Stetson Aims to Sweep Season Series Against North Alabama

DELAND, Fla. (Interstat) — ASUN Conference rivals Stetson and North Alabama will meet for the second time this season Saturday at Edmunds Center, with the Hatters looking to complete a regular-season sweep.

Stetson (8-14) earned a 70-67 road victory over the Lions on Jan. 1. North Alabama (6-13) will seek to avenge that narrow loss and snap a four-game skid.

The Hatters are coming off an 84-77 road win at North Florida on Thursday, powered by a season-high 25 points from junior forward Ethan Copeland. Copeland has scored in double figures in eight straight games, averaging 17.1 points during that stretch. He will be a focal point for a Stetson offense that averages 75.2 points per game.

North Alabama fell 72-64 at Florida Gulf Coast on Thursday despite a 21-point performance from senior guard Donte Bacchus. Bacchus, the Lions’ leading scorer in conference play, has been a consistent offensive threat, topping 19 points three times in ASUN action this month. He scored 13 points in the first meeting against Stetson.

Both teams have struggled defensively. The Lions allow a conference-worst 84.2 points per game in ASUN play, while the Hatters have conceded 80.6 per contest against league foes.

The matchup features two of the lower-seeded teams in the conference standings battling for positioning ahead of the ASUN tournament. Stetson holds a 5-5 record at home this season, while North Alabama is 1-9 in true road games.

Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. EST Saturday. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.