HUNTSVILLE – The tipoff for the Rocket City Classic presented by Akima will be an early one for the first time in the event’s history, as the University of Alabama team will face Kennesaw State at 1 p.m. at Von Braun Center Propst Arena on Dec. 21.
The matchup reunites KSU head coach Antoine Pettway against his alma mater and the program he served as an assistant coach.
As preseason games set up the start of the regular season, Alabama is picked to finish fourth in the SEC under seventh-year head coach Nate Oats. The Tide is coming off a 28-9 record last season, falling to Duke in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament.
In its preseason opener, Alabama fought off Florida State, 109-105, with five players in double figures, led by Labaron Philon’s 28 points and four assists. The deep shooting Tide hit 12 3-pointers in the contest, with six players hitting at least one.
“This team could be really special,” Philon said at SEC Preseason Basketball Media Day. “We got a lot of guys that want to be here and want to be on this team, and a lot of guys believe in Coach Oats and what he says.
“I think if we keep building on that, we’re going to be such a great team, and it’s going to be hard to stop us.”
Kennesaw State is coming into the season as one of the contenders to take home the Conference USA title after falling late to eventual champion Liberty in Huntsville last season.
The Owls have the preseason CUSA Player of the Year, Simeon Cottle, a second-team All-CUSA selection last year while averaging a career-high 18 points per game, and he is the highest returning scorer in the conference.
Last year, Cottle set two school records: most three-point field goals in a game (achieved eight times in two games) and most three-pointers in a season (90).
Tickets are on sale at the VBC box office and Ticketmaster.
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