South Alabama was eliminated from the Sun Belt Conference Tournament after a 94-85 loss to Georgia Southern at the Pensacola Bay Center on Friday night. The Jaguars led at halftime and built a ten-point advantage in the second half, but Georgia Southern’s three-point shooting proved decisive.
South Alabama gained momentum in the first half through second-chance points and scoring inside, eventually taking a 43-40 lead into halftime. Adam Olsen’s fast-break three-pointer late in the half gave the Jaguars their edge. Olsen continued his impact with consecutive threes early in the second half, pushing South Alabama ahead 51-43.
Georgia Southern then shifted momentum with an effective perimeter attack, making 23 three-pointers and shooting over 52 percent from long range. This allowed them to erase their deficit and take control of the game in its final minutes. After South Alabama reached its largest lead at 66-56 midway through the second half, Georgia Southern responded with transition plays and more threes, overtaking the Jaguars for good with four minutes remaining.
The Eagles maintained their advantage by closing out at the free-throw line. Four South Alabama players scored in double figures. Chaze Harris recorded a double-double with 17 points, 10 assists, and six rebounds. Adam Olsen and Hantz Louis Jeune each made three three-pointers and finished with 16 points apiece. Stephen Williams contributed 11 points and seven rebounds, while John Broom added 10 points.
South Alabama shot nearly 48 percent from the field and over 52 percent from beyond the arc. Georgia Southern hit nearly 56 percent overall and made just over half of its shots from three-point range. The Jaguars outscored Georgia Southern in the paint by a wide margin (36–12) and collected 36 rebounds along with 18 second-chance points.
After the game, Head Coach Richie Riley said: “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.”
For more information about South Alabama men’s basketball or updates about future games or events, fans can follow @SouthAlabamaMBB on X (formerly Twitter) or Instagram, visit /SouthAlabamaJaguars on Facebook or check USAJaguars.com.
