MOBILE, Ala. — South Alabama’s men’s and women’s basketball teams both defeated North Texas at the Mitchell Center on Saturday, the baseball team set a school scoring record on the way to a 7-0 start, and the softball team went unbeaten at a tournament in Florida in a busy weekend for Jaguar athletics.
Men’s Basketball
The South Alabama men beat North Texas 69-57 on Senior Night and never trailed. Four Jaguars scored in double figures. Sophomore Mychal Ammons led all scorers with 18 points, and Javier Carter recorded the third double-double of his career.
Senior Wendell Wright scored a career-high 10 points and added season bests of five rebounds and three assists. Augustine Rubit was held to nine points but grabbed 15 rebounds.
The win was South Alabama’s seventh straight at home in Sun Belt Conference play after the Jaguars lost their league home opener. South Alabama improved to 16-10 overall and 13-5 in the Sun Belt and remains in second place in the conference standings, one game ahead of Arkansas State, which has clinched the West Division title at 12-6. North Texas fell to 11-19 and 6-13.
The Jaguars travel to Western Kentucky for a 7 p.m. tipoff Thursday that will be carried on ESPN3.
Women’s Basketball
The Lady Jaguars defeated North Texas 65-61. Senior Mansa El, playing her final home game at the Mitchell Center, led South Alabama with 19 points, six rebounds, three assists and three steals.
El and fellow seniors Camille Reynolds and Mary Nixon combined for 44 points.
South Alabama improved to 15-12 overall and 8-10 in the Sun Belt. The Lady Jaguars sit fifth of six teams in the East Division, a half-game behind Florida Atlantic for a share of fourth place, and eighth overall in the conference. They play at Western Kentucky on Wednesday at 7 p.m.
Baseball
South Alabama set a school record for runs Friday night at Eddie Stanky Field, routing former conference opponent New Orleans 29-6. The Jaguars scored 13 runs in the eighth inning.
Saturday’s game was rained out, and the teams played a doubleheader Sunday. South Alabama swept both games, 4-1 and 5-2, to improve to 7-0.
The Jaguars play a two-game midweek series at Jacksonville State in Jacksonville, Ala., beginning Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at Rudy Abbott Field.
Softball
The South Alabama softball team went 4-0 at the Jacksonville University Tournament in Jacksonville, Fla., before its final game was canceled because of field conditions.
On Friday, the Jaguars beat Mount St. Mary’s 12-2 in five innings for their seventh run-rule victory of the season, then shut out host Jacksonville 7-0. On Saturday, South Alabama defeated Seton Hall 8-0 in six innings for its eighth run-rule win and edged Delaware 1-0.
The Jaguars play a makeup game at Alabama in Tuscaloosa on Thursday at 5 p.m.
Track and Field
South Alabama earned two all-conference performances and set a school record on Sunday’s opening day of the Sun Belt Conference Indoor Championships.
Nick Farrell won the men’s pole vault with a clearance of 5.00 meters to earn all-conference honors. Teammates William Henley and Connor Smith were part of a three-way tie for fifth at 4.70 meters.
Briana Aiken placed third in the women’s long jump with a school-record leap of 6.01 meters, also earning all-conference honors.
The championships continue Monday at 9 a.m.
