UNA Basketball Night @Lost Pizza w/Benjamin Ray 01/19/26

[0:00] It's time for UNA Basketball Night at Lost Pizza Company featuring Coach Candy Whittaker and Coach Tony Pujol. UNA Basketball Night is brought to you by Lost Pizza, Bank Independent, Burnley Spine and Sport, Renaissance Eye Care, The Carriage Wine and Market, Alabama Health Guidance, and Singing River Brewery. Now live from Lost Pizza Company in historic downtown Florence, here's the voice of the UNA Lions, Benjamin Ray. Hello and welcome back down to Lost Pizza Shoals in historic downtown Florence for another week of UNA Basketball Night. Benjamin Ray and Mike Ezekiel with you, ready to take you inside the men's and women's programs at the University of North Alabama.

It's a football national championship night. We've got the game on here at Lost Pizza Shoals. So, Mike, it's the best of both worlds. You get some football on the TVs and some UNA Basketball talk. You know, Ben, I've got to be honest with you, I kind of forgot the national championship game was tonight because I was so excited to be here at Lost Pizza tonight for UNA Basketball Night. It's always fun. Big game, obviously, going on right now, but glad that you're all here watching this and excited to talk some basketball.

The UNA women, they'll be up first. We've got Shayla Sheetal in the house filling in for North Alabama head coach Candy Whitaker. And, Mike, they're coming off of two big road wins, a defensive stand to beat North Florida, and then an offensive showcase to down Jacksonville. Yeah, two amazing wins. And not only that, but to do it on the road, that North Florida team, a lot better than they were last year. So, a very gritty win. And then in Jacksonville, just to see what happened. And the two girls we're going to talk to tonight were instrumental in that win.

We saw, a lot of us saw, 37 minutes from Allie Alvarado, 37 points. That's a point per minute. Very impressive performance. So big that it made some national headlines. And then Gabby Jackson had a double-double, the big shot to win the game. So, excited to talk to them about this win. And, Ben, it's exciting on the women's side right now. EKU is 6-0 at the top of the league. They've beaten everybody pretty handily except for one team. And that's North Alabama. It came down to the final shot.

So, really excited to see how this team competes as we get more further into conference play. How about six teams tied for fourth place in the standings over on the women's side? North Alabama, Austin Peay, Jacksonville, Stetson, Central Arkansas, and Lipscomb. And the best thing is you pretty much get a shot at every single one of those again moving forward. Yeah, and you look at those top three, too. EKU, a close game with UNA. FGCU, a very close game with UNA. And then you've got West Georgia, a team that UNA will still get to play.

And then you talked about that logjam of three and three teams. I really like where UNA is right now. And as you get into February, you really see who separates from the bunch as you play for seeding. And I think this team can really contend. We saw what happened at the end of last season with that win over Central Arkansas. And what we're seeing this season has been really impressive. The men suffered two tough losses to North Florida and Jacksonville at home inside of CBNS Bank Arena.

Mike, it hasn't gone the way that we expected out of the gate. But you look at the conference standings early on, there's still a lot of room for this UNA team to bounce back. Yeah, really hard to sugarcoat it. It was just a really tough weekend for the basketball program here on the men's side. But Dallas Howell, excited to hear from him tonight because he said that I've been part of some one-in-five teams here at UNA. Everything that kind of happened after that, after we figured it out, it all seemed to get better.

It all seemed to get fixed. So there's still plenty of time in this season to get it figured out. I think these men could do it. And we've got to remember that there's ten players on that team that have a ring from last season that kind of remember that feeling. And they are motivated to start fixing this thing. And as we go into February, get some wins. It was just two years ago. We started one-in-five on the men's side and then knocked off Kennesaw State on the road to win five straight.

And that really got things going. That's the year K.J. Johnson hit the buzzer beater against Lipscomb. And at the end of the day, it's all about how you're playing once that tournament rolls around, which this year will be down in Jacksonville, Florida. And I think you got it pulled up. Remind me, I think in that same year after that Kennesaw win, it was a five-game win streak to get above 500 or maybe right to 500. I mean, it can change in an instant. And I know that some of the teams at the top, like Queens on Wednesday, they're not comfortable with 6-0.

They want to keep winning. Austin Peay and Lipscomb, they're not comfortable at 5-1. They want to keep winning. So you get a team like North Alabama that's hungry to win, you got to be careful and you got to be ready. Coach Pujol talks about that all the time. You got to be ready every single day because there's no easy games in the A-Sun. Well, we'll get into it. We'll take our first time out. We'll be back after this. This is UNA Basketball Night from All's Pizza Shoals on 93.9 The Score.

No matter the size of your team or your fan crew, All's Pizza's got you covered. We're talking wings, salads, and the one and only Monster Pizza. Perfect for team dinners, watch parties, or post-game celebrations. Big plays deserve big flavor. And nobody delivers like Lost Pizza. Feed the team, fuel the fans. Go big with Lost Pizza. Burnley Spine and Sport Chiropractic is now offering soft wave therapy. Effective for osteoarthritis, plantar fasciitis, knee pain, foot ulcers, shoulder pain, and more. We also offer the only Theralight 360 red light therapy beds in the Shoals area.

[5:27] Helping with sleep, energy, recovery, pain, and inflammation. Therapies coupled with dry kneeling can help with sugar point and muscular pain. In addition, we also offer genetic testing, deep tissue laser, adjustments, and more. Burnley Spine and Sport Chiropractic is now open Saturdays to better serve our patients. Please visit us at burnleychiro.com. Hi, this is Ike Fowler with Alabama Health Guidance. Whether you are looking for a Medicare health plan or you are under 65 and exploring individual health care options, Alabama Health Guidance can help you find the plan that fits your needs.

Our local agents make it simple, so stop by our office at 885 Florence Boulevard or give us a call at 256-648-5710. Again, that's 256-648-5710. Imagine a bank where you feel at home. Real people living right here in your community are the heart of Bank Independent and everything we do. You have our commitment to bring the people, ideas, and resources together that create a stronger community full of endless potential. For over 75 years, we've served this place we all call home. Bank Independent. We're invested in you.

Member FDIC. Hey guys, how long have you been wearing those out-of-date, scratched-up glasses? This is Dr. Hamp Moore with Renaissance Eye Care. Go ahead and do as the woman in your life has been asking and schedule an eye exam. You can go to renaissanceeyecare.com or call 767-5000 to see either Dr. Kathy Werner, Dr. Lisa Campbell, or myself. Everyone knows it's time to evaluate the health of your eyes and get a new pair of glasses. We can make sure you won't miss any of the action this fall.

And roar lines. Join us at Singing River Brewery, your local hub for great beer and community fun. Ready to serve delicious drinks and host amazing events? Try our Golden Mainer Leo's Roar, and 50% goes to UNA Athletics. Support your local business and college community while enjoying a fantastic atmosphere. Don't miss out on the good times. Come sip, socialize, and savor the taste of Singing River Brewery. Got wine? Offering 10% off six or more bottles of mix-and-match wine and an unmatched selection of nearly 1,000 different wines to suit any budget, the Carriage Wine & Market is your one-stop wine and craft beer destination in the heart of downtown Florence.

In the mood to relax and wind down? Indulge in our bar service featuring fine wines, wine cocktails, and craft beers, all paired perfectly with house-made small bites and charcuterie, and served with a smile in our cozy living room-style atmosphere. Come spend a little time with us and uncork your wine journey at the Carriage Wine & Market, located at 121 East Mobile Street on Mobile Plaza across from the Shoals Theater. Cheers! We're off and running down here at Lost Pizza Shoals, UNA Basketball 9 on 93.9 The Score. Benjamin Ray, Mike Ezekiel, and we're welcome to have a long-time listener, first-time guest.

Joining us next, North Alabama assistant coach Shayla Sheedle. And, Coach, thanks so much for joining us. Two road dubs. How good of a feeling was it to go down to Jacksonville and knock off North Florida and Jacksonville? Oh, it was a really good week for us. We're excited, and we're hoping that the girls continue to compete and just bring the same competitive energy that they had this past week. What stood out in the two road games? Because it is so hard to win on the road.

It doesn't matter what league you're in. It definitely is hard to win on the road. I would say that our defense really stood out this past week. Our girls, their effort on the floor, getting multiple stops in a row just really helped us come out on top. Yeah, only 54 points allowed in that North Florida win, really grinding that one out. And then Saturday, just coming up with defense when needed, and it worked out perfect to get that win. I want to throw a softball to you first before we talk a lot of basketball.

We have a lot of Kansas, you know, Midwest influence on this show. I can think of at least three people that have said they're Chiefs fans, including Gabby, who's here tonight. Are you a Chiefs fan as well? I am a Chiefs fan. Go Chiefs! We've got so many, Dr. Looney, Gabby, Coach Whitaker, yourself, and a lot of good basketball comes from there as well. For sure. Big Chiefs fan. Well, I apologize because I'm a big Broncos fan, and there's only one team playing right now, so I wasn't going to bring it up, but Mike went there.

Hey, I'll let you have it this year. We need it. It's been a rough couple of years. Let's talk about the win over North Florida, and you mentioned the defense, and it was Sophia Cipolletti, right, with the block, I guess, to seal the game. Take us through that and the great play that she made. Oh, well, you know, Sophia's played really good for us lately, and just her length, it's really hard, you know, playing against length like that, and she just came out on top for us, being disciplined and getting that stop that we really needed.

[10:28] How thrilling is it to get a win like that on a defensive stand? Hey, it puts a stamp on everything that coach has been preaching to the girls, where it's going to start on the defensive end for us, and then defense wins games. Yeah, defense certainly won that game, and then a lot of offense needed in Saturday's win. 83-79 win at Jacksonville really came down to that final minute. I remember it being halftime of the men's game. A lot of people started huddling around the TVs as you guys were kind of in that final minute.

We saw Gabby shot. We saw the big stop at the end. I mean, how exciting was that, and just to see the offense kind of pick up in that game? Oh, for sure. You know, the atmosphere that our team brought for that game, having big scores from Allie and Gabby, it was just really exciting to see the girls out there having fun and doing the thing that they love to do. Let's start with Allie first. She's in the house. We're going to hear from her again momentarily.

37 points. That's the second most scored by an A-Sun player this season. Yes, big round of applause for her. And out of that 37 points, I got the wrong box score pulled up. She was 10 of 18 from the field, 4 of 8 from 3, 13 of 15 from the free throw line, and she dished out four assists. I know you worked closely with the guards. What was working so well for her? Hey, Allie was unstoppable Saturday. There was nothing and no one that was going to get in her way. She was going to have her way, whether that was getting to the basket or whether that was knocking down outside shots for her.

So she had a remarkable game. Two things about Allie's game that stood out to me, just looking at the box score, 13 for 15 at the free throw line and made all four of the last four to kind of ice the game. Second thing, three blocks. I mean, what was she doing defensively to make that work? What wasn't she doing? She was all over the place. Well said. Yeah, her defensive stigma and just her want to not let anybody score the ball was just, she was very tenacious.

What's it say about this team? I mean, at one point, four starters were outright that they've been able to kind of come together. You've had a different player step up every single week, and all of a sudden, you're right back there in the mix of things in terms of the conference standings early on. Hey, what we've talked about as a staff, you know, our conference, there's nobody who's going to outright win our league. And we have a really good opportunity ahead of us if our girls continue to compete on both ends that we could really make a run in our conference.

Ben kind of referred to this a little bit, but let's talk about the five that started in that game. We touched on Allie and Gabby. Katie Criswell played 38 minutes in that game. Jazzy, we talked to her last week, and she's really come on and has played a bigger role in this team lately than she did earlier in the season. And obviously, Sophia, what she's done all season, these five just starting and how they've gelled. Just talk about that a little bit. Oh, for sure. I mean, I've mentioned to a few people tonight that I really feel like this past trip to Florida really kind of brought our team together.

I don't know what it was, but you could just see them gel really well on the floor. And, you know, we've talked about the five that have put up really big minutes for us, and it was a team effort this past week. You know, sometimes when a team is searching for its identity, going through adversity like that, it helps to go on the road. What is it about the road sometimes that just brings a group together? I mean, we're around each other 24-7. I would say that's the biggest thing.

So it's either going to be really good or really bad, and I really would say that it's helped us a lot with our chemistry. Yeah, and going back to Saturday, senior captain India Howard, we've talked to her and how her role, she's been in the program a long time and now kind of taking on more of a captaincy type role and had 10 points over 16 minutes off the bench, really played a huge role in that game as well. She did. She played a really big role in that game, as you said.

You know, there's different type of leaders, and she's done a really good job for us of leading by example and just being a vocal leader to our team. All right, we like to talk journeys, hear stories. Tell us your story, your path to North Alabama. What led you to joining Coach Whitaker's staff? You know, I actually was recruited by Coach Whitaker when I was in high school when she was at Oklahoma State. So we kind of known of each other throughout the years. Prior to that, I was a high school coach, and I coached on the Nike EYBL circuit.

So just kind of making connections growing up through that, I was able to get this opportunity to join and be on her staff. And obviously, you've known her a long time just through that process, and now you're here in Florence. You've got a great coaching staff you're working with, obviously the players you've spoken so highly of in this community. Talk about this community and how you feel like you've really fit into it and what Florence has meant to you so far. Yeah, for sure. You know, Florence is a pretty small town compared to where I grew up in Kansas City.

But growing up through Columbia, Missouri, it was also a college town. So I've kind of gotten the feel of a small college town. But it's been great being here. You know, it's small, but everybody's very supportive of all the sport programs at UNA. So it's a big family. You played collegiately at Kansas. Yes, sir. Take us back to the glory days, your playing days. What stands out most when you reflect back? Oh, yeah. Well, you know, a few years back, I would have never thought that I would honestly be a college coach at the Division I level.

[15:45] So just looking back at all the things that now I'm trying to instill in my players, I'm extremely grateful for my coaches and the things that they've taught me along the way. Now, I'm trying to compare the years. Did you and Coach Whitaker go head-to-head, Kansas-Texas Tech? Yes. Any memories of who got the better of one another? Oh, you know, rock, chalk, J-Hop. That's all I'm going to say. We won't bring that up with her is what you're saying. We can bring this up with her.

We want to know what you were like as a player. So if you had to tell us about Shayla, the player, not just the coach, but the player, how would you describe the player? Oh. You know, I was a really big competitor. I would say that I really valued defense. That was kind of what I was known for, put me on the best player. I'm living up to the challenge of getting stops any chance that I could get. You know, offensively I made it happen, but the majority of my offense came from defensive end.

Is Allie Alvarado dropping 37 on you? Of course not. All right, you guys are back at home. It's kind of a split weekend, right? You're at home Thursday against Queens. Then Saturday, the travel partner, Central Arkansas. Give us the breakdown of the week outlook for these two ASUN games. Oh, for sure. You know, like you said, Thursday we have Queens. We're really excited to keep this win streak going for us. And then we've got a big game against Central Arkansas that I'm really looking forward to seeing the girls go out there and compete.

For the next five on the road, big stretch coming up. We're excited to have you guys back home riding that momentum Thursday night, 6 o'clock against Queens. Then on the road against Central Arkansas on Saturday at 1 p.m. What's it going to take to pull out a couple good wins this week? Yes, we're looking forward to it. So make sure you guys come out and support us on Thursday if possible, and we'll bring home some wins. We appreciate you joining us, Coach. Thank you. That's North Alabama Assistant Coach Shayla Cheadle.

We'll take a timeout still to come. Allie Alvarado, Gabby Jackson. We'll let them rock, paper, scissors it to see who's coming up first. We'll be back after this. This is UNA Basketball Night from Loss Pizza Shoals on 93.9 The Score. No matter the size of your team or your fan crew, Loss Pizza's got you covered. We're talking wings, salads, and the one and only Monster Pizza. Perfect for team dinners, watch parties, or post-game celebrations. Big plays deserve big flavor, and nobody delivers like Loss Pizza. Feed the team, feel the fans.

Go big with Loss Pizza. Burnley Spine and Sport Chiropractic is now offering soft wave therapy, effective for osteoarthritis, plantar fasciitis, knee pain, foot ulcers, shoulder pain, and more. We also offer the only Theralight 360 red light therapy beds in the Shoals area, helping with sleep, energy, recovery, pain, and inflammation. Therapies coupled with dry kneeling can help with sugar point and muscular pain. In addition, we also offer genetic testing, deep tissue laser, adjustments, and more. Burnley Spine and Sport Chiropractic is now open Saturdays to better serve our patients.

Please visit us at burnleychiro.com. Hi, this is Ike Fowler with Alabama Health Guidance. Whether you are looking for a Medicare health plan, or you are under 65 and exploring individual health care options, Alabama Health Guidance can help you find the plan that fits your needs. Our local agents make it simple, so stop by our office at 885 Florence Boulevard, or give us a call at 256-648-5710. Again, that's 256-648-5710. Have you ever seen those halftime scholarships where you have to nail a 40-yard field goal? Yeah, this isn't that.

I didn't have to write a long essay or audition or make a half-court shot. I just had to open a bank independent account, use my debit card, sign up for online banking, and have a positive balance. That's it. A 20% scholarship to UNA. When bank independent invests in students like me, they're investing in all of us and the future of our community. Bank independent. We're invested in your future. Member FDIC. Hey guys, how long have you been wearing those out-of-date, scratched-up glasses? This is Dr. Hampton Moore with Renaissance Eye Care.

Go ahead and do as the woman in your life has been asking and schedule an eye exam. You can go to renaissanceeyecare.com or call 767-5000 to see either Dr. Kathy Werner, Dr. Lisa Campbell, or myself. Everyone knows it's time to evaluate the health of your eyes and get a new pair of glasses. We can make sure you won't miss any of the action this fall. And Roar Lines. Join us at Singing River Brewery, your local hub for great beer and community fun. Ready to serve delicious drinks and host some amazing events?

Try our Golden Mainer Leo's Roar and 50% goes to UNA Athletics. Support your local business and college community while enjoying a fantastic atmosphere. Don't miss out on the good times. Come sip, socialize, and savor the taste of Singing River Brewery. Television is over. And the good times will flow once again at the Florence Wine Fest, February 20th and 21st. Friday night sets its own with coupes, cocktails, and velvet smooth live music. Saturday afternoon, taste your way through an unforgettable wine experience. Then Saturday night, the city comes alive with the Florence Wine Fest Free Block Party and Concert, featuring Atlanta's great grand finale band.

[21:14] Free block party tickets and full event details are at FlorenceWineFest.com. Proudly presented by Visit the Shoals with support from CB&S Bank, Clearview Cancer Institute, and the Hotels of Florence. We've got North Alabama's top scorer on the season. Allie Alvarado with us. 37 points in North Alabama's win against Jacksonville in 37 minutes. She's our first repeat guest this year. Thanks for coming back, Allie. 37 points. How did it feel on Saturday? It was honestly surreal. I didn't even know I had 37 points until they told me at the end of the game.

You just knew you'd scored a lot, right? Yeah. I was just in the moment. And then 37 points just off of your career high from 42 at your previous school. Compare the two games. What do you remember? 42 points at my last school. It was a hard game. We were getting pressured like crazy the whole time. I just remember just my dad yelling at me saying, oh, we need five more points the whole time to beat the record. So that's all I remember. And then the 37 on Saturday, I mean, I didn't even realize I had that much until everyone told me and everyone was so hyped up for me.

I was just excited about the win and Gabby hitting that game winning shot. Yeah, it obviously means more in a win when you could do that. I want to go back to early part of the game. You start, you know, you hit the first few shots. There's got to be a point where you kind of know, okay, I'm kind of cooking right now, you know, very humbly. But when you score in a game like that and just everything seems to work in, when does it truly sit in for you like, wow, I'm playing really well and I'm just going to keep shooting?

I think it's mainly my team just telling me to keep going, keep attacking and just playing hard. I give energy to the team. The team gives energy to me and that's how we win games. It's all of our energy all together. You were the story of the game, 37 points, but we're going to talk to her next. Gabby Jackson had the big three late in that ball game. How proud are you, the freshman, just how she continues to step up? I was so excited when she hit that three.

It was like silence when that three went up and when it went in, we were all so hyped up. I ran and jumped into her arms. It was a surreal moment. Such a surreal moment and Gabby was on the show a couple weeks ago. We'll talk to her about this, but to get that opportunity again as a true freshman to be kind of that clutch player and be trusted in a moment like that says a lot about her. Yes, of course. She's been playing her tail off like crazy and I'm just so excited to be playing with her.

So the all-time single-game scoring record for UNA is 43 by LaCondra Cochran, who's in the Athletic Hall of Fame. She did that back in 1985 and then you broke the Division I single-game scoring record. Ivy Wallen scored 35 points against Kennesaw State back in 2019, which was the first year at the Division I level. And then UNA fans will remember a player by the name of Julia Strachman. She knocked down, I think, nine threes in a win against Jacksonville at home February 3rd, 2022. So your name's going to live on in the record book forever right there with that 37-point performance.

And hearing that, how does that make you feel? It's honestly just amazing. Gabby loves it right there. It's honestly amazing. I mean, just having my name in two schools in the record book is a really great thing that I can live on and look at and, like, just make my family proud because they're the reason I do this. Yeah, and one of those that Ben just mentioned, Ivy Wallen, she's an ASA in Hall of Famer, too. So you've got some really good company right there that you're with.

So very exciting there. But let's just go back to North Florida, too, and to get two big wins on the road. It's pretty satisfying when you win at home and send the crowd home happy, but it's probably also pretty satisfying to win on the road. Yeah, it was honestly so great to win back-to-back, especially because we've been on that streak of losing at first. So having the streak to start winning and just having the energy and seeing us progress so much as a team and coming together has been amazing.

This team has been through a lot the last two, three weeks, whether injuries, just going through it, really. How have you guys stayed together and come out all right on the other side? I think just staying confident with each other and just having the energy and confidence, honestly, with everything and just coming back to the defensive end, and that's how we're going to win games. Speaking of confidence, I want to go back to this part. We asked Shea about this as well. After Gabby's shot, had to ice the game with those free throws.

I think you hit four in the final minute there to ice the game. You had already had a great game there, but to just kind of close it like you did, is there a lot of pressure that goes into that when you have to go to the line and know, hey, I need to hit these shots? Yeah, there's always a little bit of pressure, but honestly, the team believed in me, and I was going to knock them down for them. Tell us about Coach Sheetal. She was here earlier.

She's not coming back up, so you can say whatever you want to right now. But what's it like having her on staff in your first year? She's amazing. She has a lot of confidence in me, talks to me, tells me that these are big games, that I need to hit some big shots for them, and that's what I end up doing. Do you have a response to her saying that she'd win the one-on-one? I think we'll just have to play one-on-one to find out. Are we charging for that?

[26:23] I think that would get a pretty good game. Yeah, I've got to say this, too. This is kind of fun. Charity last year, y'all played in the same conference. She was great. You've been great. Is there maybe a California pipeline kind of opening to Florence, Alabama for the future? It's looking like it, honestly. All right, how do we build off of this? Thursday, Queens, Saturday, Central Arkansas. We just got to keep the energy up and the confidence that we're going to win these games coming up.

For the next five at home, you guys have been to Florida twice. Now, hey, California to Florida, Florence in between. Have you ever been to Florida before? No, not until now, yeah. So what was your first trip like to the Sunshine State? It was great. I mean, you don't get to see too much because we're traveling most of the time. So I'm used to it, though, just seeing the gyms and getting to fill out new gyms and get to see how other people live a little bit.

So you probably didn't get to compare the West Coast beaches to the Florida beaches. Well, the Florida beaches are way better. Are they? We got to see dolphins. So, yeah, we were out there taking the ice bath in the morning, and we saw dolphins. So that's a pretty cool experience. It is indeed one you'll remember for a long time. I know, 37 points. Hopefully tomorrow you get some ASUN news. ASUN Player of the Week will be pulling for you. Thursday night inside the bank. Queens, what's it going to take to get the dub?

Just playing hard like we have been. Lots of energy, belief, and trust in our own team, and just playing hard on defense. That's what's going to make us go on offense. Come out and join the Lions inside the bank. Queens, 6 o'clock tip. Let's take a timeout. When we come back, the freshman Gabby Jackson joins us next. This is UNA Basketball Night from All's Pizza Shoals on 93.9 The Score. No matter the size of your team or your fan crew, Lost Pizza's got you covered. We're talking wings, salads, and the one and only Monster Pizza.

Perfect for team dinners, watch parties, or post-game celebrations. Big plays deserve big flavor, and nobody delivers like Lost Pizza. Feed the team, fuel the fans. Go big with Lost Pizza. Burnley Spine and Sport Chiropractic is now offering soft wave therapy, effective for osteoarthritis, plantar fasciitis, knee pain, foot ulcers, shoulder pain, and more. We also offer the only Theralight 360 red light therapy beds in the Shoals area, helping with sleep, energy, recovery, pain, and inflammation. Therapies coupled with dry needling can help with sugar point and muscular pain.

In addition, we also offer genetic testing, deep tissue laser, adjustments, and more. Burnley Spine and Sport Chiropractic is now open Saturdays to better serve our patients. Please visit us at burnleyciro.com Hi, this is Ike Fowler with Alabama Health Guidance. Whether you are looking for a Medicare health plan or you are under 65 and exploring individual health care options, Alabama Health Guidance can help you find the plan that fits your needs. Our local agents make it simple, so stop by our office at 885 Florence Boulevard or give us a call at 256-648-5710.

Again, that's 256-648-5710. Imagine a bank where you feel at home. Real people living right here in your community are the heart of Bank Independent and everything we do. You have our commitment to bring the people, ideas, and resources together that create a stronger community full of endless potential. For over 75 years, we've served this place we all call home. Bank Independent, we're invested in you. Member FDIC. Hey guys, how long have you been wearing those out-of-date, scratched-up glasses? This is Dr. Ham Moore with Renaissance Eye Care.

Go ahead and do as the woman in your life has been asking and schedule an eye exam. You can go to renaissanceeyecare.com or call 767-5000 to see either Dr. Kathy Warner, Dr. Lisa Campbell, or myself. Everyone knows it's time to evaluate the health of your eyes and get a new pair of glasses. We can make sure you won't miss any of the action this fall and roar lines. Join us at Singing River Brewery, your local hub for great beer and community fun. Ready to serve delicious drinks and host amazing events?

Try our Golden Mainer Leo's Roar and 50% goes to UNA Athletics. Support your local business and college community while enjoying a fantastic atmosphere. Don't miss out on the good times. Come sip, socialize, and savor the taste of Singing River Brewery. Got wine? Offering 10% off six or more bottles of mix-and-match wine and an unmatched selection of nearly 1,000 different wines to suit any budget, the Carriage Wine & Market is your one-stop wine and craft beer destination in the heart of downtown Florence. In the mood to relax and wind down?

Indulge in our bar service featuring fine wines, wine cocktails, and craft beers, all paired perfectly with house-made small bites and charcuterie, and served with a smile in our cozy, living room-style atmosphere. Come spend a little time with us and uncork your wine journey at the Carriage Wine & Market, located at 121 East Mobile Street on Mobile Plaza across from the Shoals Theater. Cheers! Well, she's back from Kansas City, Missouri. The true freshman, Gabby Jackson. She had six points in the win over North Florida while playing 39 minutes. Then against Jacksonville, she played 37 minutes, had a double-double, 15 points, 12 rebounds, while also hitting the go-ahead three with about 15 seconds left in the ballgame.

[32:05] And, Gabby, let's start with that. The game's tied up. True freshman, on the road. Swisher Gymnasium is one of the toughest environments to play in because it can be sold out or there can be one person in there, and it is loud and rowdy. It does not matter what the crowd is like. What's going through your mind as you're standing out there, your first time in that gym and at a big moment in this game, is that ball's coming to you? You know, I was, like, coming down the court, and I was like, Jazzy!

Because I was, like, wide open, and then I just shot it. It was just fluid, and I was just like, oh, yeah, woohoo! It was a big-time moment. I was, like, really hyped. I was just so glad that Jazzy heard me because she was literally double-teamed, and she made that pass, and it was such a good pass. It set me up perfectly, so it was really good. So you knew coming out of your hands it was in? You know, yeah. Because I didn't really have a choice if that ball didn't go in or not, so I had to go in.

Well, you certainly knew. If you didn't know then, you certainly knew after, when the timeout was called, and Allie came over and gave you a big hug, and everybody else was celebrating with you, and obviously still some basketball to go at that point, but it had to feel good in that moment to know that that was a big impact, and your teammate was all around you. Yeah, it was. It felt so good when Allie came over. I was like, oh, my gosh, like, it was a big three, and then my coach, Coach A, was celebrating on the side, and, like, everybody was hyped.

It was a really good moment. It felt really good. 37 points from Allie. What was it like watching her cook out there? My gosh, they couldn't stop five-foot Allie. I mean, she was just all over the place, and I was like, whew, I mean, she's on my team, so I'm just going to let her go at it. I mean, she was cooking them like it was nobody's business. It was great. When a player's hot like that, are you thinking, get her the ball and get out of the way?

100%. 100% thinking that all the time. Any way I can help you score, I will do it. I got to say, you had a pretty good game yourself. 15 points, 12 rebounds, three for three behind the arc. That's the first time you've been perfect behind the arc with that many three-pointers. I mean, talk about all three. Do you remember all three of them? I believe you said you didn't know that you hit them all. Yeah, I didn't even know that I was 100% until I think Buki Akinsela told me after the game.

She was like, you're 100% from the arc. And I was like, oh, shoot. I was like, I didn't even know. But, yeah, when you're in the flow of the game, you don't really think about points and stuff. You're just thinking about how you can help your team and how to win. We got to back up a second. Five-foot Allie. I just double-checked. She's listed at five-foot-seven. What's the story? She's 5'6 and three-quarters. I remember Allie telling us this in the locker room. And she is, you know, she was cooking at five-six and three-quarters.

But we have her as 5'7. We can round up. That's okay. But where does five-foot Allie come from? You know, I call her five-foot because when she came and gave me a hug, it felt like it was five feet tall. And it was amazing. And I just loved it. I was like, oh, my gosh, the hype from this teammate is awesome. Hey, speaking of that, defensively, three blocks from five-foot Allie ain't bad. Right. And when you see them live and you see a girl get blocked and Allie's, like, apologizing because she made a mistake.

I was like, but you just blocked the c*** out of her. I was like, I don't care about your mistake. I was like, you went and got back. Like, that's how you play hard. That's how you get a block. And it was awesome. So that's how we beat Jacksonville back up a game to North Florida. I think it was Sophia Wright with a late block in that ball game. You guys get the thrill of the offensive three in one win, a defensive stand in the other.

How does the feelings compare? You know, it just really feels really good to win, like, honestly. And when you do your role, you do your part, that's how you win. Like, and that's what it came down to, especially in North Florida game when Sophia stayed on her feet and got a good block. It was just big time. And that was good for her to step up there. And she stepped up in the Jacksonville game, guarding a six-year senior, however old she is, like, and just locked her up.

I mean, the game before, she had 44 points, and Sophia took care of her. So she stepped up. So remind me, last time we talked to you, was that last week or the week before last? Can you remind me? Maybe a week before last, I think. I think it was after Stetson, right? Yeah. So in that Stetson game, 35 minutes, right? That was the first time you had played more than 30 minutes. So now, the four games after that, you played 36 minutes, 28, 39, and 37. So your week was 39 minutes, 37 minutes.

So, North Florida, you essentially did not come out of the game. How does it feel to kind of go wire to wire like that? Do you get tired? Do you ever have moments where it gets tough, or are you just kind of locked in? I'm most definitely locked in because all you can do is just be grateful that you're playing that many minutes, especially as a freshman. So I'm going to take advantage but also appreciate the fact that I'm out there. And just, again, just grateful that I'm out there.

So, you know, I'm going to work my butt off to just keep staying out there and give my 110% when I'm out there. So I'm looking up and down the roster right now. Allie's in her first year. Sophia is really essentially a redshirt freshman. She's a sophomore, did not play a lot as a freshman last year. You've got Buki. She's in her first year at UNA. Gabby Jackson, that's you. You're fourth on the team in scoring right now. You're a true freshman, first year at UNA. What's it like seeing all these players, first-year players right at UNA, come together and have this success?

[37:10] It's just really good, like, to know that people all around the world, like we've got a girl from Italy, you've got somebody from California, like, and you come together and you can just play ball. I think that's what basketball does for you. You play ball, have a good time. And it just feels good, like, especially when you win. And it feels great. Like, when we were winning together, especially in that Jacksonville game, I feel like we really kind of came together as a team and everybody did their part.

Even Buki was on the bench and she was hyped both games and she was being a great leader and just vocal. And that's big for us, I think. Yeah, you certainly see the chemistry with this team. Four games in Florida down. And we just talked about this. It's great to win at home. Had to feel good also to get a win on the road. Yes. Yes, it did. What's kind of the difference? I mean, you get to send the crowd home happy when you're home, but what's it like winning on the road?

What's the difference there? I think when you win on the road, like, you just take something from somebody else. Like, you just took it from them. Like, we got your win in your place, you know? Like, you ever heard, like, come in your trap, take over your trap? You ever heard of that? Yeah, it's like, ah, it just felt so good. Like, and then they, like, felt like that they were better than us and we just came out and we had five-foot alley, like, come take over your trap.

Like, and she just walked all over you. Like, it was so great. And it just felt good walking out with a win, especially in Florida, like, when it's nice outside. So it was really good. Let's talk about your freshman year just a little bit. And obviously when you're in high school, your primary road games are on the bus, right? You're taking bus trips. I'm sure you played some AAU ball, which took you to some fun places. But going to Florida twice, going on the road to Oklahoma to play, what's it like freshman year getting to go on the road and to go to some different type venues?

Yeah, you go on the road. I mean, it's exciting, honestly. I just, I like going to different places on the earth. It's really cool. And I just like playing on the road and playing at home. I like playing. What's been your favorite place so far? Definitely Florida. Yep, I love Florida. What about a specific gym? Specific gym? I mean, if I say Florida, but then, like, Mizzou's gym was just so cool. Like, it was just the scene. It was so cool to me. Yeah, I'm sure you had a lot of family come to that game as well.

I did. Yeah. All six of them were there, and my mom and dad were there. So it was very good. I want to talk about just what it's like being a freshman. The last time we talked, you know, being trusted in big moments, that was kind of a big thing. And you had one moment that it didn't go your way, but you said, hey, I learned from this, and my coaches and teammates, they trust me, and that means a lot to me as a freshman. But then you get that moment again.

You get that redemption shot, and your teammates still believe in you, and you get that opportunity, and you do it. I mean, it's got to feel good as a freshman to still have that trust and to know, hey, I can do this. Yeah, no, 100%. When you get that trust, and you get that feeling, like, your teammates do rely on you, and they appreciate what you do, because appreciation is big to me, and I appreciate what my team does for me, and I love how they appreciate what I do for them.

And I think it's just really big. Sorry. You're good. You're good. It's just, like, really big, like, when you have a team that is just kind and welcoming, and, like, it just feels good, like, when they're just good people. So it's really good, yeah. Now, we didn't go down this road with Allie. She said that she's not a big college football fan, had never been to a college football game until she came to UNA, so she got to experience one at Brawley. You said your dad had told you some stuff about this game tonight.

Give us some insight. Who's going to win? It's already underway, but give us your perspective. My dad thinks Indiana is going to win that game, and I like, like, going against my dad, so I'm just like, oh, Miami's going to win. Like, I'm just, I want to go against them, but I, you know, I think Indiana got it, you know. Like, they got a good coach. They got it going for them, but, you know, I don't know who he thinks is going to win. I'm rolling with Indiana as well.

Yeah. Yeah, what about you? Indiana. But I do think it'll be close. I think it'll be a good game. Miami's proven everybody wrong in every game, so. That's right. They made it this far. Very good. All right, so, Gabby, as we wrap up, Queens on Thursday, 6 o'clock tip in the bank on the road at Central Arkansas this week. Overall, for the next five at home, how do you guys keep it rolling and get the dub in the next game? I'm going to say what Allie said.

I think you've got to play hard, and you've got to play hard with defense. I think our defense makes our offense, and you've got to play as a team. That's big to me. When you play as a team and everybody does their part, you come out with wins, and you come out, and you just go out there and you have fun. Like, that's big, and you've got to play hard. At the end of the day, if you give 110% effort, you know you gave all you could give.

You can't walk off that court with your head down, so. Well, hey, the big weekend coming up. Hopefully, you get some good news from the A-Sun tomorrow with maybe some more Freshman of the Week honors. We're proud of you. We enjoy watching you. Big shot on Saturday, and you guys will get rolling Thursday against Queens. Best of luck. Thank you so much. That's Gabby Jackson. Thanks for stopping by. We'll take a timeout. Tony Pujol joins us next. This is UNA Basketball Night from All's Pizza Shoals on 93.9 The Score.

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Benjamin Ray, Mike Ezekiel, and head basketball coach Tony Pujol, and he's also our Miami football insider. Coach, there's a football game taking place. You grew up a fan of the U, down 3-0 right now. What do you think of this football game? Well, I'm happy for the U. Obviously, grew up watching the Hurricanes play in Miami in the 80s and 90s, right when they were at their peak. A great little story here. When I was at Alabama as an assistant coach, Mario Cristobal was the offensive line coach for Nick Saban.

So, it was kind of cool to have another Cuban-American there with us in Tuscaloosa. That kind of put the Cuban population to about 2% in Tuscaloosa, which was great. Did anything stand out from any of those coaches that you've taken away with your coaching philosophy now that you're a head coach? You know, you learn from everybody, right? Well, that's one of the things that was great about being at Alabama was you had Nick Saban there. Nick, Coach Saban, did a great job of spending time with Coach Grant, and he would allow our staff to visit with him.

And, man, you just take so much from opportunities like that where you can share information and just gather information from somebody like that when it comes to the discipline of your team and how to build a program and how to sustain a program. You know, it's invaluable. So, yeah, I really took a lot when we were down there in Tuscaloosa. Yeah, and I guess that's going to answer my next question already, but I guess Miami's got the right guy for the job. No doubt. I mean, the guy played there.

He's from there. Went to Christopher Columbus High School where, in fact, the quarterback at Indiana, that's where he played. In fact, his dad and Mario Cristobal both played together at Christopher Columbus High School. So there's so much – it's a small community in South Florida, but it's a strong one. And, you know, he is definitely the right guy for the job because he understands the history of that place. He understands the culture and the expectations. So, Coach, from working around some great coaches to coaching here at North Alabama, I know it's been a tough go here early on in ASOM play, right?

[47:47] What's been the message to the team is we'd like to kind of get things jump-started here. Yeah, I mean, the message is always the same, right? We have to continue to get better as a team. Right now the team's going through it, and, you know, for us, there's no failure. This is a learning process for us. And what we have to understand is, for us, our team just needs to get better every day. And right now there's some things that we're working on. I had a great practice today.

I thought the energy was fantastic. I thought the staff brought energy, the players brought energy, managers brought energy. It was just a good moment. And to me, this is exactly what men do, right? And young ladies, too, the athletics. What we want to teach them is, no matter what's going on, you've still got to get up and get better every day. You've got to get up and do your job. And that's what we're telling these guys. That's what we're preaching to these guys, because this is going to go beyond the game right now.

This is going to take them now to the next venture in their life when they're husbands and parents. And they go through rough patches. You know, what do you have to do? You've got to get up and you've got to get back to work. So we're truly excited. We know we've got the right group. We've just got to get through this little storm that we're in right now. Coach, you've had a couple of those storms. You've been here eight seasons. And Dallas Howell's been here six seasons.

And Dallas said something that was really powerful, that, you know, the couple times that happened, it seemed to be a turning point. Things got better after that. And they really did. You just had to find that moment where you dig down deep and you fix it. And when I say that, I say that in a way that things are going to turn around if you really, truly want them to. Yeah, exactly. I mean, the bottom line is, you know, we always tell our guys, when things go bad, don't get too low.

And when things are good, don't get too high. You want to make sure that you're staying and your focus needs to be to continue to grow. And these guys, you know, I got a lot of trust in Dallas Howell. He's somebody that's been in the program for a while. Guys love him. They really, truly listen to him. And like I said, I think we've got the right guys. We just, again, we've got to make sure that we're maintaining the culture and we're continuing to set the standard of what's the expectation of what we have to do.

And I truly believe these guys can do that. You know, Coach, one of those losses to North Florida and one of the unique things about North Florida is Matthew Driscoll left. They named Bobby Kenner at the interim. And that staff's been together for nearly 15 years. I got to talk to Bobby before the game. And he was rattling off former players that had stopped by practices throughout the course of the year. Washita Minu, Evangondea Rosa, some of those names UNA fans would remember. For you, I'm just interested in Dallas Howell, six of the eight years he's been on your roster.

Will Soucy, who's actually, I guess, surprised everybody. He came up for the game on Saturday. Five of the first seven years, he was on your roster. And you've built this program up. Seeing one, Dallas' commitment, Will's commitment. But then seeing a guy like Will Soucy still wanting to come around. I mean, what does that say to you? You know, Damien Forrest and Tay Fields, right? Those guys were here all summer. Heck, Damien rented an Airbnb for the entire month of August to practice here and lift here before he went to Europe.

Which was great because those two guys played against each other last week. Which was a great thing. I mean, it's fun to see your guys like that. We got to watch the game. And you know how they shake hands prior to the game, both teams. It was great to see those two guys embrace at half court. And it was a long embrace, too. It was kind of cool to see that. But you know what? Going back to Dallas Howell, being here for six years, he is the only player in the nation that is a six-year senior that has only been at one school.

And that, I think, speaks volumes of the commitment that this young man has not only for the University of North Alabama, but for the city of Florence. Yeah, and his leadership at a time like this is really valuable. A hundred percent. I mean, it's invaluable, right? Because, you know, one thing I've always said, when things are going well, anybody can be up. But how are you as a team when you face adversity? And having a guy like that, you know, he always drives hope to our guys.

He always makes sure that these guys are just continuing to get better every day. Now, Coach, there's still some positives to take away from this weekend, and one of them, I think, very quietly. Kevin Dekovicic. Yeah. In two games, he averaged 18 points per game. 19 against North Florida. 17 against Jacksonville shot at a high clip as well, over 50% from the field in both games. And we saw Kev get off to an incredible start in November. Kind of slowed down a little bit in December through the first couple of conference games.

He's just a sophomore, but how encouraging is it to see him kind of explode again? Yeah, you know, he's a guy that we put in a tough position this year. We gave him an opportunity. You know, remember, he was limited minutes last year and was given a big role this year. And he's, I love the way that he's embraced it. But like anything else, when you're young like that, you're going to have to, you're going to go through your ups and downs. And hopefully right now, he's kind of turned the corner, right?

[52:47] He's already gone through hitting the wall, and now he can continue on playing the way he's been playing, especially these last two games. And so many times we saw him just use that speed. Is that one of the strong points of his game? No doubt. That's one of the things you don't have to worry about with Kevin. With Kevin, in fact, you're going to have to rein him in. He's one that you rein in, which is the ones I love to coach, right? The ones I got to prod, those are harder, right?

But a guy like him, you know he's going to go at 100% every single time. And like I said, it's easier for us to coach. Coach, there was on Saturday, a little tough to get some rebounds at times, but there was one guy that really stood out to me, that really fought hard for some rebounds, and that was true freshman Braylon Patton. One of the smaller guys out there, but really fought hard and got five boards. Yeah, well, we challenged the guards that day. We challenged the guards to help Neil, right?

Neil right now leads the league in rebounding. And, you know, he just garners so much attention. When a shot goes up, you're going to see two guys on him just trying to take him out. So now what I told our guys was, you know, this is a game where we need to help him. We need to help him defensive rebound. We need to help him offensive rebound. And we challenged our guards to make sure that they got a minimum of four defensive rebounds in the game.

And that kid played 13 minutes and grabbed five rebounds, four of them defensive. Now, how he got the offensive rebound, I don't know, because he should have been balancing the floor. But he ended up with the offensive rebound, so we'll take it. And speaking of Cornelius Williams, he's here tonight as well, Coach. Monster weekend from the top rebounder in the A-Sun. North Florida, 28 points, 14 rebounds. Jacksonville, 17 points, just six rebounds. But then you look, against North Florida, he was 13 of 18 from the field. I mean, that's unbelievable. Then Jacksonville, 11 of 14 from the free throw line, which is big for a big fella as well.

What about Neal's explosion this weekend? Yeah, I mean, Neal's a guy that when he's locked in and ready, he can just dominate a game. And that's going to be his challenge, is in all these games that we play, he's going to garner a lot of attention. And he's going to have to understand that a lot of teams also are going to tease him and get on him, right, to see if he can lose focus. And that's going to be the challenge for him, is to maintain his focus.

We told him today in practice that for us, the energy that we bring to practice has to be shared first with our team. We don't need to be sharing energy with the opposing team or any of their players or any of their fans. Our energy is for us, okay? Our focus needs to be in the building up of the team that's on the court for us. We don't need to share our energy with anybody else. And I think that's going to be a challenge for him.

But when he does that, like you said, he's a dominant player. Both of those free throw numbers for Neal, 11 of 14, those are career highs for him, hit a lot. Kev went 6 of 7 in that game as well. And, Coach, as you look at that number and you're singling out a positive, 23 of 30 from the line. A game like that can pay off down the road. If you're shooting free throws like that every game and you're getting that many chances, that's a pretty good number. Well, think about it.

If you get a guy like Neal who's going to get a lot of – he's going to receive a lot of contact, right? So if he can get to the line and shoot it above a 70% clip, you know, we talk about we never want to leave money on the table, right? So whenever you can do that, you're really – I mean, Neal last year was a 65% free throw shooter. I don't know what he's shooting this year. I think he's well over 70%, close to – I want to say close to about 75% from the line.

So for me, that improvement right there, that's about another – that's another three, four points a game. And we talked to him about that, that that's got to be now his next thing where, you know, he's got to be extremely efficient on the offensive end of the floor. You nailed it. 74. 74, yeah. Coach, a 1-5 start in A-sun play. I know it's not the start we expected or thought we'd have right now, but this community – I know Bobby Wallace reached out to you. Ike Fowler, who's here tonight, reached out to you over the weekend to talk to you.

I'm watching the team after a disappointing loss on Saturday. They walk around the gym and the fans are still loving on them like it's the A-sun semifinals last year, right? I mean, how big is that still having this community with this team balled in? It's amazing. And H.L. Noah, right? H.L. Noah sends me a text message all the time, you know, encouraging. And to me, when you have, you know, folks that – the Rileys, for example, who come out all the time. You know, I can go on and on listing names.

What's been most impressive to me is not only that the folks are coming out, but they're staying, okay? And they're supporting our guys, even though they know they're going through a tough time right now, they're there to support our young men. And they don't understand how important and valuable that is. But at the same time, I tell our players, you have to protect that. That's something that you have to protect, that you have to make sure that our fan base understands that you're giving it everything you have out there.

[57:56] And you owe them that. You owe the ex-players, players that have built this, right? Because I remember when we first got here in 2018, you know, you remember how Flowers Hall was, right? And then you go and fast forward to last year and look where it is. And now this year, what I tell our guys, that right there is how much this community truly, truly just embraces our programs in our athletic department. And we have to pay that forward. We have to pay that back with our effort, our energy.

Again, we want to win every game. I'm sure the guys want to win every game. But I promise you, if our fan base sees that our players are playing at the highest level that they can and they're giving it everything that they have, they won't disappoint. They haven't disappointed yet. And I'm truly, truly grateful for just the way that they come out and support our players. Five of the next six on the road, Coach. Tough swing coming up. Queens Wednesday. Central Arkansas inside the bank right now set for a 6 o'clock game.

Coach, what's the key to the bounce back this week? Well, the key is, again, it's really on us. Our focus right now is what do we have to do? Our identity has to be on display. So it's got to be the way we play offensively, the way we play defensively. Our energy, right? We have to be an energy-rich team right now. I think our guys are starting to figure, they need to figure that part out. Because, again, anybody, when things are going well, anybody can cheer you on.

But what happens when things aren't going well? Are you providing energy, that positive energy? One of the things that we stress with our guys is when things go wrong, I don't want to see guys with their heads down and slumped shoulders, right? Bring your chest up. Bring your face up. It's okay, man. Just keep moving forward, right? So for me right now, my focus is our team. How are we improving on the offensive end of the floor? And how are we improving on the defensive end of the floor?

And, again, it's all about every day just stacking the days, just get better. Continues this week, a split week. We hope you'll join us Saturday. Inside of the bank is the men welcoming Central Arkansas at 6 o'clock. Mike and I will be with the team at Queens on Wednesday night. That game will tip off at 6 o'clock as well. Coach, we appreciate you as always, and best of luck this week. Thank you. Roar Lions. With Alabama head coach Tony Pujol. Coming up next, we've got Dallas Howell, Cornelius Williams in the house.

We've got more fun to come from Lost Pizza Shoals. This is UNA Basketball Night on 93.9 The Score. No matter the size of your team or your fan crew, Lost Pizza's got you covered. We're talking wings, salads, and the one and only Monster Pizza. Perfect for team dinners, watch parties, or post-game celebrations. Big plays deserve big flavor, and nobody delivers like Lost Pizza. Feed the team, feel the fans. Go big with Lost Pizza. Burnley Spine and Sport Chiropractic is now offering soft wave therapy, effective for osteoarthritis, plantar fasciitis, knee pain, foot ulcers, shoulder pain, and more.

We also offer the only Theralight 360 red light therapy beds in the Shoals area, helping with sleep, energy, recovery, pain, and inflammation. Therapies coupled with dry needling can help with sugar point and muscular pain. In addition, we also offer genetic testing, deep tissue laser, adjustments, and more. Burnley Spine and Sport Chiropractic is now open Saturdays to better serve our patients. Please visit us at burnleychiro.com. Hi, this is Ike Fowler with Alabama Health Guidance. Whether you are looking for a Medicare health plan, or you are under 65 and exploring individual health care options, Alabama Health Guidance can help you find the plan that fits your needs.

Our local agents make it simple, so stop by our office at 885 Florence Boulevard, or give us a call at 256-648-5710. Again, that's 256-648-5710. Imagine a bank where you feel at home. Real people living right here in your community are the heart of Bank Independent and everything we do. You have our commitment to bring the people, ideas, and resources together that create a stronger community full of endless potential. For over 75 years, we've served this place we all call home. Bank Independent. We're invested in you.

Member FDIC. Hey guys, how long have you been wearing those out-of-date, scratched-up glasses? This is Dr. Ham Moore with Renaissance Eye Care. Go ahead and do as the woman in your life has been asking and schedule an eye exam. You can go to renaissanceeyecare.com or call 767-5000 to see either Dr. Kathy Werner, Dr. Lisa Campbell, or myself. Everyone knows it's time to evaluate the health of your eyes and get a new pair of glasses. We can make sure you won't miss any of the action this fall.

And roar lines. Join us at Singing River Brewery. Your local hub for great beer and community fun. Ready to serve delicious drinks and host amazing events? Try our Golden Manor Leo's Roar. And 50% goes to UNA Athletics. Support your local business and college community while enjoying a fantastic atmosphere. Don't miss out on the good times. Come sip, socialize, and savor the taste of Singing River Brewery. Got wine? Offering 10% off six or more bottles of mix-and-match wine and an unmatched selection of nearly 1,000 different wines to suit any budget, the Carriage Wine & Market is your one-stop wine and craft beer destination in the heart of downtown Florence.

[1:03:39] In the mood to relax and wine down? Indulge in our bar service featuring fine wines, wine cocktails, and craft beers, all paired perfectly with house-made small bites and charcuterie, and served with a smile in our cozy living room-style atmosphere. Come spend a little time with us and uncork your wine journey at the Carriage Wine & Market, located at 121 East Mobile Street on Mobile Plaza across from the Shoals Theater. Cheers! The fun continues down here from Las Feet's Shoals. This is UNA Basketball Night. Benjamin Ray, Mike Ezekiel with you.

We got the top rebounder in the Atlantic Sun, Cornelius Williams, in the house as well. A monster effort this weekend. He's back and rolling, ready to go to Queens on Wednesday. And, Neil, first thing, you led the league in rebounding last year. You got a chance to do something. I think it's only been done eight or nine other times in the league since 1979, and that's lead the league in rebounding in back-to-back years. It's only happened like eight or nine times. Emmanuel Littles did it a few years ago for North Alabama.

But, I mean, obviously rebounding's big for you, but being the rebound champ, I mean, how key is that to you? You know, coming in every day, just going against guys that's going to push me every day. Dante, the other bigs that's red-shirted this year, they come in and push me every day. So, you know, it feels good to go out there and pay it back to them, the guys that's not getting to play this year. There's red shirts, just pay it back to them and show them that they're getting me better.

So, Neil, you've had nine games with double-digit rebounds. You've had nine games with double-digit points. But on Saturday, despite it being as tough as it was, the free-throw shooting, 11 of 14, I mean, what was working for you from the line in that game? Like Coach P, after every practice he had, we started doing like 7-8-9, which is you've got to make seven free throws as a team in a row. And then you go up to all the way up to 9-7, then you go 8, then you go 9.

We went to 8-9-10. We accomplished that. And then after that, he told us, he started telling me and the guys that you've got to make 10 in a row before you leave every day. And the first day I did it, it was annoying. I couldn't get it. And then eventually, as I started doing it all the time, I was able to do it. And now in the game, it just feels like I'm doing a drill again. So, you know, that's how I feel about it. Against North Florida, you had 28 points, 14 rebounds.

Against Jacksonville, 17 points, 6 rebounds. And Coach Poole kind of mentioned this. I mean, now when a shot goes up, there's two guys trying to box you out, right? Are you feeling it more physical out there this year, as people know, that you are just a rebound magnet? Yes, sir. Definitely, like, me and my mom talk after every game. And she always, she be getting on to me sometimes when she see that I got six rebounds or seven rebounds. And I be telling her, like, these games, now they're, like, they're double blocking me out.

So, like, you know, with my team around, like, Coach told beginning of the game, the last game we played, he told the guards they got to get in there and rebound. And, you know, Braylon came in and got the five rebounds. And 13 minutes. So, that's going to be a big help for the guards coming in. Because they always going to be focusing on blocking me out, not knowing that our whole team rebounds. So, that's a big thing that we do as just a unit. Neil, I got to take this off the court for a minute.

Because I heard a rumor. And I just got to know if it's true, man. Is it your birthday today? It was yesterday. It was yesterday. It was yesterday. Well, happy belated birthday. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Thank you. Good thing it was yesterday. Because if it was today, we'd make everybody sing happy birthday. But we won't make them do that to you. How did you spend your birthday? I'm going to be honest. I had one out to eat. And then I went home and played 2K. There you go.

So, is this a big 3-0? Is that what I'm hearing? Yeah. We got on 2K, just chilled, and went to sleep for the rest of the night. Sounds like you had a good night. Yes, sir. Well, Neil, let's just bring it back to this community, this journey that you've been on at UNA. You've been here two years now. You're close to your family in Mississippi. You're close to home a little bit. You've gotten to show these guys your home, too. But talk about how Florence has also kind of become your home.

You know, when I came here last year, everybody welcomed me in with open hands. And the community, just downtown and in the games, I started meeting people even in gas stations. And it felt like home with, like, some of the fans that I see out. They always come and speak to me. And just coming in Las Peas, I always feel like a family. And I'm always doing these talk shows. When I walk in, it feels like I'm going to a family reunion. And, you know, I'm thankful for that.

[1:08:50] Let's stay off the court for a moment in your car. You're a big car guy. You lit up when we brought up your car earlier. Tell us about your car. What's your favorite thing about it? The favorite thing about it was Coach P won't like the loud noise it makes. And the campus don't like it either. So, I had to kind of calm down. So, I actually haven't been driving it a lot unless I'm off campus. Funny story. I was in the office Saturday before shoot-around.

And shoot-around's at, what, 9, 9.30, something like that. I'm getting ready to go down to shoot-around. And my office is high. I don't have any windows. But I heard you pull in. And I said, oh, Neil's here. Yeah, it's loud. Sometimes I get annoyed about it because everybody knows where I'm going at night. Or when I'm pulling up or when I'm leaving somewhere. So, sometimes I even use some of my teammate cars to go somewhere when it's too late. You know, speaking of our office, we got a little saying in our office that involves you.

It's kind of funny. So, my office, I can look down at the parking lot where everybody usually parks. Lotto right there below the gym. Everybody in our office, it's Drew Barton, a lot of the creatives. Ben's in there as well. But we always have a saying. And any time we hear that loud noise from your car, we go, oh, there goes Neil. Oh, yeah. Either coming or going. I done kind of calmed down, no. I done kind of calmed down. I used to be overdoing it, but I done calmed down a lot now.

Now, you do have a little social media with your car too, right? Oh, yeah. Tell us about that a little bit. So, like, on my off time, when we don't have practice or something for, like, a while, I go to, like, legal pits, which is, like, where cars is, like, sliding in circles and stuff like that. And that's what I do on my off time. That's, like, one of my hobbies other than playing the game. I go to car meets and sit back and chill. Sometimes I won't even do the circles.

I'll just go and watch and record just so I have memories back when I'm older. And where does this love of cars come from? Wait, say it again? Where does your love and enthusiasm for cars come from? So, my mom, she actually surprised me with the car my freshman year at Western Carolina. She surprised me with the car after I practiced on family day. My whole family came down, and at first I had an Altima, and then I got the Charger, and I fell in love with it as soon as I started driving.

And at first I was scared of driving because it was a big horsepower difference. But when I finally got comfortable with driving, then I started trying stuff, which I shouldn't have been doing. But at first I started trying stuff, and I just started liking it, and then I started watching car video. Like, that's another thing I do when I sleep. Like, I don't sleep with the TV off. I cut the TV on and cut on a car show or a 2K, and that's how I fall asleep.

Wow. So, let me ask you this, because I got a toddler at home that does as well. Mine's into Hot Wheels right now. Were you ever into Hot Wheels? Oh, yeah. Yeah, I actually just got a Hot Wheel from Max. He's a little kid that's a big supporter, a big fan of mine. He gave me a Hot Wheel for my birthday after the game. That's awesome. Yes, sir. If you get any car out there, what are you getting? I'm only getting a Dodge. Like, regardless of how much money I get, I'm only getting a Dodge from now on.

I done feeling a little with it. Like, it's a good, reliable car. It do cost a lot, but it's a reliable car. I like the sounds it makes. And if it was any car that I would get, I would probably get a Hellcat Charger, a wide body. Very nice. Well, Neil, big week coming up on the road at Queens at home against Central Arkansas. What's it going to take for this team to kind of get things back on track? You know, just staying connected, staying together through the hard times that we done had.

But today we had a great practice, and tomorrow I know we're going to have a great practice when we get off the plane. I just say being connected in, we're going to be fine. Well, man, we love watching the double-doubles, the put-back dunks. I didn't get to ask you, what's your favorite dunk of the year? Favorite dunk of the year, I'm going to say, I'm going to say it's like one of the first games. It's just like, I can't remember the game it was. I want to say Steelman.

It was like one of the first games. It just felt good. My team was happy for me, and I was happy. And then it's just always exciting. I'm going to be like honest, every dunk is exciting for me just to see me getting the crowd into the game more when it's like a slump in the game. So I feel like every dunk is my favorite one. Well, same thing for us. Every dunk you have is our favorite as well, and we look forward to some more throughout the rest of this year.

Cornelius Williams, thank you for joining us. Happy day after your birthday. Yes, sir. Thank you. Coming up next, Dallas Howell joins us from Los Pizza Shoals here in downtown Florence. This is UNA Basketball Night on 93.9 The Score. No matter the size of your team or your fan crew, Lost Pizza's got you covered. We're talking wings, salads, and the one and only Monster Pizza. Perfect for team dinners, watch parties, or post-game celebrations. Big plays deserve big flavor, and nobody delivers like Lost Pizza. Feed the team, feel the fans.

[1:14:14] Go big with Lost Pizza. Burnley Spine and Sport Chiropractic is now offering soft wave therapy, effective for osteoarthritis, plantar fasciitis, knee pain, foot ulcers, shoulder pain, and more. We also offer the only Theralight 360 red light therapy beds in the Shoals area, helping with sleep, energy, recovery, pain, and inflammation. Therapies coupled with dry kneeling can help with sugar point and muscular pain. In addition, we also offer genetic testing, deep tissue laser, adjustments, and more. Burnley Spine and Sport Chiropractic is now open Saturdays to better serve our patients.

Please visit us at burnleychiro.com. Hi, this is Ike Fowler with Alabama Health Guidance. Whether you are looking for a Medicare health plan, or you are under 65 and exploring individual health care options, Alabama Health Guidance can help you find the plan that fits your needs. Our local agents make it simple, so stop by our office at 885 Florence Boulevard, or give us a call at 256-648-5710. Again, that's 256-648-5710. Have you ever seen those halftime scholarships where you have to nail a 40-yard field goal? Yeah, this isn't that.

I didn't have to write a long essay or audition or make a half-court shot. I just had to open a bank independent account, use my debit card, sign up for online banking, and have a positive balance. That's it. A 20% scholarship to UNA. When bank independent invests in students like me, they're investing in all of us and the future of our community. Bank independent. We're invested in your future. Member FDIC. Hey guys, how long have you been wearing those out-of-date, scratched-up glasses? This is Dr. Ham Moore with Renaissance Eye Care.

Go ahead and do as the woman in your life has been asking and schedule an eye exam. You can go to renaissanceeyecare.com or call 767-5000 to see either Dr. Kathy Werner, Dr. Lisa Campbell, or myself. Everyone knows it's time to evaluate the health of your eyes and get a new pair of glasses. We can make sure you won't miss any of the action this fall. And roar lines. Join us at Singing River Brewery. Your local hub for great beer and community fun. Ready to serve delicious drinks and host amazing events?

Try our Golden Manor Leo's Roar. And 50% goes to UNA Athletics. Support your local business and college community while enjoying a fantastic atmosphere. Don't miss out on the good times. Come sip, socialize, and savor the taste of Singing River Brewery. Prohibition is over. And the good times will flow once again at the Florence Wine Fest, February 20th and 21st. Friday night sets its own with coops, cocktails, and velvet smooth live music. Saturday afternoon, taste your way through an unforgettable wine experience. Then Saturday night, the city comes alive with the Florence Wine Fest Free Block Party and Concert, featuring Atlanta's great grand finale band.

Free block party tickets and full event details are at FlorenceWineFest.com. Proudly presented by Visit the Shoals, with support from CB&S Bank, Clearview Cancer Institute, and the Hotels of Florence. Man, wrapping up things down here at Lost Pizza Shoals, Benjamin Ray, Mikey Ziegle. This is UNA Basketball, title 93.9 The Score. Coming up next, they'll join the national championship game at the half. Indiana leads Miami 10 to nothing. But we're talking some UNA basketball. Dallas Howell joins us next. Six-year, super senior, the only college basketball player to be at one program for six years actively this year.

I mean, Dallas, you hear that right there, and how does that make you feel? I think it just speaks to this place as a whole and this coaching staff, you know, just sticking with me through all this. And, you know, I've been through some injuries and some setbacks, and they've never wavered one bit. Just stayed confident in me, and I stayed confident in them. And speaking of confidence, I mean, obviously, it was a tough weekend. Nobody really wanted to go through that. But we were just talking to Coach P about this, and you had some conversations about this in postgame.

But we've had some storms like this before where we started one and five or something. And then there was a turning point right around this time where everybody just kind of came together. Things got better. I mean, two years ago, I mean, that was your junior year, fourth year, something like that. And I think it was a five-game streak after that. So just talk about what the message was at that point, knowing that, hey, we've been through this before. Now that you have another go at this, what's kind of your message?

For sure. And it's just understanding that where we are today is from those teams before that have dealt with this. And, you know, even before that year we turned it around, my sophomore year, we started one and five, and we didn't turn it around until later in the season. It was too late. So it's just understanding that we have to learn from those teams. And this year it's really important for us to make this turning point now, you know, start our momentum as early as we can to carry it into the tournament.

All right, let's go away from basketball just a second. And you had a brief football career? Yes, very brief. Tell us about it. Only played up until my freshman year of high school. Didn't receiver and safety, punted a little bit. Got lit up on a punt one time, and I don't think I touched the field again after that one. That's when you knew basketball was your path. Oh, for sure. You got a rooting interest in this game tonight? Sadly, I do. I've got to go against my coach here, the Miami fan.

[1:19:43] I've got to root for Indiana tonight because a girlfriend and her family are Indiana fans. There you go. How much time do you guys as players spend invested in other things like that, football, you know, this game? I think it's just like being invested in stuff like this is just because we love competition so much. And, you know, when you're at this level of sports, in any sport, you just love competition. You love competitive people. And seeing teams like Indiana and Miami this year that are so competitive and so – it's just so fun to watch teams like that.

You know, it's funny. It brings up another point. I go back a couple years ago. Damian Forrest was always the big video game guy, it felt like. Always had the switch, playing Mario something and other. But what's kind of the thing now with this team? What's the thing that kind of brings you guys together? I think just talking together, really. There's no specific game that this team really, you know, connects on, but it's just more just talking to each other about what's going on. There's a lot of trash talk going on, and that's just the personality of this team has been trash talk.

So it's just keeping that in the right direction, and it helps on the court when guys get in the right mindset. You've played with some elite trash talkers. K.J. Johnson's the first one that comes to mind. Who's the elite trash talker on this team? I'd have to say Neil, mostly because that's what kind of gets him going himself, is he tries and uses that to help him. But there's another one that kind of slips under the radar, I think it's Kevin. Kevin is just – and it's funny because, you know, with English as a second language, it's not always the most effective trash talk, but he's just got so much passion in him that it's hilarious every time.

Well, does he ever switch maybe like to some French trash talking? I've encouraged him to. I haven't heard it yet, but I've encouraged him to try that. I remember my freshman year, we had my teammate Lex from Serbia. He would always, in the games, he was always talking Serbian, and I never knew what was going on, but it sounded good. Speaking of, Kev, I mean, he averaged 18 points per game in the two games, and how key is it getting that young guard going? It's so good to see.

You know, he had a rough stretch just a couple of games where he didn't score as much as he wanted to, and he kind of got down on himself a little bit, and as a team and as a coaching staff, really focused on him being positive and just, you know, playing for the rest of the team. That's been our message, and he took that to heart, and it's worked out for him the past couple games, so I hope he can keep it going. Yeah, and you've been a part of a lot of teams with young players, and you've got a couple of young freshmen that have had some big games coming on along the way.

Cortez, Graham Howard, go back to last week, he had a lot of career highs in that game, and then Braylon Patton, coach kind of singled him out, and how he kind of accepted that rebound challenge to help out. You know, how have those two freshmen really come along, and what can you do to kind of help them as a six-year senior? It's so cool to see freshmen like that stepping into roles, and, you know, we could tell when they both got here that they were ready to take on something like that, and then, you know, I just, I think my role with them is just helping them through mistakes, understanding that it's not the end of the world when you make a mistake.

You just got to be going as hard as you can and trying to fix it every play after that, so that's what I've been in their ear about is just playing with confidence and playing hard. We actually had both of them on last week, and Cortez, Graham Howard singled you out as a player who's done a lot of coaching him up on the side, kind of mentoring him in the locker room, and what's kind of been your message to both of those two young men? Just understanding the roles that they've come into here with, you know, it's a team with a bunch of returners.

We had 10 returners, and, you know, when you come into a team like that, you're not sure what your role is going to be, but you just have to be ready every moment. They both had stretches this year where they didn't play in a couple games, and they both kept the right mindset and stayed through it, and then when they come back, they had great games coming back because they had the right mindset the whole time. Dallas, we've got a lot of basketball left to go. You're in your last year.

You've been in this program a long time. You've probably learned a lot of lessons. What's going to be the number one thing do you think that you take away from this program when you finish your basketball career and go out into the real world? I think just the aspect of how important being connected with those around you is. You know, with this team, every year the most important thing to us has to be, you know, playing connected and showing that. And, you know, we falter sometimes, but it's about coming back to that and understanding, you know, where we've come from, you know, the teams before that have shown us the way and understanding what we have to do with that.

This is a team that had Mississippi State on the ropes, right, at one point in the first game of the year, played Clemson close in the second half, knocked off Jacksonville State, San Francisco, the big rally. I mean, how do you guys get back to that? I think it's like I said, we don't feel it's basketball related with us right now. We have to understand that in those games we had a fight in us that we haven't shown recently, and it's important for us to get back to that and understand that that's how we have to win games.

It's not going to be from a scheming aspect or a scouting report aspect, because our coaches do so well with that every game. It's about how we play, how we approach the game, and who we're playing the game for. That's been the focus recently. It's been playing the game for each other, not for yourself. Yeah, and having that community within each other, but I want to talk about this community that's here today. I mean, just how incredible is it that even though it was a tough weekend, the same regulars are still here at Lost Pizza tonight to support you.

[1:24:46] You know they're going to be back. We're leading the ASUN in attendance going back to last season as well and this season. Just having that community support, knowing that you have that, and what does that mean to you knowing that, hey, we got a chance to make them proud? It means so much, and it's something that we're really taking to heart recently. We feel like we haven't been performing to the level that they deserve for all the support they've given us, and that's something that we're focused on, and we appreciate it so much.

And it means so much to even in those tough losses, going around after and speaking to them, it's all positive. They're always encouraging us, saying we're going to get them next time, and we're going to do that for them. We're going to turn it around, and we're going to give them games that they're going to enjoy to watch. It starts this week, Queens on Wednesday, then back home, Central Arkansas on Saturday, and Dallas, big road trip coming up. And how eager is this team to get back out there and go at it?

So eager. I mean, the energy in practice today was unbelievable, just knowing that we have to right this ship and we have to bring a new kind of energy. And, I mean, everybody did it. The coaches, the managers, all the players, it's time to buy in and come with a new energy, and what better way to start it than knocking off the top team. That's right. That'll be Wednesday. We'll be out there, 6 o'clock tip local time, then Saturday inside the bank, 6 o'clock as well. Dallas, we appreciate you as always, man.

We look forward to watching you let it fly this week. Yes, sir. Thank you all. That'll do it for this week's edition of UNA Basketball Night from All's Pizza Shoals. We'll be back with you next Monday night as well. Thanks to everybody that came out. Thank you for tuning in. Thanks to Brayden, Eli, Grant, and Ty in-house Blair behind the station, at the station. For Mike and all of our guests tonight, I'm Benjamin Ryan, San Aurora Lions. We'll see you next week. You've been listening to UNA Basketball Night at Lost Pizza Company, featuring Coach Candy Whitaker and Coach Tony Pujol.

UNA Basketball Night has been brought to you by Lost Pizza, Bank Independent, Burnley Spine and Sport, Renaissance Eye Care, The Carriage Wine and Market, Alabama Health Guidance, and Singing River Brewery. Thanks for listening, and Roar Lions!