Date: 10/27
Position: Forwards

Returning Letterwinners (Key stats): Josh Ajayi, So. (10.6 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 48.7 FG%, 41.1 3FG%, 66.1 FT%); Kevin Morris, So. (1.4 ppg, 1.4 rpg, 40.5 FG%, 0.0 3FG%, 40.7 FT%); Nick Davis, Sr. (2.5 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 40.4 FG%, 25.0 3FG%, 52.4 FT%)

Letterwinners lost (Key stats): Georgi Boyanov, Sr. (8.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 54.7 FG%, 45.2 3FG%, 57.5 FT%); Don MuepoKelly, Sr. (8.7 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 50.0 FG%, 0.0 3FG%, 58.4 FT%); Nikola Marijan, So. (0.9 ppg, 1.1 rpg, 75.0 FG%, 0.0 3FG%, 0.0 FT%)

Newcomers (Yr., Hometown/Previous school): Joe Thompson (Fr., Kenner, La./Bonnabel HS); R.J. Kelly (So., Powder Springs, Ga./Savannah State); Rozelle Nix (Gr., Cincinnati, Ohio/Pittsburgh)

Miscellaneous Notes
- Ajayi is the team's top returning scorer (10.6 ppg) and rebounder (5.4 rpg)
- Ajayi had a team-high three double-doubles last year, and his 27 points vs. Florida International, and 13 rebounds at Georgia Southern were the most by a Jaguar all season in either category
- Boyanov led all posts with a 54.7 field-goal percentage and a 45.2 3-point percentage
- Kelly transferred to South Alabama from Savannah State in the summer and will have to sit out the season due to NCAA transfer rules
- Kelly averaged 9.7 points and 6.0 rebounds for the Tigers and was named to the MEAC all-Rookie Team
- Nix is a graduate transfer from Pittsburgh – he played in 20 games last year for the Panthers
- Nix shot 4 for 5 from the floor for eight points, and grabbed a game-high eight rebounds Tuesday in the exhibition vs. Spring Hill
- Morris and Davis came off the bench to pull down six boards each

Matthew Graves
- On how Ajayi is handling his new role as veteran of the group: "I think Josh is handling his role just fine. He's going to have to grow into that role. It will take some time and an adjustment period, but he's worked really hard in the offseason and that's put him in a great position where he can have a successful year."
- On how Nix impressed him vs. Spring Hill: "I thought Rozelle did an outstanding job for someone who was playing his first extended minutes in a long time. What made it satisfying for me is seeing how excited he was to play. It didn't matter the opponent or the situation, he went out and did his job. He executed the things we asked him to do and I think he's going to get better and better."
- On his evaluation of the posts as a group in the exhibition: "Nick Davis has recovered well from offseason shoulder surgery and he's playing with a lot of confidence. He came off the bench and played with a lot of energy. Something he needs to continue to do is rebound the basketball at a high level. He's very capable of making a catch-and-shoot '3.' I'm looking forward to having Nick, as a fifth-year senior, be a good leader for us. I thought Kevin Morris played extremely hard and he rebounded the ball outside his area very well against Spring Hill. You can tell he's put a lot of work into his conditioning – I thought he moved a lot better than he has in the past. He's put himself in a position to have a really good sophomore year. I thought Josh, early in the game with Spring Hill, was trying to force the issue and not letting the game come to him. He's trying to set a tone with his aggressiveness and that's something he'll grow into as the season progresses."
- On where Morris has improved the most: "Clearly, Kevin has done a better job of understanding how we want to play defensively. His positioning and recognizing what is happening is much better than it was a year ago. You add the awareness with his conditioning and his ability to move, that's made him a much better force on the defensive end."

Josh Ajayi
- On being the new leader among the posts: "My coaches did a good job of preparing me for this role. All throughout last year, I was able to observe and learn from the older guys. That year helped me on the court and with my leadership skills. This year, I'm definitely trying to step into the leadership role."
- On his evaluation of last season: "Honestly, I wasn't that happy with it, even though it was a satisfactory season. We didn't meet our goal as a team, which was to win the Sun Belt. I had a pretty good season last year, but this year I'm trying to step it up a notch and be a lot more consistent on all aspects and facets of my game."
- On his personal goals for the year: "I want to average a double-double. I see myself as a dominant factor in this league, especially in the post. As far as shooting goes, my field-goal percentage needs to be above 50 percent. Last year I shot around 40 percent on 3s, and this year I want to improve on that. Most importantly, my free-throw percentage is the biggest thing I have to work on."
- On how he did in the first exhibition: "Honestly, I didn't perform as well as I thought I should. I think I was a little big anxious with that first-game feeling. All I can do is learn from it – watch film, evaluate myself, talk to the coaches, learn from it and do better next game."

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