SFA will host Alabama Dec. 30 at William R. Johnson Coliseum in Nacogdoches. (SFA Athletics)

Roll Tide is coming to East Texas.

On Wednesday morning, Stephen F. Austin announced that the men’s basketball team will play Alabama on Dec. 30 at William R. Johnson Coliseum in Nacogdoches.

Alabama will be the first SEC program to visit Nacogdoches for a men’s basketball game in the Lumberjacks’ 94-year history.

“What a historic day for SFA and Lumberjack basketball,” SFA Director of Athletics Ryan Ivey said in a news release. “This game speaks to the success that our men’s basketball team has had and the national respect that it has garnered. We are looking forward to ’Jack nation being in full force to create a great home environment for our guys.”

Alabama is coached by former Dallas Mavericks head coach Avery Johnson, who also had a 17-year playing career in the NBA, most notably with the San Antonio Spurs.

“I’m so grateful and appreciative to coach (Avery) Johnson for bringing his talented and well-coached program to Nacogdoches,” third-year head SFA men’s basketball coach Kyle Keller said in the news release. “Getting the opportunity to coach his son, Avery Jr., while he was at Texas A&M and spend time learning from his father is a memorable personal experience for me.”

Avery Johnson Jr., who started his career at Texas A&M, now plays for his father at Alabama and will be a senior this upcoming season.

Alabama is coming off of a 20-16 season, which included a trip to the NCAA Tournament. The Crimson Tide advanced to the second round of the tournament before falling to eventual national champion Villanova.

Alabama lost Collin Sexton, who was the No. 8 pick in the NBA Draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers, but the Crimson Tide still return a talented roster that includes Donta Hall, John Petty and Dazon Ingram.

“When Alabama appears in the Coliseum this December, they’ll have a team that graduated just one senior off of a second-round NCAA Tournament team,” Keller said. “I am not quite sure if and when the Coliseum has seen the likes of a team that is as athletic or deep as this current Alabama ball club, but I am sure we are looking forward to this opportunity and others this season.”

SFA was 28-7 last season and lost to Texas Tech in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.

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