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Report: Alabama to play Kennesaw State, former assistant Antoine Pettway in Huntsville

IMG_0985by: Griffin McVeigh06/04/25griffin_mcveigh
NateOatsNewarkPractice
Mar 26, 2025; Newark, NJ, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nate Oats during a practice session in preparation for an East Regional semifinal game against the Brigham Young Cougars at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

According to insider Rocco Miller, Alabama and Kennesaw State will play in a nonconference showdown on Dec. 21 in Huntsville. Owls head coach Antoine Pettway has a ton of connections to Alabama, spending his playing days in Tuscaloosa before graduating. He was also a long-time assistant for the program under multiple different coaches.

“Sources: Kennesaw State, Alabama will meet in a neutral-site game at Propst Arena in Huntsville on Sunday, December 21st,” Miller said via X. “Antoine Pettway faces his Alma Mater in the same building as the 2026 CUSA Tournament.”

Kennesaw State finished the 2023-2024 season with a 19-14 overall record and 10-8 inside Conference USA. A conference tournament semifinal loss kept them out of the NCAA Tournament, something the program has only accomplished once. This is off the backs of finishing under .500 in conference play in Pettway’s first season in charge.

Only one high-major team appeared on last year’s schedule, Rutgers. Kennesaw State actually emerged victorious as well, taking down a then-ranked Scarlet Knights team at the KSU Convocation Center. A massive victory for Pettway at the time.

“I’m super happy for Pettway,” Oats said, reacting to the Kennesaw State win. “I think the first win in Kennesaw history over a top 25 team, so a big congrats to Antoine and his staff.”

More on Nate Oats, nonconference scheduling for Alabama

Nate Oats is known for putting together one of the toughest schedules in college basketball on an annual basis. Alabama consistently goes up against power conference programs on the biggest stage. But even games against mid-majors have some reasoning behind them.

Pettway will wind up being the third former assistant Oats goes up against in ’25-26. Bryan Hodgson and USF reportedly have a date with Alabama, as does Austin Claunch’s UTSA. Alabama has grown accustomed to coaches leaving to take over other programs and now, Oats is putting them on the schedule.

Games such as St. John’s, Illinois, and Arizona are going to take headlines and make television partners happy. Alabama does not know its SEC/ACC Challenge partner yet, potentially delivering an eye-popping matchup. Oats will once again bring his team to Las Vegas for the Players’ Era Festival, too, always guaranteeing three quality opponents.

However, going up against a few former assistants might be the most fun games of them all. Similar styles of basketball are going to be played, maybe setting us up for multiple shootouts.