MOBILE, Ala. – Jeff Hodge and Junie Lewis, collectively known as "Peanut Butter and Jelly" during their storied careers as members of the University of South Alabama men's basketball program, will have their jerseys retired on Jan. 20, director of athletics Joel Erdmann announced Monday.

The ceremony, part of the men's basketball program's celebration of its 50th season, will be just one of several activities planned for men's basketball alumni that weekend, culminating in honoring two of the greatest players in program history. They will join Terry Catledge, Ed Rains and Rory White in a select group of jersey retirees.

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"We are very excited and proud to retire the numbers of Jeff and Junie," Erdmann said. "Their time here at South Alabama is one of the most legendary in our history. We invite everyone who fondly remembers Peanut Butter and Jelly to mark their calendars and join us on that very special day."

Collectively, the pair accounted for six all-Sun Belt Conference selections and four individual accolades, including Hodge's player of the year award in 1989. Both Hodge and Lewis were second-round selections in the 1989 NBA Draft.

As seniors, they led the Jaguars to a 23-9 record, the Sun Belt regular season and tournament titles, and a berth in the NCAA Tournament, where they pulled off the greatest win in program history, an 88-86 victory over the University of Alabama.

"I am very excited and honored to be the coach for the 50th team in South Alabama history," USA head coach Matthew Graves said. "It's an exciting time to be a part of this program. A lot of new faces are in our program and it will be a wonderful opportunity for former players to come back and see what we've done with the locker room and the hallway and different things, and also to see this young team grow and develop."

Hodge is the school's all-time leading scorer with 2,221 points and also holds the top spot in field goals made and attempted, while ranking in the top 10 in points per game (3rd), assists (2nd), steals (T-2nd), 3-pointers (7th), 3-point percentage (2nd), free throws made (6th), free-throw percentage (5th) and games played (2nd).

He averaged over 20 points per game twice in his four-year career, including a personal-best 22.3 scoring average as a junior, a mark that ranks second in school history.

The Birmingham, Ala. native is one of three South Alabama players to earn First Team all-Sun Belt honors three times, and was named to The Sporting News' 1989 all-America team. Hodge was voted the conference's freshman, sophomore and senior of the year, and in 2006, he was tabbed to the Sun Belt All-Time Men's Basketball Team.

Lewis, who joined the program as a sophomore in 1986, holds the second-best career scoring average in school history at 19.4 per contest. His name is also featured prominently in the school record book, where he currently ranks tied for fifth in points, fifth in assists, sixth in steals, fourth in field goals and tied for ninth in free throws.

The three-time all-Sun Belt performer has the only two triple-doubles in school history. He totaled 14 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists against Alabama-Birmingham on March 5, 1989, and 17 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists and Jacksonville on Feb. 25, 1989. Lewis' 41-point effort at Virginia Commonwealth in 1988 is tied for second in school history.

"Having the honor of meeting Hodge and Lewis will be really good for our team," Graves said. "They'll be meeting two guys that really put South Alabama on the basketball map, being on the only team to win in the NCAA Tournament. I think our players will really be interested in meeting them and getting to know them, and to see their jerseys retired in the rafters is certainly a well-deserved honor for those two."

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

Join the Jaguar Athletic Fund (JAF) Priority Fund, the unrestricted giving option of the University of South Alabama Athletics.  Contributions to the Priority Fund directly support all 17 sports in addition to various support programming. For more information on how you can join visit: http://jaguarathleticfund.com/priorityfund

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