Union (TN) vs North Alabama prediction: North Alabama opens its UAC era at home against Union
After a 9-21 season, Tony Pujol's Lions get a home opener against a non-Division I visitor, and the real test is whether last season's defense has changed.
- North Alabama should control a game against a non-Division I visitor; the question is how cleanly, given last season's defensive struggles.
- Watch UNA's shot defense: opponents posted a 55.1% effective field goal mark against the Lions last season, 346th nationally.
- No spread or total is posted yet. Last season UNA's adjusted net efficiency ranked 342nd of 365, a modest baseline for any line.
A new league, a familiar coach
North Alabama starts its first season in the newly formed United Athletic Conference, a league that also takes in former ASUN and OVC members. Tony Pujol, hired in April 2018, enters his ninth season. The Lions open on the road at UC Davis on Nov. 2, then return to Florence for this home opener before a trip to Oklahoma on Nov. 9.
Union, the Bulldogs of Jackson, Tennessee, are not a Division I program. David Niven has run the program since 2009-10 and led it to a seventh straight GSC Tournament appearance in 2024-25. Graduate students PD McCraney and JP Ricks are on the roster, along with freshmen Lucas Sutherland and Zack Niven.
Last season's defense is the baseline
UNA went 9-21 last season, and the defense was the problem. Its adjusted defensive efficiency (points allowed per 100 possessions, adjusted for opponents) was 119.2, 340th of 365. Opponents posted a 55.1% effective field goal percentage, which counts threes 1.5 times, and hit 36.3% from deep.
The offense was not much better, with a 30.5% three-point mark that ranked 337th. The Lions did find other ways to score: their free throw rate of 37.8% ranked 98th, and they blocked 11.4% of opponent two-point tries, 70th nationally. How many of those players return is not yet clear, so these numbers describe last season's team, not necessarily this one.
What to watch
- Tempo: UNA played at 65.6 possessions per 40 minutes last season, 286th, so expect a measured pace.
- Free throws: The Lions shot 68.8% at the line last season, a weak spot if they lean on drawing fouls.
- Availability: No injury or eligibility news for either side had surfaced as of Oct. 23.
Numbers that matter
| Last season's record | 9-21 | The starting point for Pujol's ninth season and UNA's first in the UAC. |
|---|---|---|
| Adjusted net efficiency rank | 342nd | Last season's final opponent-adjusted rating placed UNA near the bottom of Division I. |
| Opponent effective FG% | 55.1% | Ranked 346th last season, the clearest weakness the Lions must fix. |
| Free throw rate | 37.8% | Ranked 98th last season, one of the few areas where UNA's offense held up. |
Union (TN) vs North Alabama: quick answers
When is Union (TN) vs North Alabama?
Thursday, November 5, 2026 at 7:30 PM ET.