MOBILE, Ala. – Three Jaguars finished with 20 points or more as the South Alabama men's basketball team opened its 2025–26 campaign with an 88–76 exhibition victory over West Florida on Tuesday night inside the Mitchell Center.
KEY STATS
- The Jaguars shot 50 percent from the field and had four players finish in double figures, using a balanced attack and a strong second half to pull away in their lone preseason tune-up. South Alabama limited the Argonauts to 36.4 percent shooting overall and 28.4 percent from three-point range.
- In his debut as a Jag, Chaze Harris led all scorers with 25 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the field and 9-for-11 from the free throw line, while adding four assists and four steals.
- Adam Olsen got the Jaguars rolling early, scoring 12 points in the first eight minutes and finishing with 20 points, eight rebounds, and three three-pointers.
- Jayden Cooper added 20 points and two rebounds, while Peyton Law registered a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds.
- The Jags also controlled the paint with a 46–24 advantage in points inside and turned 16 UWF turnovers into 16 points, while allowing just nine points off giveaways.
KEY MOMENTS
- After West Florida raced out to a 15–6 lead to start the game, South Alabama responded with a 10–0 run to take its first lead at the 11:24 mark. Olsen fueled that stretch with eight points, highlighted by a four-point play that lit up the home crowd.
- The Jaguars began to pull away midway through the second half, using a 13–2 burst capped by back-to-back scores from Harris and Olsen, along with two fast-break layups from Jayden Cooper off turnovers, to stretch the lead into double figures. South maintained its advantage the rest of the way, leading by as many as 14.
- Defensively, the Jags clamped down after halftime, holding UWF to 31.3 percent shooting in the second half and forcing 16 turnovers that produced 16 points on the other end.
UP NEXT
With the exhibition win, South Alabama now turns its attention to the regular-season opener next week. The Jaguars will tip off the 2025–26 campaign in the MAC–SBC Challenge at Toledo on Nov. 3. They will return for their home regular season opener against Alcorn State on Nov.6.
FOLLOW THE JAGS
For complete coverage of South Alabama men's basketball, follow the Jags on social media @SouthAlabamaMBB (X), /SouthAlabamaMBB (Facebook), @southalabamambb (Instagram), or visit the official home of South Alabama Athletics at usajaguars.com.
