Game 1 • Spring Hill Badgers (0-0) at South Alabama Jaguars (0-0)
November 9, 2021 • 7 p.m. • Mitchell Center (10,000) • Mobile, Ala
 
THE COACHES
South Alabama
Richie Riley (Eastern Kentucky, 2005)
Record at USA: 54-39 (4th year)
Overall Record: 89-67 (6th year)
Record vs. Spring Hill (1-0)
 
Spring Hill
Craig Kennedy (Winnipeg, 1990)
Record at Spring Hill: 19-48 (4th year)
Overall Record: 19-48 (4th year)
Record vs. South Alabama (0-1)
 
LAST GAME
USA fell to Louisiana 79-68 in the quarterfinals of the 2021 Sun Belt Conference Tournament. Spring Hill ended the 2020-21 campaign with an 80-70 victory over Albany State.
 
NEXT GAME
South Alabama travels to Wichita, Kan., to take on Wichita State for the first time in program history on Saturday, with tipoff set for 3 p.m.
 
ON THE AIR
Radio: Sports Talk 99.5; J.T. Crabtree (pxp); Joe McNulty (color)
Web: http://sportstalk995.iheart.com/listen (audio); ESPN+ (video); J.D. Byars (pxp), Pat Greenwood (color)
 
RANKINGS (through end of 2020-21)
USA: #203 NET, #192 Sagarin
Spring Hill: (No rankings, D-II)
 
THE SERIES
South Alabama leads 21-3
Current streak: USA, 16 wins
Last meeting: USA 98, Spring Hill 72 (11/19/19)
Spring Hill's last win at Mitchell Center: None
Spring Hill's last win at South Alabama: 56-53 (2/28/72)
USA's record at Mitchell Center: 10-0
USA's record at home: 20-1
USA's home streak: Won 15
 
OPENING TIP
USA brought in 10 newcomers for the upcoming season.  Eight are transfers, including four from SEC programs and two freshmen. Eleven states are represented on the roster, including two international countries (Brazil and Australia). Georgia and Tennessee have the most players represented with two each. The roster consists of two freshmen, one sophomore, four juniors, two seniors and four graduate seniors.
 
South was picked to finish fifth in the Sun Belt preseason poll. The Jags finished last year 17-11 and fifth in the conference with a 10-7 record.  USA has won 17 or more games in three straight seasons.

South Alabama has won 29 consecutive home openers dating back to 1992.
 
The Jaguars are among the lowest percentage of minutes returning in the country for the 2021-22 season. USA is bringing back just 28.6 percent of minutes played from last season, which ranks as the eighth fewest in the NCAA. Only UT-Martin, Creighton, Missouri, Duquesne, Iowa State, Robert Morris and Boston College return fewer.
 
The Jaguars will travel to Tuscaloosa to take on Alabama on Nov. 16 for the first time since a 72-50 loss on Dec. 1, 2000 and just the second time in program history. The Crimson Tide leads the series 2-1 all-time, with the Jags' lone win coming in an 86-84 victory in the 1989 NCAA Tournament.
 
USA will take on Wichita State for the first time in program history on Nov. 13.
 
Kayo Goncalves hit 81 three-pointers last year, ranking second in the Sun Belt behind former teammate Michael Flowers. The 81 three-pointers also ranked ninth nationally.
 
Greg Parham averaged 18.4 points per game at VMI and was named first team all-SoCon by the media. Parham scored 20 or more points on 12 occasions, and scored in double-digits in 22 of 25 contests. He scored over 1,000 points as a Keydet.
 
Jamal West pounded the offensive glass last season, pulling down 70 rebounds on the scoring end, most on the team by almost double. Nearly 42 percent of West's rebounds gave the Jaguars a shot at second-chance points. West led the team in rebounding as a freshman and finished 10th in the Sun Belt with 6.3 boards per game.
 
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 the 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

—USA—