The Alabama men’s basketball program, along with Knight Eady, announced the matchup for the 2022 C.M. Newton Classic presented by Legacy Credit Union at a press conference Thursday. This year’s event will feature the Crimson Tide and national powerhouse Gonzaga in Birmingham, Ala., for the second annual event, which will be played on Dec. 17, 2022, inside Legacy Arena.
While this year’s C.M. Newton Classic will not be a part of the Alabama men’s basketball season ticket package, fans who have purchased season tickets for the 2022-23 campaign will receive priority seating to the event. Alabama men’s basketball season ticket holders will have first access to tickets through the Season Ticket Renewal Process, which is set to begin July 11.
New season ticket packages are expected to go on sale in September. Single-game tickets for the public will go on sale later in the fall.
The contest will be a rematch of last season’s Battle in Seattle that saw the then-No. 16 Crimson Tide shock then-No. 3 Gonzaga by taking a 91-82 victory in front of more than 18,000 fans inside Climate Pledge Arena. It was Alabama’s first road victory over an Associated Press Top-25 team since Feb. 21, 2004 (defeated then-No. 4 Mississippi State, 77-73).
“I am looking forward to playing in front of our fans in Birmingham for a second straight year in the C.M. Newton Classic,” said Alabama head coach Nate Oats. “Coach Newton left a lasting legacy within our program, so this is a great way to honor what he meant to The University of Alabama, as well as to all of college basketball throughout his career.
“For a program such as Gonzaga, who is consistently one of the top programs in the nation each year, to come to the South and play us is going to be very exciting for our fans and our team. We can’t wait for what I expect to be another electric atmosphere in Legacy Arena.”
Tip time for the Dec. 17 contest will be announced later this fall. The game is owned and operated by Knight Eady, a Birmingham-based sports marketing company.
About the C.M. Newton Classic
- The neutral-site game, now in its second year, is named in honor of Hall of Famer and former longtime Alabama basketball head coach C.M. Newton.
- Newton was a member of the University of Kentucky national championship team in 1951. After college, Newton began his coaching career at Transylvania in 1956 and became head coach at The University of Alabama in 1968.
- During his 12 seasons at Alabama, Newton led the Tide to a 221-123 record, won three straight SEC Conference titles (1974-1976) and made two NCAA Tournament appearances.
- In addition to his coaching accolades, Newton was the first coach to integrate the men’s basketball team at Alabama with black student-athletes.
- Wendell Hudson of Birmingham’s Parker High became the first black athlete Newton recruited to play at The University of Alabama.
- In 1973, Newton put forth the first all-black starting lineup in SEC history at a holiday tournament in Louisville.
- Newton helped pave the way for black athletes to play at The University of Alabama and set the expectation for other institutions to follow. His commitment to diversity and inclusion made a difference for so many at the University of Alabama. This year’s matchup will honor C.M. Newton, the legacy he made and the example he set for civil rights and equality.
Alabama Playing In Birmingham
- Davidson defeated Alabama in last year’s inaugural C.M. Newton Classic, taking a 79-78 victory on Dec. 21, 2021.
- The Tide owns an all-time record of 46-25 (.648) when playing in Birmingham and has won 12 of its last 19 games played there, despite holding a four-game losing streak inside Legacy Arena.
- The last time Alabama won a game in Birmingham came nearly 10 years ago on Dec. 21, 2010, when it defeated Oklahoma State, 69-52.
*** This information was acquired from a recent press release from Alabama Athletics.
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