Alabama Basketball Schedules Matchup With Former Nate Oats Assistant

The Crimson Tide will face UTSA and head coach Austin Claunch in December.

Dec 28, 2022; Waco, Texas, USA; Nicholls State Colonels head coach Austin Claunch reacts against the Baylor Bears during the first half at Ferrell Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images | Chris Jones-Imagn Images

Alabama men's basketball's non-conference schedule for the 2025-26 season continues to fill out, and another matchup was added on Wednesday, per Rocco Miller.

"Sources: Alabama will host UTSA as part of its 2025-26 non-conference schedule," Miller posted on X (formerly known as Twitter). "The date is set for Sunday, December 7th, inside Coleman Coliseum."

Claunch 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.

After falling to Florida in the SEC Tournament quarterfinal, Alabama received the 2-seed in the East Region of the NCAA Tournament and defeated Robert Morris, Saint Mary's and BYU before losing to 1-seed Duke in the Elite Eight. The Crimson Tide finished the season with a 28-9 (13-5 SEC) record. Alabama finished 2024-25 as the No. 6 team in the AP Top 25 and No. 6 in the Coaches Poll.

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.

The Crimson Tide's 2025-26 non-conference schedule is really starting to unravel as Alabama will face North Dakota on November 3, St. John's on November 8, Arizona in Birmingham on December 13, Purdue in Tuscaloosa on November 13, Illinois on November 19 and Yale (date is unknown at this time).

Additionally, head coach Nate Oats and company will be participating in the SEC/ACC Challenge and the Players Era Festival once again, but the Tide’s opponents are unknown at this time.