BOONE, N.C. – Looking to end the season on a high note and snap a three-game losing streak, Appalachian State University men's basketball heads to SEC country for its final non-conference game of the year when it takes on Alabama at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday at Coleman Coliseum.

The Mountaineers (3-5) are looking for their second win over a high-major opponent this season while the Crimson Tide (7-3) hope to continue their strong early-season play.

Sunday's contest will be shown live on the SEC Network and can also been seen online via ESPN3 and watchespn.com.

SCOUTING THE CRIMSON TIDE
•    Alabama enters Sunday's game at 7-3 on the year. It is the fourth time in Anthony Grant's six seasons in Tuscaloosa that the Crimson Tide have won at least seven of its first 10 games.

•    Two of Alabama's three losses have come to nationally-ranked opponents. The Crimson Tide fell to No. 13 Iowa State on Nov. 24 (84-74) and missed a three-pointer at the buzzer in a 53-52 loss at No. 11 Wichita State on Dec. 16.

•    Bama's other loss came at the hands of perennial NCAA Tournament contender Xavier, a 97-84 defeat on Dec. 6.

•    Four different Crimson Tide players average in double figures, led by Levi Randolph's 16.8 ppg. Ricky Tarrant (12.7), Rodney Cooper (12.3), and Shannon Hale (10.1) round out the quartet of double-digit scorers.

•    Jimmie Taylor is the team leader in rebounds (5.7 rpg) while Randolph is second (5.0 rpg).

•    Through 10 games this year, nine different players have started a game for Alabama. Only Randolph and Taylor have started all 10 games for the Crimson Tide.

•    Alabama is shooting a respectable 45.6 percent from the floor this season and has been rather impressive at the free-throw line, connecting on 76.6 percent from the charity stripe. Bama ranks 2nd nationally in free-throw percentage.

•    Despite shooting a high percentage from the floor, the Crimson Tide has struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 32.5 percent of its shots from deep.

•    In Friday's 69-49 over NCAA Division II Stillman College, Bama knocked down just 3-of-20 three-point attempts and is shooting just 22.0 percent from beyond the arc in its last two games.

SERIES HISTORY
•     Appalachian State is 0-1 all-time against Alabama and 2-22 all-time against current members of the SEC

•    The only meeting between the Mountaineers and Crimson Tide came almost exactly 28 years ago, a 95-62 Alabama win on Dec. 20, 1986 in Tuscaloosa.

•    The Mountaineers do hold an edge over Alabama head coach Anthony Grant, who lost his only coaching matchup against the Apps on Dec. 30, 2006, when his VCU squad fell to Appalachian by a score of 73-70.

•    Appalachian's last win against a member of the SEC came on Dec. 22, 2007 when it topped Arkansas, 74-67, in Little Rock, Ark..

•    The win over the Razorbacks marked Appalachian's second-straight year with a win over an SEC squad. On Dec. 21, 2006, the Mountaineers took down Vanderbilt, 87-79, in overtime in the title game of the San Juan Shootout.

•    A win on Sunday would mark the first time since 2006-07 that the Apps have defeated two high-major opponents in the same season.

•    In 2006-07, Appalachian also defeated Virginia at the San Juan Shootout before taking down Vanderbilt.

UP NEXT
•    Appalachian opens conference play on Jan. 3 at Arkansas State before hosting defending Sun Belt Tournament champion UL Lafayette on Jan. 5.

•    The Apps were members of the Southern Conference for the past 43 seasons before joining the Sun Belt and went 21-22 in league openers during that span.