Preview: No. 12 Alabama Basketball Against UTSA

No. 12 Alabama will play its ninth game of the regular season against UTSA at home on Sunday afternoon.

The Roadrunners are led by head coach Austin Claunch. The 36-year-old was an assistant under Alabama head coach Nate Oats in 2023-24 and helped lead the Crimson Tide to its first NCAA Tournament Final Four in program history.

Claunch is one of five former Nate Oats assistants who left for head coaching jobs, alongside Bryan Hodgson (Arkansas State in 2023 and now South Florida in 2025), Antoine Pettway (Kennesaw State), Charlie Henry (Georgia Southern), and most recently, Ryan Pannone, who is filling Hodgson's role at Arkansas State.

Claunch isn't the only former Alabama assistant that the Crimson Tide will face this season. Oats and company will also host Hodgson and South Florida on Dec. 17 and then go head-to-head with Pettway and Kennesaw State in Huntsville, Ala.

UTSA's first year under Claunch was far from perfect as the Roadrunners went 12-19 (6-12 AAC) this past season. UTSA also lost in the first round of the AAC Tournament but looks to build on it next season in Year 2 of the Claunch era, as the Roadrunners currently sit at 4-4.

How to Watch: Alabama Against UTSA

Who: No. 12 Alabama (6-2, 0-0 SEC) vs. UTSA (4-4, 0-0 American)

What: Alabama's ninth game of the regular season (fourth at home)

When: Sunday, Dec. 7, 1 p.m. CT

Where: Coleman Coliseum, Tuscaloosa, Ala.

TV: SEC Network

Radio: Crimson Tide Sports Network (Play-By-Play: Chris Stewart, Color: Bryan Passink). The pregame show will begin one hour prior to tipoff.

SiriusXM: Channel 190

Series: The Crimson Tide and Roadrunners have never faced each other before. That said, Alabama has gone head-to-head with every other member of the American Athletic Conference and has logged a combined record of 39-27 against it.

Last Meeting: This year's game in Coleman Coliseum will be the first-ever meeting between these two programs.

Last time out, Alabama: The Crimson Tide outlasted Clemson 90-84 at home on Dec. 3. Alabama blew a 19-point lead and the Tigers even took the lead at one point, but UA locked in down the stretch. Alabama guard Labaron Philon Jr. tied a career high with 29 points and freshman wing Amari Allen had a 20-point double-double. Additionally, forward Aiden Sherrell also had a career night on the boards with 10 rebounds and blocked eight shots.

Last time out, UTSA: The Roadrunners fell to South Alabama 82-58 at home on Nov. 30. UTSA guards Jamir Simpson (17 points), Dorian Hayes (15) and Austin Nunez (9) combined for 41 points, but they also totaled a 14 of 49 clip from the field. UTSA, as a whole, shot 21 of 79 from the field (27 percent), including 14 of 56 from deep (25 percent).

Alabama Stat Leaders

• Points: Labaron Philon Jr. (21.6 on 55.9 FG%)
• Rebounds: Amari Allen (7.4, including 1.5 offensive)
• Assists: Labaron Philon Jr. (5.4 with 3.1 turnovers)

UTSA Stat Leaders

• Points: Jamir Simpson (18.6 on 42.0 FG%)
• Rebounds: Kaidon Rayfield (7.4, including 3.3 offensive)
• Assists: Dorian Hayes (2.4 with 1.0 turnovers)