When Justin Coleman walked outside from the Tucson International Airport for the first time when he arrived this summer, he saw a few things he wasn't used to and one very familiar sight.
 
Certainly, the cacti, bright sunshine and stunning mountains were new, but when he saw his friend, Dylan Smith, pull up in his car to pick him up and drive him to his new digs for his senior year, Arizona felt a little like Alabama to Coleman.
 
See, Coleman, Arizona's senior point guard, who started his career at the University of Alabama, before transferring to Samford and ultimately Arizona, hails from Pratt City, just outside of Birmingham, Alabama. Smith, the Wildcats' redshirt junior guard, who began his college career at UNC Asheville, before heading to Arizona, grew up in Deer Park, right outside of Mobile, Alabama. The two cities are more than three hours apart.
 
Now, the two get to make a quick trip back to their home state this weekend with Arizona traveling to Tuscaloosa to take on Alabama in a non-conference matchup at Coleman Coliseum. Coleman expects to have more than 30 family members and friends there, while Smith thinks his party will be in the 20s.
 
"It will be great to get back close to home and see some familiar faces," Coleman said. "It will be a short trip, but I think both of us are looking forward to it."
 
Despite being from different parts of the state, the duo actually met in seventh grade when Smith's travel ball team headed to Birmingham for a tournament Coleman was at. They stayed in touch throughout high school with Smith looking up to Coleman, who was one year older and one of the best players in the state of Alabama.
 
"I thought he was the best player in the state," Smith said. "He was getting 50 points in games, and I thought I could do that, too. I wasn't that good at basketball at the time."
 
The two never faced off in high school, depriving both of having any bragging rights over the other. Smith actually moved to Birmingham as a senior, but Coleman was already in college, something he jokingly said Smith should be happy about.
 
"They didn't want to do that," Coleman said of Smith's high school playing Coleman's. "It would have been trouble."
 
The two will surely joke forever about which city – Mobile or Birmingham – offers more, and is a better city. Both are incredibly proud of where they're from and excited for those people who impacted their lives to get a chance to see them both play in the cardinal and navy of Arizona.
 
"Birmingham developed me into the man I am today," Coleman said. "Certain situations I was in made me grow and learn and made me into the person that I am today. I'm very proud of the city and where I'm from."
 
Smith lived in both cities, but considers Mobile to be home. He grew up near the coast and spent his time fishing, playing baseball and eating seafood as much as possible. While he and Coleman can argue all day about which city is better, Smith knows one thing.
 
"The seafood is definitely better in Mobile," Smith said. "I love to eat, and there is a lot of good food back home. I always eat good when I go home."
 
The competition will never die, but on a serious note, both players are happy to have the other one in Tucson to make their experience in Tucson even better.
 
"I really like Tucson, and I love playing at Arizona," Smith said. "Having Justin here has just made it all even better. It's great to have someone from home here with me."