The 2026-27 college basketball season is finally here, and Alabama will tip it off at home against Sam Houston on Tuesday evening.
Nate Oats lost his very first game as Alabama 's head coach in 2019 against Penn, but has won the past six season openers. Six is the magic number, as it's also the number of consecutive preseasons that No. 20 Alabama has been ranked in the AP Top 25 .
UA's roster looks much different, with nine newcomers in Tuscaloosa. 12 of the 15 players are at least 6-foot-6, which should help in many areas that the Crimson Tide has struggled in for quite some time. Rebounding " still isn't fixed " following Alabama's three exhibitions in October, but will it take a step in the right direction against the Bearkats?
Here's your viewing guide for Alabama's first game of 2026-27 against Sam Houston.
Who:Sam Houston (0-0, 0-0 CUSA) at Alabama (0-0, 0-0 SEC)
When:Tuesday, Nov. 3, 6:30 p.m. CT
Where:Coleman Coliseum, Tuscaloosa, Alabama
TV:SECN+
Radio:Crimson Tide Sports Network (Play-By-Play: Chris Stewart, Analyst: Bryan Passink, Sideline: Roger Hoover). The pregame show will begin one hour prior to tipoff.
SiriusXM: 230
All-Time Series: The Crimson Tide and the Bearkats have only met once, back on Dec. 27, 1997, as Alabama won 77-58 in Oklahoma City.
Last Meeting: As stated above, Alabama won by 19 in the short history between these two programs. Brian Williams led the Crimson Tide that season in points per game with 16.1, while Demetrius Jones grabbed the most rebounds (8.3 per game) and Chauncey Jones dished the most assists (3.5).
Last Time Out, Alabama: The Crimson Tide went 3-0 in its preseason exhibitions, beating Furman, Ole Miss and Auburn. Alabama met its expectations in 2025-26, starting the season ranked No. 15 in the AP Top 25 and finishing at that same spot. Oats and company reached its fourth consecutive Sweet 16 before falling to eventual national champion Michigan.
Last Time Out, Sam Houston: The Bearkats fell to Stephen F. Austin 88-76 on the road in their lone preseason exhibition on Oct. 23. Sam Houston shot 34.6 percent from the field in the loss. Head coach Chris Mudge and company finished last season 22-12, including a 13-7 record in Conference USA. It was the Bearkats' most wins since 2014-15 (26-9).
2019-20 vs. Penn: L (81-80)
2020-21 vs. Jacksonville State: W (81-57)
2021-22 vs. Louisiana Tech: W (93-64)
2022-23 vs. Longwood: W (75-54)
2023-24 vs. Morehead State: W (105-73)
2024-25 vs. UNC Asheville: W (110-54)
2025-26 vs. North Dakota: W (91-62)
2026-27 vs. Sam Houston: ?
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/alabama as How to Watch Sam Houston at No. 20 Alabama Basketball in Season Opener .
