PENSACOLA, Fla. — South Alabama fell to Georgia Southern Friday night in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament as the Eagles caught fire from behind the arc and handed the Jags a 94-85 loss at the Pensacola Bay Center.

Key Moments

• After trailing early, the Jags found momentum behind second-chance opportunities and interior scoring. A fast-break three from Adam Olsen pushed South Alabama ahead late in the half, and the Jaguars carried a 43–40 lead into halftime.

• Adam Olsen hit consecutive threes early in the second half to extend the Jags' lead to 51–43.

• Georgia Southern responded with a barrage from long range. The Eagles connected on 23 three-pointers, shooting over 52 percent from deep, to erase the deficit and take control in the final minutes.

• After South Alabama built its largest lead of the night at 66–56 midway through the second half, Georgia Southern answered with a decisive run fueled by transition opportunities and perimeter shooting. Back-to-Back threes from the Eagles helped them take the leads for good with four minutes remaining.

• The Jaguars continued to battle late, but Georgia Southern closed the game at the free-throw line to seal the nine-point win.

Key Stats

• Four Jags finished in double figures with Chaze Harris leading the way with a double-double, totaling 17 points, 10 assists, and six rebounds. 

• Adam Olsen and Hantz Louis Jeune each added three triples and 16 points. Stephen Williams finished just shy of a double-double scoring 11 points and seven rebounds, while John Broom scored 10. 

• South Alabama shot 47.5 percent from the field and 52.6 percent from three-point range. 

•  Georgia Southern hit 55.8 percent of its shots and 52.3 percent from behind the arc with 23 total three-pointers.

• The Jaguars dominated inside, outscoring Georgia Southern 36–12 in the paint.

• South Alabama finished with 36 rebounds and 18 second-chance points.

Quotable

Head Coach Richie Riley

"Got to give credit where it's due to Georgia Southern. They stepped up and really made shots. They came into this game with incredible rhythm. They've won three in a row down here, which is incredibly hard to do, and they came out and got us today. They're dangerous, and it's kind of been a theme in this tournament so far that teams who've already played have found a way to keep winning. For us, they made 23 threes. When we played them at our place, they were 12-for-45. They stepped up and hit some really tough shots, and we gave them some, too, with some undisciplined actions on our end. Our defensive identity schematically is to force teams to shoot threes—we're going to break the record for most attempts against us in a season—but they made plays tonight, and I've got to give them credit. I've loved coaching these guys. We won 21 games, and these guys came here because they believed in what we're building. They love South Alabama and the teammates they've played with. I have a great appreciation for them and everything they've done for us."

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.