MOBILE, Ala. – The Sun Belt Conference announced Monday afternoon that Jaguar senior guard Tyrell Jones made the preseason all-conference second team, and the Sun Belt coaches poll picked South Alabama to finish sixth in 2024.
Jones is entering his senior year and third season with the Jaguars. Last season, Jones was a catalyst on South's incredible run to the Sun Belt Conference Tournament Championship game, averaging 9.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game. He also led the Jags with 13 steals last season and had a career-high outing against Coastal Carolina, where he scored 25 points and set a new high in field goals and three-pointers.
The coaches in the Sun Belt also picked South Alabama to finish in sixth place with 129 total points and two first-place votes. The Jags follow Louisiana (136), Southern Miss (148), Old Dominion (154), App State (159), and James Madison, who sits in first place (176).
South Alabama will begin conference play on December 30 in Virginia against Old Dominion and conclude on March 1 at ULM. The season will culminate with the 2024 Sun Belt Men's Basketball Championship at the Pensacola Bay Center in Pensacola, Fla., from Mar. 5-11.
The rest of the Sun Belt Preseason Awards are listed below.
2023-24 Men's Basketball Preseason Awards
Preseason Player of the Year
Austin Crowley, Southern Miss
Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team
Austin Crowley, Southern Miss
Terrence Edwards, Jr., James Madison [R-JR | G | Atlanta, Ga.]
Donovan Gregory, App State [GR | F | Charlotte, N.C.]
Chaunce Jenkins, Old Dominion [JR | G | Newport News, Va.]
Christyon Eugene, Troy [SR | G | Spring, Texas]
Themus Fulks, Louisiana
Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team
Tyrell Jones, South Alabama [SR | G | Chicago, Ill.]
Kamdyn Curfman, Marshall
Tyreke Locure, ULM [SR | G | New Orleans, La.]
Dwon Odom, Georgia State [JR | G | Alpharetta, Ga.]
Obinna Anochili-Killen, Marshall
Preseason All-Sun Belt Third Team
Terrance Ford Jr., Arkansas State [SO | G | Chicago, Ill.]
Brenden Tucker, Georgia State [SR | G | Lawrenceville, Ga]
CJ Huntley, App State [SR | F | Huntersville, N.C.]
Freddy Hicks, Arkansas State [JR | G | Searcy, Ark.]
Aamer Muhammad, Troy [SR | G | Rio Rancho, New Mexico]
2023-24 Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll
1. James Madison (7) - 176
2. App State (2) – 159
3. Old Dominion (1) - 154
4. Southern Miss - 148
5. Louisiana (2) - 136
6. South Alabama (2) - 129
7. Marshall - 119
8. Troy - 91
9. Arkansas State - 84
10. Texas State - 72
11. Georgia State - 69
12. Coastal Carolina - 59
13. Georgia Southern - 42
14. ULM - 32
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