MOBILE, Ala. — The South Alabama Men's Basketball team is set to open the 2024-25 campaign against Mid-American Conference foe Central Michigan on Monday, Nov.4 in the MAC-SBC Challenge. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. inside the Mitchell Center and will be broadcast on ESPN +.
GAME INFORMATION
South Alabama vs. Central Michigan
Date: Monday, Nov.4.
Tip-off: 7 p.m. CST
Site: Mitchell Center | Mobile, Ala.
ESPN + Live Stats Listen
Fresh Faces
- The Jags welcome eight transfer newcomers to the roster - Cantia Rahming (Saint Leo), Jayden Cooper (Faulkner), Dylan Fasoyiro (Daemen), JJ Wheat (Freed Hardeman), Myles Corey (Jessup), Barry Dunning Jr. (UAB), Caleb Kizer (Culver Stockton), and Randy Brady (Chattanooga).
- Five out of the eight transfers have three or more years of previous college basketball experience- Cantia Rahming (4), Dylan Fasoyiro (4), J Wheat (3), Myles Corey (4), and Caleb Kizer (3).
- Four newcomers have produced 800 or more career points at their previous stints at the NAIA or Division ll level- Myles Corey (1626), Dylan Fasoyiro (882), JJ Wheat (823), and Cantia Rahming (812).
- Two-time Gatorade Alabama High school player of the year and Mobile native, Barry Dunning Jr, joined the Jags in the offseason recruiting cycle after spending the first two seasons of his career at UAB and Arkansas.
- Myles Corey joins the Jags boasting an impressive resume at NAIA Jessup University. Corey has had 103 starts, 3291 minutes, 1626 points, 321 rebounds, 271 assists, and 165 steals throughout his career. The Ontario, Calif. native is a two-time NAIA Honorable Mention All-American and a four-time Golden State Athletic Conference first-team All-conference member.
Returning Experience
- South Alabama returns 25.1 percent of its scoring, 26.1 of its rebounding, and 30.2 percent of its minutes from the 2023-24 campaign.
- Leading the pack of five returners is sharpshooter Julian Margrave, who finished eighth in the Sun Belt in three-pointers with 51. Elijah Ormiston also enters his senior year with the Jags after making 16 starts and 29 appearances last season, scoring 6.2 points per contest. Graduate forward Judah Brown returns for one last ride after appearing in 21 games with 21.3 minutes per game last year.
- The Jags enter their seventh season under Head Coach Richie Riley, who maintains a 145-111 overall record and has led South to six straight seasons of 16 or more wins.
South Alabama Against the MAC
- South Alabama and Central Michigan will be squaring off for the second time in the program's history. The Jags have a 7-4 overall record against MAC opponents, including a 2-0 mark last season. South dominated Buffalo, 70-56, picking up its first win of the 2023-24 season, and outlasted Northern Illinois 75-66 in the return game of the MAC-SBC Challenge on Feb.10.
Last time these teams met
The Jaguars and Chippewas have played once previously with South Alabama taking the lone matchup between the schools. South hosted CMU in 2010, claiming a 82-74 in an overtime thriller in the Mitchell Center.
Jags in Season Openers
About Central Michigan
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The Chippewas enter the 2024 season having gone 18-14 in the 2023-24 season with a run to the Quarterfinals of the MAC Tournament. Fourth-year Head Coach Tony Barbee leads Central Michigan. Leading scorer for the Chippewas, Anthony Pritchard returns this season after averaging 12.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.7 steals per game.
FOLLOW THE JAGS
For complete coverage of South Alabama Men's basketball, follow the Jags on social media @SouthAlabamaMBB (Twitter), /SouthAlabamaJaguars (Facebook), @southalabamambb (Instagram), or visit the official home of South Alabama athletics at usajaguars.com
