Preview: Owls, Crimson Tide Meet in Huntsville Showdown HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (Interstat) — Two teams with identical records and potent offenses will meet Sunday when the Kennesaw State Owls face the Alabama Crimson Tide in a nonconference men’s basketball game at Joe W. Davis Stadium. Both teams enter the contest at 8-3, though their paths have differed. Kennesaw State, out of the Conference USA, is looking to rebound from a narrow 67-68 road loss at Middle Tennessee on Wednesday. Alabama, of the Southeastern Conference, is coming off a high-scoring 104-93 home victory over South Florida that same night. The matchup features two of the nation’s dynamic guards. Kennesaw State will lean on Braedan Lue, who scored 20 points and blocked three shots in the loss to Middle Tennessee. Over his last seven games, Lue is averaging over 15 points per contest and has been a consistent defensive presence. Alabama’s offense runs through Labaron Philon, who is in the midst of a spectacular stretch. The guard dropped 29 points and dished seven assists against South Florida and has scored 20 or more points in six of his last seven outings, including a 29-point performance in a loss to then-Arizona. The Owls have proven they can compete in tight games, with two overtime wins this season, but they face a significant step up in competition. Alabama’s schedule has been among the nation’s toughest, with games against Arizona, Gonzaga, Purdue and Clemson. The Crimson Tide average over 94 points per game, ranking them near the top of Division I. For Kennesaw State, containing Philon and Alabama’s transition attack will be paramount. For the Crimson Tide, defending without fouling will be key against an Owls team that attempts nearly 25 free throws per game. This marks the first meeting between the programs. Following this game, Alabama will host Yale on Dec. 29 before opening SEC play against Kentucky. Kennesaw State opens its Conference USA slate at Liberty on Jan. 2. Tipoff is set for Sunday, Dec. 21, in Huntsville.