MOBILE, Ala. – South Alabama men's basketball heads east this week for a Sun Belt Conference road test, traveling to Harrisonburg, Va., to take on James Madison on Thursday, Jan. 22. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. CT inside Atlantic Union Bank Center, with the game airing on ESPN+.

Game Information

South Alabama (13–6, 4–3 SBC) vs. James Madison (9–10, 2–5 SBC)
Date: Thursday, Jan. 22
Tip-off: 6 p.m. CT
Location: Harrisonburg, Va. | Atlantic Union Bank Center
Listen: Jags Radio Network
Stats: South Alabama StatBroadcast
Watch: ESPN+

Last Time Out

• South Alabama battled down to the final possession but came up just short, falling 59–56 to Louisiana last Saturday at the Mitchell Center.

• Chaze Harris led the Jaguars with 18 points, scoring 12 after halftime while adding three assists and a steal. South Alabama trailed 26–25 at the break before Harris opened the second half with a steal and fast-break dunk, followed by a deep corner three from Adam Olsen to briefly give the Jaguars the lead.

• Louisiana built its largest advantage of the night at 36–29 midway through the second half behind an 11–4 run that included consecutive three-pointers. The Jaguars answered with a 7–0 spurt of their own as Ethan Broom knocked down a three and JJ Wheat and Stephen Williams converted layups to even the score at 36–36 with 12 minutes remaining.

• Randy Brady gave South Alabama a 54–53 edge with 56 seconds left after an offensive rebound and putback, but Louisiana responded with a second-chance three with 24 seconds to reclaim the lead. Harris attacked the rim and finished through contact with 11 seconds remaining to tie the game at 56. After a timeout, Louisiana connected on a go-ahead three with four seconds left, and the Jaguars' final look at the buzzer came up short.

Series History

• South Alabama holds a 5–3 advantage in the all-time series against James Madison and has won three of the last four matchups, including a dominant 77–49 victory a season ago. The last trip to Harrisonburg told a different story, as the Dukes earned an 88–59 win during the 2023–24 campaign.

Scouting the Dukes

• James Madison has been led by junior forward Justin McBride and Georgia Southern transfer guard Bradley Douglas. McBride is averaging 16.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game while shooting 48.0 percent from the field. Douglas is contributing 13.3 points per contest and 4.4 assists per game.

• The Dukes dropped a pair of road games at App State and Marshall last week but have been dominant at home, posting a 6–1 record inside Atlantic Union Bank Center in 2025–26. Under head coach Preston Spradlin, James Madison owns a 19–3 (.864) home record.

Notes You Need to Know

• South Alabama has thrived in tight contests this season, posting an 8–4 record in games decided by 10 points or fewer. Six games have come down to the final possession, with the Jaguars owning a 4–3 mark in those contests, including two overtime victories.

• Sun Belt leading scorer Chaze Harris (18.1 ppg) continues to set the pace offensively, highlighted by a 38-point performance in South Alabama's 91–87 overtime victory over Arkansas State. Harris went 14-of-25 from the field and 10-of-15 from the free throw line while adding six rebounds, five assists, and three steals in the win.

• The Jaguars have emerged as one of the premier defensive teams in the Sun Belt Conference. South Alabama leads the nation in fewest fouls per game (11.5), ranks fourth nationally in field-goal percentage defense (37.9%), and sits 60th in scoring defense (68.5 ppg). The Jaguars are 11–3 this season when holding opponents to 70 points or fewer and have limited teams to 40 percent shooting or below in 12 of 19 games.

• Harris leads the Sun Belt in scoring at 18.1 points per game and is averaging 23.9 points per game in league play. Over his last five contests, he is averaging 21.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 4.0 assists while shooting 53.0 percent from the field. According to KenPom, Harris leads the conference and ranks second nationally in percentage of possessions used (35.5%).

• Adam Olsen is averaging 16.0 points per game and has recorded nine 20-plus point performances this season. He leads the Sun Belt in three-point shooting (38.3%) and is averaging 3.0 made three-pointers per game (54 total). Olsen has scored 20 or more points in four of his last six outings and ranks top three in the conference in free-throw percentage (87.0%).

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