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SAN FRANCISCO (December 3, 2025) – The celebration for North Alabama’s rivalry win on Monday at Jacksonville State did not last long, as the focus immediately shifts to the West Coast with a matchup against San Francisco set for Wednesday night at 9 p.m. CT.
This marks the second of four games on the road in the month of December and the first of two in California. The Lions will fly back to Los Angeles on Dec. 19 for a rematch against LMU.
The game will air on ESPN+ with Barry Tompkins and Dan Belluomini on the call. There will not be a radio stream by Roar Lions Productions for this game.
GAME INFORMATION
Game: North Alabama vs. San Francisco
Date: Wednesday, December 3
Time: 9:00 p.m. CT
Location: San Francisco, Calif.
Venue: War Memorial at The Sobrato Center
Capacity: 5,300
Watch: ESPN+
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Tickets: Click Here
Game Notes: Click Here
Social Media: @UNA_Basketball
NOTES
LAST TIME OUT: North Alabama started a four-game road trip with its first road win of the season Monday, overcoming an eight-point halftime deficit for a 73-66 win over in-state rival Jacksonville State. UNA went just 1-13 behind the arc in the first half, but made 6-9 in the second half to take the lead for good with 2:53 remaining. Three Lions finished in double figures, including Donte Bacchus with 19 points, Corneilous Williams with 17 points and 13 rebounds and Canin Jefferson with 16 points.
SCOUTING THE LIONS: UNA enters with an even 4-4 record and will look to prove better than its initial NET ranking. The Lions jumped from No. 319 to No. 285 following the win over Jax State, but will look to close the gap on the No. 121 spot it finished in last season. Four Lions average double figures, including Bacchus, Williams, Jefferson and sophomore guard Kevin de Kovachich. The Lions are among the top defensive teams in blocked shots, ranking 41st in the country and first in the Atlantic Sun Conference with 4.9 blocks per game — including seven at JSU this past Monday.
SCOUTING THE DONS: San Francisco has a 5-3 record and sits No. 20 in the College Insider Mid-Major Top 25. USF has dropped two in a row against Colorado and Nevada but prior to this rode a four-game win streak with wins over Portland, Bradley, Northwestern State and Minnesota. Behind Clemson, San Francisco is the highest ranked NET team on UNA’s non-conference schedule at No. 117. USF is known for its depth and sharpshooting, ranking 31st in the NCAA with over 35 bench points per game and 26th in three-point percentage at 39.4 percent. Junior guard Ryan Beasley averages 13.7 PPG to lead a group of four players in double figure averages.
SERIES HISTORY: This will be the first all-time meeting between UNA and USF.
LIONS AGAINST THE WCC: UNA has played three games against teams from the West Coast Conference, including two losses to Gonzaga in the early part of UNA’s transition to Division I that started in 2018. UNA also made the trip to LMU last season, falling in that game 85-69. The Lions hunt revenge on their mascot counterpart LMU Lions on Dec. 19.
DONS AGAINST THE ASUN: San Francisco has a 1-1 record against current ASUN schools, including a loss to FGCU in 2014 and a win over Central Arkansas in 2017. UCA was not a member of the ASUN at the time but left the Southland to join the league in 2021.
COMMON FOES: UNA and USF have some common opponents on the schedule this season — three to be exact — with games against Mississippi State, LMU and Northwestern State. Both teams own a win over NSU, while UNA lost to Mississippi State in the opener despite a 51-42 second-half lead. USF will fly to Mississippi State on Sunday, Dec. 7.
NOT THAT SAN FRAN: This will be UNA’s first time against USF — but not the first meeting against a school from this city. In 1984, UNA battled the San Francisco State Gators in the NCAA Division II Quarterfinal hosted in Florence and won 76-68. That same UNA group went on to fall in the semifinals against Central Missouri State in a close game. San Francisco State remains in the Division II ranks and is roughly 20 minutes from USF’s campus.
DECEMBER TO REMEMBER: UNA started a four-game December road swing with a win at JSU on Monday, then hopped on a plane to get to San Francisco for Wednesday. With over a week and a half to prepare, the Lions return to the court on Monday, Dec. 15 at Alabama A&M before ending at LMU on Friday, Dec. 19.
A ONE YEAR STREAK: Before a close loss to ETSU, UNA had a 16-game winning streak at home that spanned exactly 365 days, including 11 wins over ASUN opponents. This was the fifth-longest streak in the nation behind St. Thomas (W19), Akron (W18), Duke (W18) and Miami Ohio (W17). The last time UNA lost at home before ETSU was a 97-96 overtime loss to Samford, who was then the defending Southern Conference champion. Both losses came on Nov. 15, 2024 and Nov. 15, 2025.
PUJOL CAN PULL WINS: Since Tony Pujol took over at UNA in 2018 — the first season of Division I basketball — the Lions have a 34-5 record at home against non-conference opponents. UNA also went 11-0 against ASUN opponents in The Bank last season.
C2 IN THE RANKS: Redshirt junior Corneilous Williams currently ranks fifth in the NCAA with 86 rebounds over eight games. He also ranks 10th in the NCAA with 10.8 RPG. Both totals lead the ASUN, including a whole 1.0 RPG lead over the next best player.
DOUBLE VISION: When Williams has a double-double this season, the Lions are 4-0. When he doesn’t, the Lions are 0-4. In the win over JSU, Williams had 17 points and a game-high 13 boards and was the only player for either team in double digit rebound totals.
DOUBLE FIGURE PLAYER: Sophomore Kevin de Kovachich scored double figures in all of the first seven games this season. He remains among the leading scorers for UNA with 13.4 PPG.
PRESEASON HYPE: The Lions were picked first in the ASUN Preseason Media Poll and second in the ASUN Preseason Coaches Poll last month. UNA was also the only team to have more than one player on the all-conference preseason team, as both Corneilous Williams and Donte Bacchus were voted. Williams was one of two unanimous picks along with ASUN Preseason Player of the Year Chris Ashby from Queens.
LOCKED IN: Back in August, UNA Director of Athletics Dr. Josh Looney announced a new five-year contract for head men’s basketball coach Tony Pujol, extending him through the 2029-30 season. Pujol was hired on April 2, 2018 and has been the program’s only coach during the Division I era. He enters his eighth season at the helm and has 106 wins over eight seasons.
ON DECK: The Lions have 12 days between matchups after USF, battling nearby rival Alabama A&M on Monday, Dec. 15 at 7 p.m. in Huntsville.
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.