 points , Dmitry Pirshing 13 and Marqueys Brown 11. Brown also had a team-high 12 rebounds.

Facing a 36-28 halftime deficit, the Lions (2-3 cut the lead to one point on three different occasions and took the lead with just over five minutes to play. A three pointer by Jared Strode put UNA on top 61-60 with 5:09 remaining.
Strode, who lead all scorers with 18 points, later hit a pair of free throws to put the Lions on top 65-63, but Delta State closed out the game with a 12-5 run to earn the win.

Rory Miller added 14 and 7 rebounds and Warrick Mastin had a season-high 14 points for the visiting Lions. Daviel Clements also added 10 points for UNA.

The Lions rebounded troubles continued as the Statesmen held a 49-30 rebounding advantage.

UNA travels to Arkansas for a two game swing versus Ouachita Baptist and #23 Arkansas Tech next weekend. The Lions lost their final game of the 08-09 season to ATU and defeated the OBU Tigers earlier this season 90-64. Tip-off is set for 7:00pm on Friday and 6:00pm on Saturday.


Christian Brothers Hands UNA Second Loss of the Season

The University of North Alabama men s basketball team was unable to overcome a 14-point half-time deficit Saturday evening during a 70-61 road loss to Christian Brothers. After trailing 34-20 at the break, the Lions outscored CBU 41-36 over the final 20 minutes, getting as close as five points down the stretch. UNA, however, would never be able to take the lead, falling to 2-2 on the year with both losses coming at the hands of the Bucs.

Zack Warner had a game-high 23 points to lead CBU (3-2). North Alabama had three players reach double digits in scoring, including Rory Miller s 16 points on the night. Daviel Clements added 11 points for the Lions while Jared Strode toss in 10 for the game.

As it did during its season-opening 78-65 win over the Lions, Christian Brothers (3-2) again dominated the boards. On Saturday, CBU held a 44-27 advantage in the category, including 15 offensive rebounds that led to 10 second-chance points.

UNA was able to defend the three-point basket better in the rematch. The Bucs hit 14 three-pointers in the first meeting, but only went 5-of-25 from beyond the arc the second game.

After trailing by as many as 16 points early in the second half, UNA was able to stay in the game by hitting 16-of-32 shots (50 percent) from the floor in the final period. A three-pointer by Clements made the score 58-53 with 5:22 remaining.

The Bucs got a layup by Warner on the ensuing possession to push the lead back to seven points and were able to hold on down the stretch.

The Lions will continue their road swing against Gulf South Conference West Division teams on Monday against Delta State. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. at Walter Sillers Coliseum on the DSU campus.

11.25.09

LIONS DEFEAT OBU TIGERS

Jared Strode had 25 of his game-high 31 points in the first half as the University of North Alabama men s basketball team cruised to a 90-64 victory over Ouachita Baptist Saturday evening at Flowers Hall. The second straight win gives UNA a 2-1 record on the season while the Tigers fall to 0-2.

Strode, a senior from Winchester, KY, hit three straight three-point shots in the opening stanza to begin the rout. He helped the Lions close the half on a 25-11 run as the Lions took a 47-20 lead to the locker room.

"Strode was very active for us in the first half," coach Bobby Champagne said. "We got in a little foul trouble in the post and went with a smaller lineup. He did a good job at the four spot and really attacked the basket."

Champgane said a change in defenses also helped the Lions get the momentum in the first half."We got in a 2-3 zone and did a good job in it." he said. "We did a much better job contesting shots and rebounding. We went back to it later in the second half and did a good job in it again."

In the second half, UNA led by as many as 33 points as three other players reached double digits in scoring. Jacobe Shannon added 15 points for the Lions while Rory Miller and Eric Wormely tossed in 10 points each.

North Alabama was 16-for-30 in each half to finish at 53.3 percent from the floor. The Lions were also 10-for-22 from three-point range, including four each from Strode and Shannon.

Austin Mitchell paced Ouachita Baptist (0-2) with 17 points.

Trent McCants come off the bench to contribute six assists for the Lions. Strode also had six of UNA's 18 steals. "Everybody came in and contributed tonight," Champagne said. "Trent and Jacobe were very active in the zone and gave us some energy. Trent also did a good job pushing the ball up the floor and helping us get some baskets in transition."

The Lions will be off a week before traveling to Christian Brothers next Saturday for a 6 p.m. tip-off. The Bucs defeated the Lions 78-65 at Flowers Hall on Nov. 15 to open the season.
 

11.20.09

LIONS GET WIN OVER HENDERSON STATE

Daviel Clements scored 20 of his game-high 34 points in the second half as the University of North Alabama men s basketball team rallied to beat Henderson State 95-86 Thursday evening at Flowers Hall.

After trailing 55-49 at the half, the Lions held HSU to just 31 points over the final 20 minutes to pick up their first win of the season.

Clements was 12-of-18 from the floor and was 9-of-13 from three-point range to tie a school record. His nine three-pointers ties Milton Nance s mark set in 2006 against Arkansas Tech. he 17 points in a five minute span midway through the second half to help the Lions claim the region win.

The Lions trailed by six at the break after Henderson State closed the half on a 24-12 run. The Reddies largest lead was seven after a free throw in the opening minutes made the score 56-49.

UNA responded with nine straight points to take a 58-56 lead at the 13:43 mark. From there, the Lions took control with a 21-7 run keyed by Clements 14 points. The junior from Jessup, GA, had four three-pointers and a layup during the spurt as North Alabama took a 79-63 lead with 6:36 remaining.

Henderson State made a late run but ran out of time. A three-pointer by Kyle Oldham with 19 second remaining made the final score 95-86.

Jared Strode added 20 points for the Lions while Eddie Lima tossed in a career-high 14 points. Marquel Darrington also recorded six assists on the night.

UNA will host Ouachita Baptist Saturday at home. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. at Flowers Hall.

GULF SOUTH CONFERENCE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

North Alabama guard Jared Strode (SR, 6-5, 200, Winchester, KY).

Strode earns his first-ever honor after an outstanding individual effort in UNA's 78-65 opening season setback at home versus Christian Brothers.
The senior led all players with 29 points while adding three assists and three rebounds in 33 minutes. The Winchester, KY native shot 55.0 percent from the floor, 42.9 percent from beyond the arc and was 4-for-4 from the foul line.

11.16.09

LIONS LOSE OPENER

Christian Brothers shot 48 percent from the floor and made 14 three-point shots in a 78-65 victory over North Alabama Sunday afternoon at Flowers Hall. In the season-opener for both teams, the visiting Buccaneers used a 13-0 run midway through the opening half to break a 10-10 tie and never trailed again.

Jared Strode had a game-high 29 points for the Lions, but CBU had four players reach double digits in scoring. The Bucs were 9-of-20 from three-point range in the first half and took a 41-25 lead at the break. Jimmy Palmer connected on a long-range three-pointer at the buzzer to give the visiting team the 16-point advantage.

A lack of rebounding spoiled the start to North Alabama's season. Christian Brothers consistently got second shots and took advantage of those opportunities. The Buccaneers held a 47-30 edge on the boards and scored 20 points off of their 15 offensive rebounds. Christian Brothers also hit 14 3-pointers to just seven for the Lions.

"I expected us to be a good rebounding team this year because we have size, quickness and athleticism," Coach Bobby Champagne said. "But it doesn't matter how athletic you are when you don't put a body on the other guy and box out. Christian Brothers is going to hit some 3s and get some layups, but you just can't let them get rebounds when they miss."

The Lions used a 7-0 run to cut it to 33-21 after Strode scored on a dunk and converted it into a three-point play. But CBU hit two more treys in the final minute, including a buzzer-beater by Jimmy Palmer that banked in, giving the Buccaneers a 41-25 halftime advantage.

"We missed several layups early and got behind," Champagne said. "When they got the lead, it let them get in their comfort zone and they are a hard team to play from behind."

Two 3-pointers by Brett Jackson and Strode sparked a UNA 9-0 run to trim a 19-point deficit to 10 at 55-44 with 9:36 remaining. After forcing a turnover on the ensuing possession, the Lions had the opportunity to get the lead in single digits, but could not get the shot to fall. The Buccaneers then hit three 3-pointers in the next three minutes to extend their lead to 69-52.

"It was obvious that our guys are still learning to play together," Champagne said. "Christian Brothers has more of a veteran team and it showed. We'll be fine. We just have to get our guys to come together as a team."

Daviel Clements also reached double figures in scoring with 11 points for the Lions.

UNA will host Henderson State on Thursday. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. at Flowers Hall.

11.05.09

LIONS FALL AT MIDDLE TENNESSEE

MURFREESBORO, TN, - Middle Tennessee had five players reach double digits in scoring during a 99-60 victory over North Alabama Monday evening in men's basketball exhibition play. The Blue Raiders held a 52-35 lead at the half and shot 56 percent from the floor over the final 20 minutes to secure the home victory.

Rory Miller had 17 points to lead UNA. Eric Wormely and Jared Strode added 10 points each as the Lions wrapped up exhibition play and prepare for their season opener Sunday against Christian Brothers.
A lay-up by Miller gave North Alabama a 17-13 lead with 13:40 remaining in the opening half. The Blue Raiders, however, responded with a 20-5 run to go ahead 33-22 at the 7:16 mark. A three-point basket by Daviel Clements cut the lead to 33-25, but MTSU countered with a three-pointer by J.T. Sulton and the Lions could never get the deficit to single digits again.

Sulton finished with 17 points for Middle Tennessee while the Blue Raiders' Montarrio Haddock led all scorers with 25 points on the night.

Sunday's season-opener against CBU will feature the last two teams to win the NCAA Division II South Region Tournament. After UNA won the regional in 2008, Christian Brothers became the second straight Gulf South Conference team to advance to the Elite Eight last season. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m. at Flowers Hall.

11.02.09

No. 10 TENNESSEE TOO MUCH FOR UNA MEN IN EXHIBITION PLAY


KNOXVILLE, Tenn., - Scotty Hopson led seven Tennessee players in double digits as Division I's 10th-ranked Volunteers pulled away from North Alabama for a 117-79 victory in NCAA men's exhibition basketball action Friday evening at Thompson-Boling Arena on the UT campus. Tennessee led 58-41 at the break and held a 19-point advantage with 17:51 remaining before a 16-4 run put the game out of reach.

Jared Strode led UNA with 20 points on the night. The senior transfer from Northwest Shoals Community College was 7-of-20 from the field and added six free throws.

Daviel Clements added 17 points for the Lions while Eric Wormely tossed in 11 points on the night.

Tennessee did most of its damage on the boards. The Vols out-rebounding UNA 46-30, including 15 on offense. Eddie Lima led the Lions with six rebounds in the game.

UNA now turns its attention to its Nov. 15 season opener when it hosts defending South Region champion Christian Brothers. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m. at Flowers Hall.

10.29.09

TIME TO TIP IT OFF

North Alabama will take on the University of Tennessee Friday night in men's basketball exhibition action. Tip-off is set for 7 30 p.m. at Thompson-Boling Arena on the UT campus. Live audio, video and statistics can be found by following the men's basketball links at www.utsports.com.

UNA is coming off an 18-10 season from the 2008-09 campaign. The Lions will display vast numbers of newcomers after graduating all five starters from a year ago. Overall, UNA returns three lettermen and will feature 11 newcomers to the 2009-10 roster.

The Volunteers return all five starters from a 21-13 squad last season.
Tennessee advanced to the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in
2009 before dropping a 77-75 first-round game to Oklahoma State.

10.20.09

UNA PICKED SECOND BY GULF SOUTH CONFERENCE COACHES

FLORENCE, AL -- With no returning starters and just two lettermen back from last year's team, University of North Alabama men's basketball coach Bobby Champagne admits that he was a little surprised when he found out that his team has been picked to finish second in the Gulf South Conference East Division race in 2009-10 by the league's head coaches.

UNA lost all five starters and eight lettermen from last year's team that went 18-10 and finished second in the East Division. Nevertheless, the Lions received 20 points and one first-place vote in this year's pre-season poll to rank second behind Valdosta State.

"We look forward to another competitive GSC race this season," Champagne said. "I have to admit that I was a little surprised by the vote. I am not sure what the other coaches know that I don't. I am still trying to learn everyone's name much less know what they can do to help us win games." Champagne said the vote may have something to do with past success. "The University of North Alabama and its basketball program have a strong tradition and a long history of success and those factors usually have something to do with the pre-season polls," Champagne said.

Valdosta State was the overall favorite to not only win the East Division and GSC Tournament titles, with Delta State as the favorite in the West. VSU got 25 points and five first-place votes in the East, followed by UNA with 20 points and one first-place vote. UAH was third, followed by West Alabama, West Georgia and West Florida.

No UNA players were selected for the pre-season All-GSC team but forwards Eric Wormely and Jared Strode were listed among the league s top newcomers. Wormely, a Joliet, IL native, is a 6-feet-8, 230- pound senior transfer from Ball State University. Strode, from Winchester, Ky., is a 6-5, 190-pound transfer from Crichton College. Wormely and Strode join eight other newcomers, and seniors Dough Hunter and Eddie Lima, juniors Trent McCants and Jacobe Shannon, sophomore Brett Jackson and redshirt freshman Marquel Darrington. Hunter and McCants are the returning letterman.

09.21.09

2009-10 SCHEDULE RELEASED

The 2009-10 University of North Alabama men s basketball schedule has been announced by seventh-year head men s basketball coach Bobby Champagne. The schedule features a full Gulf South Conference schedule along with 13 home games at Flowers Hall. The Lions will take on four teams that were a part of the 2009 NCAA Division II Tournament.

The healthy home schedule for the Lions in 2009-10 season does not bode well for the opposition visiting Flowers Hall where the Lions are currently 31-7 during the regular season over the past three seasons and have one 71% of their games under Coach Champagne.

We definitely have another challenging schedule ahead of us, noted Champagne. I believe that our overall schedule is as tough as it has been since I have been here at UNA. UNA will look to return to the NCAA Tournament for the thirteenth time in school history, playing 23 Division II south region games with 22 of those games coming against Gulf South Conference opponents.

The first scheduled home game for the UNA Lions is November 15 versus defending NCAA South Region champion Christian Brothers. UNA is 5-1 in home openers under Champagne with the lone loss coming in his first season to eventual National Champion Kennesaw State. North Alabama will remain at home for the next two games, hosting GSC East Division rival Henderson State on November 19 followed by Ouachita Baptist November 21. The Lions will close out the month of November with road games against Christian Brothers (28th) and Delta State (30th).

UNA will open play in December with an Arkansas road swing, including trips to Ouachita Baptist on December 4 and defending GSC Champion Arkansas Tech the following night. After a trip to Birmingham on December 8 to face SIAC member Miles College, the Lions will return to Flowers Hall for three home games. The Lions will entertain Martin Methodist December 15, the Wonder Boys of Arkansas Tech December 19 and the Harding Bison on December 21 before the semester.

UNA will open the New Year with a return trip to Arkansas for a pair of games versus Arkansas-Monticello (2nd) and Southern Arkansas (4th). Beginning January 7, UNA switches almost exclusively to conference play. UNA will host Valdosta and West Georgia and go on the road to West Alabama, Alabama-Huntsville and West Florida. The Lions will conclude the January portion of the schedule with a home game versus Concordia and a road contest against Lambuth.

The Lions will flip the schedule in February playing road games at Valdosta State and West Georgia while playing host to West Alabama, Alabama-Huntsville and West Florida. The February schedule ends with two non-conference games. A road game versus Harding and the final home game of the season against Lambuth.

The 2010 Gulf South conference Tournament returns to Southaven, MS for the third consecutive year beginning Friday, March 5 and running through Sunday March 7. A format change this year will have only the top four teams from each division instead of the top five. UNA will look to make its seventh consecutive trip to the GSC Tournament.

The 2010 NCAA Tournament begins March 12-13 at eight regional sites across the country. Springfield, MA will host the Elite 8 and National Championship game beginning March 24.

07.09.09

JOHNSON A FINALIST FOR GSC COMMISSIONER'S TROPHY

For the second straight year, North Alabama's Kenny Johnson was among the top five male finalists for the Gulf South Conference Commissioner's Trophy. After receiving multiple post-season awards for athletics and academics during the 2008-09 campaign, the standout out point guard of the Lion men's basketball team was invited to attend the annual GSC Awards Banquet in Pensacola, to receive the conference honor.

The Plaquemine, LA, native capped off his senior year by earning the GSC East Division Player of the Year award while placing second in the league in assist/turnover ratio (3.71), third in assists (5.04), fifth in free throw percentage (.813:-100-123) and ninth in steals (1.64). He was named first team All-GSC and was tabbed first team all-region by Daktronics and the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC).

Johnson also received honorable mention All-America honors by the Division II Bulletin. He completed his collegiate playing career on the court in March when he was among 20 players selected to participate in the NABC All-Star Game which was held at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass.

Having also strived in the classroom, Johnson made a return appearance to the GSC All-Academic Team thanks to a 3.45 overall GPA. as a business administration major with a concentration on computer information systems. He was a leader within the Lions' athletic community, serving on the UNA Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and received the UNA Student-Athlete Volunteer of the Year Award. His duties on campus included working the "Kids Zone" on Spirit Hill at home football games and the UNA "Kid's Fun Night" at Flowers Hall.

The local community also benefited from Johnson's volunteer spirit. He was a key participant in the "Reading with the Lions" program, which gave UNA student-athletes the opportunity to read to young students at five different elementary schools. Johnson also worked the America Red Cross Blood Drive which was organized by the men's basketball team. He also participated in the wheelchair basketball games and served at the Boys and Girls Clubs and The Florence City Father/Son Initiative.

Johnson's recognition in the "Top Ten" is the eighth back-to-back men's selection following Lion baseball star Douglas Harrgett (2001 and 2002). The Commissioner's Trophy, is highest honor bestowed by the conference and one of the most prestigious individual honors in Division II. Winners for the 2008-09 were Christian Brothers' Stephen Hill and Henderson State's Bethany Wright.
 

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