Alabama Basketball Schedules Arkansas State, Former Assistant Bryan Hodgson

The Crimson Tide will play host to its former assistant for the second straight season.

Alabama Head Coach Nate Oats, assistant coach Bryan Hodgson and the bench erupt after an apparent foul was not called. Alabama defeated Auburn 83-64 in Coleman Coliseum Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2020. [Staff Photo/Gary Cosby Jr.] Alabama Vs Auburn Men S Basketball / Gary Cosby Jr. via Imagn Content

Alabama basketball will face a familiar opponent in Coleman Coliseum this coming November, as it has added Arkansas State to its 2024-25 non-conference schedule. The Crimson Tide will face the Red Wolves, coached by former assistant coach Bryan Hodgson, on Nov. 8, the second game of the season.

Hodgson spent four years with the Crimson Tide, coming with head coach Nate Oats from Buffalo, and took the Arkansas State head coaching job after the 2022-23 season.

He had a successful season in year one, leading the Red Wolves to a 20-17 record and making the Sun Belt championship game, coming within one win of an NCAA Tournament berth.

The two teams met last season in Coleman Coliseum in early December, a game in which Alabama won 89-65.

Alabama has now seemingly completed its typical 13-game non-conference schedule, with all games being either officially announced or reported. The athletics department has not officially announced the entire schedule yet, but that announcement is expected in the coming weeks.

Alabama's 2024-25 non-conference schedule is as follows:

Nov. 4 - vs UNC Asheville
Nov. 8 - vs Arkansas State
Nov. 11 - vs McNeese
Nov. 15 - @ Purdue
Nov. 20 - vs Illinois (Birmingham)
Nov. 26 - vs Houston (Las Vegas)
Nov. 27 - vs Rutgers OR Notre Dame (Las Vegas)
Nov. 29 - TBA (Las Vegas)
Dec. 4 - @ North Carolina (SEC/ACC Challenge)
Dec. 14 - vs Creighton
Dec. 18 - @ North Dakota
Dec. 22 - vs Kent State
Dec. 29 - vs South Dakota State

Once again, Oats has put together one of the most difficult non-conference schedules in the country. The Crimson Tide is expected to have one of its highest preseason rankings in program history, potentiallt coming in at preseason No. 1 based on its returning prodiction plus incoming talent.