Game 1 • Florida Atlantic (0-0) at South Alabama (0-0)
November 25, 2020 • 6 p.m. • Mitchell Center (5,520) • Mobile, Ala.
Game 2 • Mobile (4-1) at South Alabama (0-0)
November 27, 2020 • 6 p.m. • Mitchell Center (5,520) • Mobile, Ala.
Game 3 • Jacksonville State (0-0) at South Alabama (0-0)
November 29, 2020 • 4 p.m. • Mitchell Center (5,520) • Mobile, Ala.

THE COACHES
South Alabama
Richie Riley (Eastern Kentucky, 2005)
Record at USA: 37-28 (3rd year)
Overall Record: 72-56 (5th year)
Record vs. Florida Atlantic: 0-0
Record vs. Mobile: 2-0
Record vs. Jacksonville State: 0-0

Florida Atlantic
Dusty May (Indiana, 2000)
Record at Florida Atlantic: 34-31 (3rd year)
Overall Record: 34-31 (3rd year)

Mobile
Darnell Archey (Butler, 2003)
Record at Mobile: 13-16 (2nd year)
Overall Record: 13-16 (2nd year)

Jacksonville State
Ray Harper (Ky. Wesleyan, 1985)
Record at Jacksonville State 80-56 (5th year)
Overall Record: 419-182 (21st year)


LAST GAME
South Alabama defeated Texas State to clinch the number two spot in the Sun Belt for the 2019-20 season and a bye to the semifinals of the Sun Belt Tournament prior to the season ending due to the coronavirus pandemic. Florida Atlantic advanced in the Conference USA tournament over Old Dominion, 66-56. Mobile defeated Carver College 78-49 Sunday at the Austill Pharr Gymnasium. Jacksonville State was eliminated from the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament 67-61 by Eastern Illinois last season.

NEXT GAME
USA will stay in Mobile to face Emmanuel (Ga.) in the Mitchell Center on Dec. 1, with tipoff scheduled for 6 p.m. FAU will move on to face Florida National in Boca Raton, Fla. Mobile will face Talladega College. Jacksonville State will face Florida International in back-to-back games Dec. 4, 6, after the tournament.


ON THE AIR
Radio: Sports Talk 99.5; JT Crabtree (pxp); Joe McNulty (color)
Web (Radio): http://sportstalk995.iheart.com/listen
ESPN+ (video): J.D. Byars (pxp), Pat Greenwood (color)

RANKINGS (through end of 19-20)
USA: #169 NET, #73 Sagarin
Florida Atlantic: #193 NET, #181 Sagarin
Jacksonville State: #251 NET, #298 Sagarin
Mobile: (No rankings, D-II)

THE TOURNAMENT
The teams will play each other in six games over six days with double-headers on Wednesday, Friday and a day off on Thursday. Taking place in the Mitchell Center, home court of the South Alabama Jaguars, USA has a history with each team involved.

Florida Atlantic was a member of the Sun Belt Conference from 2007 to 2013. The two played 14 with a pair of home and away contests each season. The sides met in the Sun Belt Tournament with USA getting the one-point victory. The Jaguars lead in the series 11-4, but the teams have not met on the court since Feb. 9, 2013.

With each club taking a victory, the Jaguars are 1-1 lifetime versus Jacksonville State. The teams have not met since Jan. 25, 1975. The result of that game evened the series with USA prevailing 90-81. The teams first met Dec. 27, 1968 with the Gamecocks taking a 74-66 victory. Both previous matches were played in Mobile.

USA and Mobile will meet for the seventh time in the series with all meetings occurring in the Mitchell Center within the last 11 years.

OPENING TIP
Due to COVID19, South Alabama basketball has had the longest layoff between games in program history with the last game being tipped off on March 3 (268 days) last season, against Texas State coupled with a bye to the Sun Belt Conference Tournament semifinals when the season was canceled days prior to that scheduled game.

The eight-game winning streak last season is the longest season-ending streak in 40 years as South won its last eight from Jan. 26-Feb. 17,1980.

USA lost 84.5 percent of its scoring production, noteably Josh Ajayi, Trhae Mitchell, Andre Fox and Chad Lott. The bulk of scoring represents the third highest number in the NCAA this year with Rider and Radford as the only teams with a higher total.

Sophomores Tyreke Locure and KK Curry with senior John Pettway return from last year each with multiple double-digit scoring games from last season with an expected increase in scoring roles.

Western Michigan transfer senior transfer Michael Flowers was granted eligibility after a turbulent offseason when initially denied. Flowers was named to the third team of All-Sun Belt Conference preseason team. The (), native will also be expected to have a big role this season.

The Jaguars accomplished a 20-win season for the first time since 2008-09 when USA finished 20-13.

The 13 conference wins is the first mark in double digits since the 2012-13 season when South finished 14-6.

USA topped the Sun Belt in field goal percentage sinking 47.1% of every shot from the floor attempted. The mark ranked 25 in national rankings.

South Alabama played in the Herman and Goldie Ungar tournament in the 2018-19 season, and USA won two of three games where they competed when the tournament was held previously.

Goldie Ungar, one of the tournament's namesake and a long-time basketball supporter, also was the inspiration behind the South Alabama Heart of Gold award. The award is given out yearly to the player that best represents tireless effort, deep desire and total dedication during practice and competition.

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

Join the South Circle, the unrestricted giving option of the University of South Alabama Athletics. Contributions to South Circle directly support all 17 sports in addition to various support programming. For more information on how you can join visit: http://jaguarathleticfund.com/give