SPOKANE, Wash. – The University of South Alabama men's basketball program will take on Gonzaga in the 2013 State Farm Battle In Seattle, Idol Sports announced Friday.

The 11th annual event will take place in Key Arena on Saturday, Dec. 14.

"We are very excited to be competing with Gonzaga out in Seattle," USA head coach Matthew Graves said. "They have been one of the best programs in the country for a long time. I have a great deal of respect for Coach (Mark) Few and his staff as I understand how difficult it is to maintain the consistent success they have had for that time."

The teams have met two times previously—both on neutral courts—with Gonzaga claiming a pair of 17-point victories. The Bulldogs defeated the Jaguars 60-43 in 1995-96 in Seattle and 80-63 in 1998-99 in Iowa City, Iowa. They reached the postseason in each of those years and advanced to the Elite 8 in 1999.

Gonzaga has won 25 games or more 13 times in the last 15 years, including the Zags' first 30-win season in 2012-13 (32-3) that earned them their first No. 1 ranking in the Associated Press Top 25 and No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Graves inherits a team that went 17-13 overall and 14-6 in the Sun Belt Conference last season, and participated in the CollegeInsider.com Tournament. The Jaguars return three starters, including 2012-13 Sun Belt Player of the Year Augustine Rubit.

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).

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