Date Revealed for Alabama Basketball's Rematch vs. Kennesaw State

Alabama basketball will host Kennesaw State on Nov. 17 this upcoming season, per Yea Alabama, the University's NIL collective.

This is a rematch from last season, as the Crimson Tide beat the Owls 92-81 on Dec. 21, 2025, during the Rocket City Classic at Propst Arena in Huntsville, Alabama.

Kennesaw State is led by head coach Antoine Pettway, who was an assistant at Alabama from 2008 to the 2022-23 season. He spent four seasons under current Tide head coach Nate Oats. Pettway also played at UA from 2000-01 to 2003-04.

"I like to see the former assistants," Oats said on Dec. 5, 2025, when discussing UTSA head coach and former UA assistant Austin Claunch. "I don't know if I would say I like playing against them because I'm pulling for them to get wins every time they play. You know, Bryan [Hodgson] got a nice one over an undefeated Utah State team last night. So anytime Austin, Bryan, [Antoine] Pettway or Charlie [Henry] plays, I'm pulling for them. Obviously, when they play us, we've got to do our best to beat them."

The Owls finished last season 21-14, including a 10-10 record in Conference USA play. More importantly, Kennesaw State won the CUSA Conference Tournament, which propelled it to its second NCAA Tournament appearance in program history. The Owls were the No. 14 seed in the West Region, and their season ended at the hands of 3-seed Gonzaga, 73-64.

For Oats, seeing former assistants reach the NCAA Tournament reflects the strength of the staff that helped build Alabama’s recent success.

“We’ve had some very good coaches go on and do very well using a very similar system, tweaking it to their personnel each year,” Oats said before March Madness. “You’ve got to give a lot of credit to the staff.”

Alabama's 2026-27 nonconference schedule is nearing completion, as there are only a couple more slots to fill.

Alabama's 2026-27 Schedule as of July 1

Nov. 6: vs. Sam Houston
Nov. 13: vs. Seton Hall
Nov. 17: vs. Kennesaw State
Nov. 24: vs. Baylor at Players Era Championships in Las Vegas
Nov. 26: vs. winner of Gonzaga/Kansas State at Players Era
Nov. 27: vs. winner of Michigan/Creighton/Miami/TCU at Players Era (if Alabama wins prior matchups)
Nov. 28: Players Era Championship vs. winner of Tennessee/Maryland/Iowa State/San Diego State/St. John's/Oregon/Louisville/Texas Tech (if Alabama contends)
Dec. 2: at Miami in ACC/SEC Challenge
Dec. 12: vs. St. John’s in Birmingham
Dec. 21: vs. Iowa in Des Moines, Iowa

Alabama will also face Houston in the Jimmy V Classic, but that date is unknown at this time. The same is said for the Tide's second part of a home-and-home series at South Florida.

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