Huntingdon men’s basketball hosts 22nd-ranked Birmingham-Southern tonight

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Huntingdon men's basketball team opens the season tonight against a nationally ranked opponent at Roland Arena.

The Hawks host 22nd-ranked Birmingham-Southern College at 7 p.m.

"We're ready to get started," Huntingdon head coach Mike Pugh said. "After practicing for several weeks, the players and coaches are excited the season is here. The fact we're playing Birmingham-Southern just adds more to it."

This will be the season opener for the state's only two Division III teams. Huntingdon is the defending Great South Athletic Conference tournament champion. BSC was 23-4 last season and won the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference championship.

"This is always a big game," Pugh said. "Our games with them are always close and intense."

Huntingdon and BSC split last season with BSC winning 92-85 in Birmingham and the Hawks winning 73-70 at Roland Arena.

BSC is the first of two ranked teams playing at Roland Arena this week. The Hawks will play 23rd-ranked Hampden-Sydney at 1 p.m. on Saturday in the Huntingdon Classic.

As a reminder to fans, with the construction of the archway at the Narrow Lane Road entrance to campus, the only current entrance to the Roland Arena parking lot is on Woodley Road. The entrance at Jim Wilson Loop East (next to the soccer and softball fields) is open 24 hours until the Narrow Lane Road entrance reopens.

Admission is free.