MOBILE, Ala. — South Alabama basketball coach Ronnie Arrow said Wednesday at the Sun Belt Conference’s preseason media day that the Jaguars have the players in place to contend for the league championship if they stay healthy.
The conference also released its preseason all-conference teams and polls Wednesday morning, along with its television schedule for the 2012-13 season.
Television Schedule
South Alabama’s Feb. 9 game against Florida Atlantic was selected for broadcast on the Sun Belt Network, and tipoff was moved to 7:30 p.m. The Jaguars’ season opener at Florida State will be streamed on ESPN3.com at 6 p.m. Central.
Experienced Roster Returns
Arrow said seven players return from last season’s team, including Augustine Rubit, Freddie Goldstein, Javier Carter and Mychal Ammons. He said Xavier Roberson, who broke a bone in his foot last season, is back at full strength.
“We think we have the players in place to be able to make a run at the championship, as long as everybody stays healthy,” Arrow said.
Arrow said he expects the league to be stronger overall because several teams that relied on seven or eight newcomers last season now have those players back with a year of experience.
Rubit Among League’s Best
Arrow pointed to North Texas forward Tony Mitchell’s decision to return for another season, saying it brings instant attention to the conference. He said Rubit belongs in the same conversation.
“I think Aug has proven he’s not only one of the top players in the conference, but also in the country,” Arrow said.
Arrow listed Middle Tennessee, which returns 10 of its 12 players, along with North Texas and Arkansas State as teams bringing back much of their rosters. He said he expects a competitive race and predicted that Sun Belt teams would beat some well-known opponents in non-conference play.
Preseason Progress
Arrow said the Jaguars saw positive signs in an intrasquad game. He said Ammons, who averaged 10 points and five rebounds as a freshman, is playing both inside and outside.
“If Tony Mitchell wouldn’t have been a freshman last year, Mychal would have been looked at as one of the top two or three freshmen in the league,” Arrow said. “He’s playing very well.”
Arrow also discussed newcomer Viktor Juricek of Slovakia, who he said is adjusting from a European style in which he played mostly around the 3-point line. The staff is working to develop him as a player who can score both inside and outside, and Arrow called him “a young man to watch this year.”
Carter ranked eighth nationally in blocked shots last season before an injury and finished 16th, Arrow said. The Jaguars added guards Antoine Allen and Dre Conner in part to prevent opponents from double-teaming Rubit.
Canadian Tour Helped Preparation
Arrow said South Alabama’s preseason trip to Canada, which included eight practices and three games, gave the team quality competition and allowed returning players and newcomers to get to know each other on and off the court.
“Our first regular season game is at Florida State, so we better be ready,” Arrow said. “So all of that and the strong non-conference schedule will help us.”
Upcoming Schedule
South Alabama plays an exhibition game against Spring Hill College on Monday, Nov. 5. The Jaguars open the regular season Friday, Nov. 9, at Florida State in Tallahassee, Fla., with a 6 p.m. tipoff on ESPN3.
Update: Three Jaguars Named Preseason All-Sun Belt
Three South Alabama players were named to the Sun Belt Conference preseason all-conference teams released Wednesday. Junior forward Augustine Rubit was a first-team selection, while seniors Javier Carter and Freddie Goldstein were named to the third team. South Alabama’s three selections tied Arkansas State for the second most in the league, behind Middle Tennessee’s four.
Rubit averaged 15.2 points and 9.2 rebounds per game last season, finishing second in the conference in scoring and first in rebounding, which ranked 38th nationally. He recorded 12 double-doubles and became the first Jaguar named first-team All-Sun Belt since 2008. The 2010-11 Sun Belt Freshman of the Year ranks eighth in school history in career rebounds with 576 and third in career rebounding average at 10.1 per game.
Carter blocked 72 shots last season, an average of 2.7 per game that ranked 16th in Division I. The 72 blocks are the third-highest single-season total in school history, and his 132 career blocks rank second in program history. He also averaged 6.1 points and 5.0 rebounds with two double-doubles.
Goldstein is the Sun Belt’s defending 3-point champion after making 2.5 3-pointers per game last season. He was second on the team in scoring at 11.7 points per game, shot 37.1 percent from 3-point range, which ranked 15th in the conference, and set and tied the school record for 3-pointers in a game with nine. He became the first Jaguar since the 2007-08 season to score 30 or more points twice in one season.
Preseason Poll
In the poll of league coaches, South Alabama was picked to finish second in the Eastern Division with 51 points. Middle Tennessee received all 11 first-place votes and 65 points. Western Kentucky followed the Jaguars with 47 points, ahead of Florida Atlantic (29), Troy (22) and FIU (17).
North Texas was a unanimous choice in the Western Division with 55 points, followed by Arkansas State (40), Arkansas-Little Rock (33), Louisiana-Lafayette (24) and Louisiana-Monroe (13).
