Alabama basketball will open the 2025-26 season against North Dakota.
According to information provided by UA athletics, the second game of the Crimson Tide‘s three-year series against North Dakota is set for the “1st Day of the Season.”
Alabama has agreed to pay $30,000 to the visiting team for Game 2 of the series, as well as Game 3, which will take place in Tuscaloosa in 2026 and serve as the season opener once again.
In 2024, the Division I Men’s and Women’s Basketball Oversight Committees adopted changes to first-contest dates for regular-season competition, and those changes will go into effect this fall, making the start date for the upcoming season Nov. 3.
In the first showdown of the series last December, the Crimson Tide survived Treysen Eaglestaff’s 40-point performance and made it back to Tuscaloosa with a 97-90 victory. The 2025-26 season opener marks UND’s first time making the trip to Coleman Coliseum.
Alabama basketball to open nonconference schedule against North DakotaOct. 16: vs. Florida State − Ballin’ in Boutwell (Exhibition)Nov. 3: vs. North DakotaNov. 8: at St. John’s in Madison Square GardenNov. 13: vs. PurdueNov. 19: vs. Illinois at United Center (Chicago)Nov. 26-30: Players Era Festival in Las Vegas, Nev.Dec. 2 or 3: vs. Clemson in SEC/ACC ChallengeDec. 7: vs. UTSADec. 13: vs. Arizona in C.M. Newton ClassicDec. 17: vs. USFDec. 21: vs. Kennesaw State at Propst Arena in Huntsvillevs. Yale − reported by Jon Rothstein, date has yet to be confirmed
Emilee Smarr covers Alabama basketball and Crimson Tide athletics for the Tuscaloosa News. She can be reached via email at esmarr@gannett.com.
This story was updated to add additional information.