North Alabama men's basketball wins first ASUN title in school history

For the first time in the program’s Division 1 history, the University of North Alabama men’s basketball team has won a conference championship.

The Lions clinched a share of the ASUN regular season title on Wednesday night, defeating Queens (N.C.) 74-69 at CB&S Bank Arena at Flowers Hall in Florence. The victory brought North Alabama to 22-9 (14-4) on the year and marked UNA head coach Tony Pujol’s 100th win as the leader of the program. Pujol has helmed the Lions since they moved up from Division II in 2018.

Check out the sights and sounds from tonight's postgame as @UNA_Basketball wins its first ASUN regular season championship in school history!#RoarLions 🦁 pic.twitter.com/PQfl1qx9HR

— North Alabama Athletics (@UNAAthletics) February 27, 2025

“This means a lot to a lot of people,” Pujol said. “A lot of hard work has gone in for these last seven years of this transition. I couldn’t ask to be around better leadership. I got [university] president [Ken] Kitts here, I got [athletic director] Josh Looney here. It’s a great moment for our players and our people.

“The 100th win, there’s a lot of people that need to be thanked for that. All the coaches that I’ve ever had here, all the players that have ever played here. I’m just very proud of—man, I’m so proud of those guys that laid the foundation for this moment. As far as winning an ASUN Championship: listen to this, man,” he said, turning around to acknowledge the raucous crowd behind him. “Let’s enjoy the heck out of this today.”

Led by a stable of veterans, the Lions have set the Division 1 school record for single-season wins while rocketing from 215th to 112th in KenPom.com’s analytical rankings. Among the players that made the program’s breakthrough possible is junior Jacari Lane, an alumnus of Huntsville’s Lee High School who has spent his entire career at UNA. The guard averages 16.9 points, 4.2 assists, and 3.1 rebounds per game, leading the team in the former two categories. Against Queens, he paced the Lions with 20 points.

“I’ve been seeing [this build up] from day one,” Lane said. “I know Coach is never going to bring in [any] guys that are going to be negative or that aren’t going to be the right guys. Every year, he’s going to bring in the right guys. They’re going to come in and compete and we’re going to get the job done like we just did.”

North Alabama takes down Queens to claim (at least) a share of the @ASUNSports regular season title.

Jacari Lane drops 20 at home on FOUR made threes.

Lipscomb is playing right now against UCA to claim that title as well.

Lions will host in the ASUN tourney starting on Sunday.… pic.twitter.com/BJzvculggT

— Isaac Bourne (@IsaacBourne_) February 27, 2025

North Alabama will not be the top seed in the ASUN conference tournament, as that honor will go to co-regular season champion Lipscomb. The second-seeded Lions will open the postseason on Monday, March 3rd against the winner of Austin Peay vs. North Florida before going on to face the winner of Florida Gulf Coast vs. Queens. Barring a potential title matchup against Lipscomb, UNA will host all of their conference tournament games.

The ASUN Championship bracket is set!

Tickets go on sale Friday morning at 9 a.m. The Lions will host the winner of Austin Peay and North Florida at CB&S Bank Arena.

Fans can call the ticket office Friday morning at 256-765-LION to purchase!#RoarLions 🦁 pic.twitter.com/njOq2PLU3X

— North Alabama Athletics (@UNAAthletics) February 27, 2025

If the Lions emerge from the tournament victorious, they will secure their first-ever Division 1 NCAA Tournament appearance.

Charles Vaughan is a contributing writer for Yellowhammer News.