MOBILE, Ala. – Coming off a dramatic win to open conference play, South Alabama men's basketball is set to battle Texas State on Saturday, December 20 at 2:30 p.m. CT.
South Alabama (9–3, 1–0) at Texas State (7–6, 0–1)
Date: Saturday, December 20
Tip-off: 2:30 p.m. CT
Location: San Marcos, Texas | Strahan Arena
Listen: Jags Radio Network
Stats: South Alabama StatBroadcast
Watch: ESPN+
Last Time Out
- South Alabama opened Sun Belt Conference play in dramatic fashion, mounting a furious comeback to outlast ULM in double overtime, 96–92, at Fant-Ewing Coliseum. The Jaguars erased a 20-point first-half deficit, forced overtime with a late rally, and closed the game at the free-throw line to secure their first league win of the season.
- Chaze Harris delivered a career night to lead South Alabama with 38 points, adding eight assists, six rebounds, and six steals while playing nearly 47 minutes. Harris scored 14 of the Jaguars' 25 points across the two overtime periods, including key free throws in the final seconds to seal the win.
- ULM built a 45–27 halftime lead after shooting 60 percent (12-of-20) from three-point range in the opening half.The Jaguars responded with a dominant second half, outscoring the Warhawks 44–26 to erase the deficit and force overtime on a last-second layup by Harris.
- In the first overtime, the teams traded baskets before Harris' free throws sent the game to a second extra period tied at 84.
- South Alabama took control in the second overtime, highlighted by Adam Olsen's late three-pointer and clutch free throws from Jayden Cooper and Harris down the stretch.
Scouting the Bobcats
- Texas State saw its eight-game home winning streak come to an end on Wednesday after falling to Arkansas State, 89–70, in its Sun Belt Conference opener.
- Mark Drone leads the Bobcats in scoring, averaging 13.3 points per contest.
- Texas State ranks second in the conference in scoring defense, limiting opponents to 68.6 points per game.
- Terrence Johnson enters his eighth season at the helm of Texas State.
- Texas State leads the all-time series against South Alabama, 12–7. The teams split last season's meetings, with the Jaguars earning a 70–65 overtime victory at the Mitchell Center before the Bobcats responded weeks later with a buzzer-beating layup in San Marcos to derail South Alabama's bid for an outright conference championship. South Alabama enters this matchup with just one all-time win over Texas State in San Marcos, which came during the 2022–23 season.
- Four Bobcats finished in double figures against the Red Wolves, led by a team-high 15 points from DJ Hall, who also posted a team-best seven rebounds and three steals. Drone added 14 points for his sixth consecutive double-digit scoring game, while Kyndall Davis chipped in 13 points on 5-of-10 shooting.
Notes You Need to Know
- South Alabama trailed by 20 points in the first half, by 18 at halftime, and by 14 (71–57) with 3:16 remaining in regulation at ULm. The Jaguars responded with a 14–0 run to force overtime, then survived two extra periods to earn the win against a ULM team that knocked down 19 three-pointers. It marked South Alabama's first win after overcoming a 20-point deficit since Dec. 30, 2023, when the Jaguars erased a 22-point deficit to defeat Old Dominion.
- The Jags' starting five — Chaze Harris (47 minutes), Jayden Cooper (39), Hantz Louis-Jeune (44), Adam Olsen (50), and Randy Brady (45) — combined to play 225 minutes and did not leave the floor after the four-minute mark of the second half.
- Chaze Harris has been a dominant force for South Alabama this season, leading the Jaguars in scoring (16.8 PPG), assists (5.3 APG), steals (1.7 SPG), and field goal percentage among active Jags with at least 50 attempts. Harris has scored in double figures in 10 of 12 games this season and is averaging 18.8 points, 4.8 assists, and 5.0 steals, while shooting 51.2 percent (32-of-62) from the field and 76.9 percent (30-of-39) from the free-throw line without attempting a three-pointer this season.In his career performance at ULM, Harris became the first player in the nation this season to record at least 35 points, five assists, and five steals in a single game. His 16 made field goals tied for the fourth-most in a single game in program history.
- Adam Olsen has been a catalyst all season, averaging 16.0 points per game while leading the team in minutes played and three-point shooting. He has recorded a conference-leading number of 20-point performances and currently ranks among the top 50 nationally in three-pointers made per game (3.2), knocking down 38 triples on the season. Olsen has tallied nine games with two or more made three-pointers and has barely left the floor over the past two games, playing a total of 90 minutes, including 50 minutes against ULM.
- Graduate student Hantz Louis-Jeune and sophomore Stephen Williams have each made their first starts in a Jaguar uniform over the past two contests following Peyton Law's season-ending knee injury against ETSU. Williams made his first Division I start against North Texas after totaling 18 career starts at Coastal Alabama Community College, while Louis-Jeune earned his first start of the season at ULM, marking the 97th start of his collegiate career. South Alabama continues to adjust in Law's absence after he averaged 12.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, and a conference-leading 64.7 percent shooting from the field this season.
- South Alabama has played eight of its last nine games away from home. According to TeamRankings.com, the Jaguars are tied for the most road wins (7) and the most true road wins (4) in the nation. South Alabama will head out for three more road tests to close the calendar year and has posted a 7–2 record away from home this season, including true road wins at Jacksonville State, UTSA, Toledo, and ULM, while going undefeated at neutral sites against Central Michigan, Coppin State, and New Mexico State.
- South Alabama has been one of the most efficient teams in the conference on both ends of the floor, creating high-percentage looks while turning defensive stops into scoring opportunities. The Jaguars lead the country in fouls per game (12.0) and rank 20th nationally in turnovers per game (9.7). Additionally, they rank top three in the conference in both turnover margin (+3.8) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.25).
- The Jaguars' defensive identity has revolved around shutting down the paint and forcing opponents to rely heavily on the three-point line. South Alabama currently ranks first in the nation in three-pointers attempted against, forcing opponents to average 39.6 attempts per game — eight more triples than any other team in the country — while limiting opponents to 31.6 percent shooting from beyond the arc.
FOLLOW THE JAGS
For complete coverage of South Alabama men's basketball, follow the Jaguars on social media at @SouthAlabamaMBB on X and Instagram, /SouthAlabamaJaguars on Facebook, or visit USAJaguars.com.
