MOBILE, Ala. – South Alabama men's basketball closes its seven-game road swing on Friday, against East Tennessee State on Friday, Dec. 5 at 6 p.m. CT. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.

South Alabama (8–1) vs. East Tennessee State (6–2)
Date: Friday, December 5
Tip-off: 6 p.m. CT
Location: Johnson City, Tenn. | Freedom Hall Civic Center
Listen: Jags Radio Network
Stats: South Alabama StatBroadcast
Watch: ESPN+

Last Time Out

• South Alabama survived a back-and-forth battle with New Mexico State and closed the game at the free-throw line to secure a 77–75 victory on Tuesday night at the Leonard E. Merrell Center.

• For the second straight game on the road trip, Adam Olsen led all scorers with 21 points, shooting 6-for-10 from the field and 6-for-7 at the free-throw line. It marked Olsen's fifth 20-point performance of the season.

• The Jaguars shot a season-high 82.1 percent from the free-throw line (32-of-39) and 44.4 percent from the field overall. The 32 made free throws marked the program's most in a game in a decade, last reaching that mark on Jan. 8, 2015 at App State.

• Peyton Law delivered a physical performance with 18 points, five rebounds and three blocks, including multiple late-game defensive stops.
  Chaze Harris added another all-around effort with 17 points, four assists, three steals and a perfect 11-for-11 mark at the free-throw line.
  Randy Brady finished with eight points and seven rebounds, including the game-winning free throw with five seconds remaining.

• Despite being outshot from three-point range and outrebounded, the Jaguars controlled the game at the free-throw line and executed in key late-game possessions.

Scouting the Buccaneers

• ETSU had a five-game winning streak snapped earlier this week by Dayton, 88–71 at UD Arena.

• The Bucs rank 25th in the nation in scoring defense, limiting opponents to 64.6 points per game.

•  Cam Morris III and Brian Taylor both average 15 points per game for ETSU.

•  Brooks Savage is in his third season as head coach at ETSU after posting winning seasons in each of his first two years.

Notes You Need to Know

• The Jaguars have been away from home for more than a month, posting a 5–1 record during an extended seven-game road swing.USA has traveled approximately 3,900 miles during the trip and will finally return home to the Mitchell Center on Dec. 14 to face North Texas.Following the Showdown in St. The Jaguars played two in-state road games at Jacksonville State (Nov. 19) and UAB (Nov. 21), before heading west to Texas to face UTSA (Nov. 30) and a neutral-site matchup against New Mexico State (Dec. 2).

• The NCAA released its first NET rankings of the season on Monday, and South Alabama checked in as the top-ranked team in the Sun Belt Conference at No. 117 nationally. The next closest team in the league is Southern Miss at No. 130.

• South Alabama has been one of the most efficient teams in the nation on both ends of the floor, creating high-percentage looks while turning defensive stops into scoring opportunities.The Jaguars rank second nationally in fouls per game (12.4) and third in turnovers per game (8.3).They also lead the Sun Belt in both turnover margin (+4.13) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.45; 65 assists to 48 turnovers).

• Olsen has been a catalyst all season, leading the team in scoring while producing five 20-point performances. He currently ranks among the top 15 nationally in three-pointers made, knocking down 29 triples on the year.The Canadian native tallied his fifth game with at least five three-pointers in the win at UTSA, finishing with a game-high 20 points.

• Harris has been a steady force for the Jaguars, scoring in double figures in seven of eight games while averaging 17.5 points and 4.5 assists per game over his last seven contests.Harris went 11-for-11 at the free-throw line against New Mexico State after delivering another all-around performance at UTSA, finishing just shy of a triple-double with 16 points on 6-of-12 shooting, eight rebounds, nine assists and four steals to power South Alabama to an 82–58 road victory. He currently ranks top 10 in the conference in assists (2nd), assist-to-turnover ratio (8th), and scoring (5th).

• 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 39.3 attempts per game — eight more than any other team in the country.

• South Alabama erased a 16-point deficit to defeat Jacksonville State earlier this season, improving to 6–0 and securing the best start in the program's 57-year history.The Jaguars had previously started 5–0 only twice — during the 1982–83 and 2016–17 seasons.

For complete coverage of South Alabama men's basketball, follow the Jaguars on social media at @SouthAlabamaMBB (X/Instagram), /SouthAlabamaJaguars (Facebook), or visit the official home of South Alabama Athletics at USAJaguars.com