MOBILE, Ala. – The South Alabama men's basketball team is set to tip off the 2025–26 regular season on Monday, Nov. 3, at 6 p.m. (CT) as the Jaguars take on Toledo in the MAC–SBC Challenge. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+.
Last Time Out
- South Alabama 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 its lone preseason tune-up against West Florida. The Jaguars limited West Florida to 36.4 percent shooting overall and just 28.4 percent from three-point range.
- In his Jag debut,
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. Three Jaguars finished with 20 points or more as South Alabama opened its 2025–26 campaign with an 88–76 exhibition victory over the Argonauts inside the Mitchell Center.
Against the Rockets
- This will mark just the second all-time meeting between the two programs. Toledo claimed the first matchup back in 2001, defeating a Bob Weltlich-led Jags squad 76–67 in overtime.
Scouting Toledo
- The Rockets are led by head coach Tod Kowalczyk, who enters his 15th season at the helm with a 295–196 record at Toledo. Junior guard Sonny Wilson, the lone returning starter from last year's 18–15 squad, averaged 15.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game last season, earning Third-Team All-MAC honors.
- Toledo added several transfers during the offseason, including Sean Craig (IUPUI), Austin Parks (Ohio State), Chris Riddle (DePaul), Mynor Strong (Dodge City CC) and Kyler Vanderjagt (Central Michigan).
- The Rockets were picked to finish sixth in the MAC preseason poll, while Wilson was named to the Preseason All-MAC Second Team.
Notes You Need to Know
- South returns a strong core from last year's 21-win team that captured a share of the Sun Belt regular-season championship — the program's first since 2008. The Jags bring back four players with experience from a year ago —
John Broom,
Jayden Cooper,
Randy Brady, and
JJ Wheat — along with
Maxwell Land, who returns from injury.
- The roster also features eight newcomers, including six Division I transfers and two freshmen. Headlining the group are NAIA All-Americans
Peyton Law and
Chaze Harris, along with Canadian sharpshooter
Adam Olsen.
- South Alabama was picked to finish third in the 2025–26 Sun Belt Conference preseason poll, trailing last year's co-champions James Madison and Arkansas State. Broom earned Preseason All-Sun Belt honors after starting all 32 games as a freshman in 2024–25, averaging 5.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game while leading all Sun Belt freshmen in steals.
Under head coach Richie Riley, the Jaguars are 4–3 in season openers and 13–7 overall in the last two decades. South Alabama looks to bounce back from last year's opening-night loss to Central Michigan at the Mitchell Center.
Follow the Jags
For complete coverage of South Alabama men's basketball, follow the Jaguars on social media at @SouthAlabamaMBB on X (Twitter), @southalabamambb on Instagram, and visit USAJaguars.com for all the latest news and updates.
