By: Caleb Seaver, Contributing Writer
Photo by Caleb Seaver

PENSACOLA, Fla. – An incredible season ended on a bad note for the South Alabama men’s basketball team with a 3-point loss to Arkansas State in the Sun Belt Conference Semifinals, with the women’s team losing in the first round of the tournament earlier in the week. 

It was a tight game between South Alabama and Arkansas State, back and forth throughout, with a total of 13 lead changes in the game. However, Arkansas State would go on a run to take an 8-point lead late in the second half. South would fight back, making it a 3-point game with 8 seconds left. A failed attempt on the baseline cost the Jags many precious seconds, then after several seconds had run off the clock, committed an intentional foul. Arkansas State amazingly missed both free throws, but South Alabama was not able to get a shot off before the clock ran out.

A couple players stood out for South Alabama in the loss, senior Elijah Ormiston and junior Barry Dunning Jr. both scored over 20 points and combined for 22 rebounds

“I’m so disappointed for our guys. They deserve all of the success they’ve had this season. As disappointed as I am about this outcome, I could never be disappointed in these guys. What they’ve done for our program this year and for me as their Coach, I could never repay them for that,” said Coach Richie Riley in an interview following the game.

This was a heartbreaking ending to a great season, as South Alabama only needed two wins in the conference tournament to clinch the school’s first spot in the NCAA Tournament (March Madness) since 2008. While it remains to be seen if South Alabama will have the ability to compete in any lesser postseason tournaments, it certainly was not the end the Jags wanted. 

This was not the only bad game for the Jags this week, as the women’s team was blown out in the first round of the Sun Belt tournament 73-59 by Marshall. South Alabama trailed the entire game after going down 21-8 after the first quarter. The South Alabama women’s team finished the year 6-24, tied for the most losses in a season in South Alabama history.

“This is definitely not the ending we were hoping for as we felt that we were trending up these last few weeks, but I am super proud of these kids and how they responded to adversity all year long and how they laid the foundation for the future,” said Head Coach Yolisha Jackson in an interview following the game.