# 2023–24 South Alabama Jaguars men's basketball team

The 2023–24 South Alabama Jaguars men's basketball team represented the University of South Alabama in the 2023–24 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Jaguars, led by sixth-year head coach Richie Riley, played their home games at the Mitchell Center in Mobile, Alabama as members in the Sun Belt Conference. They finished the season 16–16, 8–10 in Sun Belt play to finish in a three-way tie for seventh place. As the No. 8 seed in the Sun Belt tournament, they lost to Georgia Southern in the second round.

## Previous season

The Jaguars finished the 2022–23 season 19–16, 9–9 in Sun Belt play to finish in a tie for seventh place. In the Sun Belt tournament, they lost in the championship round to Louisiana.

## Offseason
### Departures

| Name | Number | Pos. | Height | Weight | Year | Hometown | Reason for departure |
| Jamar Franklin | 1 | G | 6'2" | 175 | Freshman | Rockledge, FL | Transferred to Georgia Southern |
| Isaiah Moore | 4 | G | 6'1" | 190 | GS Senior | Temple Hills, MD | Graduated; Signed to play with the Iowa Wolves |
| Diante Smith | 10 | F | 6'7" | 200 | Junior | Fort Walton Beach, FL | Transferred to Nicholls |
| Adam Sizemore | 14 | G | 5'10" | 170 | Senior | London, KY | Graduated; Promoted to Director of Player Development |
| Kevin Samuel | 21 | C | 7'0" | 260 | GS Senior | Codrington Village, Barbuda | Graduated; Signed to play with Aix Maurienne Savoie Basket |
| Owen White | 22 | G | 6'6" | 215 | GS Senior | Rhinelander, WI | Graduated |
| Tyler Shirley | 24 | F | 6'7" | 205 | Sophomore | Gary, IN | Transferred to Clayton State (D2) |

### Incoming transfers

| Name | Number | Pos. | Height | Weight | Year | Hometown | Previous School |
| Isiah Gaiter | 2 | G | 6'3" | 195 | GS Senior | Meriden, CT | Assumption |
| Maxwell Land | 10 | G | 6'4" | 195 | Junior | Cincinnati, OH | Saint Francis (PA) |
| Thomas Howell | 13 | F | 6'8" | 230 | Junior | Natchitoches, LA | Louisiana–Monroe |
| Samuel Tabe | 45 | G | 6'5" | 210 | GS Senior | Beltsville, MD | Seton Hill |

### Recruiting classes
#### 2023 recruiting class

US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes :
| Name | Hometown | High school / college | Height | Weight | Commit date |
| John Broom SG | Jacksonville, AL | Jacksonville School | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | 170 lb (77 kg) | Jul 28, 2022 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Rivals: N/A 247Sports: ||||||
| Smurf Millender PG | Friendswood, TX | Clear Brook High School | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | 160 lb (73 kg) | Jun 10, 2022 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Rivals: N/A 247Sports: N/A ||||||
| Ethan Kizer SF | Metamora, IL | Metamora High School | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | 175 lb (79 kg) | Sep 9, 2022 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Rivals: N/A 247Sports: N/A ||||||
| Overall recruiting rankings: ||||||
| Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight. In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale. Sources: "2023 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. ||||||

#### 2024 recruiting class
## Preseason
### Preseason Sun Belt Conference poll

The Jaguars were picked to finish in sixth place in the conference's preseason poll. Senior guard Tyrell Jones was named to the preseason All-SBC Second Team.
Coaches poll :
| Predicted finish | Team (1st place Votes) |
| 1 | James Madison - 176 (7) |
| 2 | App State - 159 (2) |
| 3 | Old Dominion - 154 (1) |
| 4 | Southern Miss - 148 |
| 5 | Louisiana - 136 (2) |
| 6 | South Alabama - 129 (2) |
| 7 | Marshall - 119 |
| 8 | Troy - 91 |
| 9 | Arkansas State - 84 |
| 10 | Texas State - 72 |
| 11 | Georgia State - 69 |
| 12 | Coastal Carolina - 59 |
| 13 | Georgia Southern - 42 |
| 14 | ULM - 32 |

## Schedule and results

| Date time, TV | Rank$^#$ | Opponent$^#$ | Result | Record | High points | High rebounds | High assists | Site (attendance) city, state |
| Non-conference regular season |||||||||
| November 6, 2023* 7:00 p.m. | | Mobile | L 74–83 | 0–1 | 21 – Brown | 7 – Howell | 4 – Gaiter | Mitchell Center (2,153) Mobile, AL |
| November 11, 2023* 1:00 p.m. | | at Buffalo MAC-SBC Challenge | W 70–56 | 1–1 | 15 – Millender | 10 – Howell | 4 – Millender | Alumni Arena (2,080) Amherst, NY |
| November 14, 2023* 7:00 p.m. | | at No. 22 Alabama | L 46–102 | 1–2 | 15 – Land | 5 – Tabe | 3 – Millender | Coleman Coliseum (9,828) Tuscaloosa, AL |
| November 16, 2023* 7:00 p.m. | | Nicholls Jaguar Classic | L 97–102 $^{3OT}$ | 1–3 | 23 – Millender | 9 – Millender | 10 – Millender | Mitchell Center (3,445) Mobile, AL |
| November 17, 2023* 3:00 p.m. | | Denver Jaguar Classic | W 82–75 | 2–3 | 24 – Gaiter | 11 – Howell | 9 – Millender | Mitchell Center (1,357) Mobile, AL |
| November 19, 2023* 12:00 p.m. | | SIU Edwardsville Jaguar Classic | W 86–74 | 3–3 | 24 – Gaiter | 6 – Howell | 5 – Millender | Mitchell Center (1,507) Mobile, AL |
| November 21, 2023* 7:00 p.m. | | Lynn | W 74–62 | 4–3 | 17 – Land | 8 – Gaiter | 2 – Kearing | Mitchell Center (1,439) Mobile, AL |
| November 25, 2023* 6:00 p.m., BTN | | at Maryland | L 55–68 | 4–4 | 18 – Margrave | 7 – Land | 2 – Land | Xfinty Center (12,358) College Park, MD |
| November 30, 2023* 6:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Jacksonville State | L 52–70 | 4–5 | 15 – Jones | 7 – Howell | 1 – Tied | Pete Mathews Coliseum (1,865) Jacksonville, AL |
| December 6, 2023* 10:00 a.m. | | at Mercer | W 83–62 | 5–5 | 17 – Gaiter | 8 – Margrave | 4 – Millender | Hawkins Arena (3,207) Macon, GA |
| December 9, 2023* 3:00 p.m. | | Spring Hill | W 91–74 | 6–5 | 20 – Gaiter | 8 – Tied | 6 – Tied | Mitchell Center (1,931) Mobile, AL |
| December 21, 2023* 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | Alabama A&M | W 83–67 | 7–5 | 18 – Jones | 11 – Howell | 3 – Jones | Mitchell Center (1,069) Mobile, AL |
| Sun Belt Conference regular season |||||||||
| December 30, 2023 6:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Old Dominion | W 61–59 | 8–5 (1–0) | 16 – Gaiter | 9 – Howell | 7 – Gaiter | Chartway Arena (5,479) Norfolk, VA |
| January 4, 2024 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | Appalachian State | L 84–91 $^{OT}$ | 8–6 (1–1) | 29 – Gaiter | 10 – Howell | 4 – Tied | Mitchell Center (1,646) Mobile, AL |
| January 6, 2024 3:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | Georgia State | L 76–90 | 8–7 (1–2) | 22 – Jones | 17 – Howell | 2 – Tied | Mitchell Center (2,141) Mobile, AL |
| January 11, 2024 6:00 p.m. | | at James Madison | L 55–89 | 8–8 (1–3) | 16 – Gaiter | 7 – Ormiston | 3 – Jones | Atlantic Union Bank Center (3,147) Harrisonburg, VA |
| January 13, 2024 6:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Marshall | W 91–85 | 9–8 (2–3) | 25 – Gaiter | 8 – Tied | 5 – Tied | Cam Henderson Center (5,711) Huntington, WV |
| January 18, 2024 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | Troy | W 74–71 | 10–8 (3–3) | 19 – Tabe | 7 – Tabe | 5 – Tabe | Mitchell Center (3,169) Mobile, AL |
| January 20, 2024 3:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | Louisiana | L 79–88 | 10–9 (3–4) | 25 – Gaiter | 6 – Ormiston | 4 – Jones | Mitchell Center (2,991) Mobile, AL |
| January 25, 2024 7:30 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Louisiana–Monroe | L 66–80 | 10–10 (3–5) | 18 – Jones | 9 – Howell | 5 – Jones | Fant–Ewing Coliseum (1,600) Monroe, LA |
| January 27, 2024 4:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Troy | L 79–83 | 10–11 (3–6) | 19 – Jones | 6 – Tied | 3 – Jones | Trojan Arena (5,110) Troy, AL |
| February 1, 2024 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Texas State | L 66–74 | 10–12 (3–7) | 16 – Jones | 9 – Howell | 5 – Millender | Strahan Arena (1,699) San Marcos, TX |
| February 3, 2024 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Louisiana | L 60–80 | 10–13 (3–8) | 18 – Jones | 6 – Gaiter | 4 – Jones | Cajundome (1,873) Lafayette, LA |
| February 7, 2024 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | Georgia Southern | W 78–65 | 11–13 (4–8) | 20 – Tabe | 7 – Tabe | 4 – Millender | Mitchell Cetner (1,712) Mobile, AL |
| February 10, 2024* 2:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | Northern Illinois MAC-SBC Challenge | W 75–66 | 12–13 | 23 – Jones | 6 – Tied | 8 – Millender | Mitchell Center (1,539) Mobile, AL |
| February 15, 2024 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | Texas State | W 72–55 | 13–13 (5–8) | 18 – Gaiter | 4 – Gaiter | 6 – Millender | Mitchell Center (2,151) Mobile, AL |
| February 17, 2024 3:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | Arkansas State | L 73–76 | 13–14 (5–9) | 35 – Tabe | 6 – Tied | 6 – Millender | Mitchell Center (1,723) Mobile, AL |
| February 22, 2024 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Southern Miss | W 83–64 | 14–14 (6–9) | 29 – Tabe | 8 – Jones | 3 – Millender | Reed Green Coliseum (4,202) Hattiesburg, MS |
| February 24, 2024 2:30 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Arkansas State | L 78–95 | 14–15 (6–10) | 27 – Tied | 7 – Tabe | 4 – Jones | First National Bank Arena (4,178) Jonesboro, AR |
| February 28, 2024 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | Southern Miss | W 73–70 | 15–15 (7–10) | 18 – Margrave | 7 – Howell | 7 – Millender | Mitchell Center (2,253) Mobile, AL |
| March 1, 2024 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | Louisiana–Monroe | W 80–69 | 16–15 (8–10) | 21 – Jones | 8 – Millender | 4 – Millender | Mitchell Center (1,969) Mobile, AL |
| Sun Belt Conference tournament |||||||||
| March 7, 2024 11:30 am, ESPN+ | (8) | vs. (9) Georgia Southern Second round | L 71–76 | 16–16 | 22 – Jones | 12 – Kearing | 2 – Gaiter | Pensacola Bay Center (764) Pensacola, FL |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. All times are in Central Time. |||||||||