MOBILE, Ala. — South Alabama released its 2013-14 men’s basketball schedule on Monday, the first under head coach Matthew Graves, featuring road games at Texas, Gonzaga and Arkansas and nine opponents that won at least 19 games last season.
The Jaguars return reigning Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year Augustine Rubit and junior Mychal Ammons.
Season Opens Nov. 8
South Alabama plays an exhibition game against the University of Mobile on Nov. 5 at the Mitchell Center before opening the regular season at home against Detroit on Nov. 8.
Graves’ first road game as the Jaguars’ coach comes Nov. 12 at Texas. South Alabama then returns to the Mitchell Center to face William Carey before hosting a round-robin CBE Classic event Nov. 22-24 with Wright State, Southern Miss and Houston Baptist.
Wright State, which won 23 games last season and returns its top 10 players, was picked to win the Horizon League.
December Road Tests
- Nov. 30: at Middle Tennessee, a former Sun Belt rival, in Murfreesboro, Tenn.
- Dec. 2: vs. Spring Hill College
- Dec. 7: at Rice in Houston
- Dec. 14: at Gonzaga
- Dec. 17: vs. Dillard in Mobile
- Dec. 21: at Arkansas
- Dec. 28: at New Mexico State
Sun Belt Format
The Sun Belt will not use divisions this season, so South Alabama will play each conference opponent home and away in an 18-game league schedule. Conference play begins Jan. 2 at the Mitchell Center against Western Kentucky.
Graves said he set out to build a challenging non-conference schedule to prepare the Jaguars for Sun Belt play.
