Every day this week I am profiling one local team and their history in the NCAA Tournament. Today we are looking at the South Alabama Jaguars, down in Mobile, AL. Who have not made the Tourney since the 2007-2008 season.
NCAA Tournament Appearances
8 (1979, 1980, 1989, 1991, 1997, 1998, 2006, 2008)
NCAA Round of 32 Appearances
2 (1979, 1989)
NCAA Tournament Wins
1-8
NIT Appearances
4 (1981, 1984, 2001, 2007)
The University of South Alabama opened its doors in 1963, and the basketball program began during the 1968-69 season. Playing at the tiny Jag Gym on campus, the program began under the leadership of its first head coach, Rex Frederick, a former Auburn standout and Alabama Sports Hall of Fame inductee. The Jaguars joined the Sun Belt Conference in 1978, to which they remain to this day.
(Jag Gym was the original home of the Jaguar basketball program and is currently home to volleyball team)
The team quickly gained traction, and by the late 1970s, South Alabama was making waves in the Sun Belt Conference. Under the guidance of head coach Cliff Ellis, who took over in 1975, the Jaguars experienced a period of significant success. Ellis led the team to its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 1979. In their NCAA debut, the Jaguars were seeded 8th in the East Regional. Their first-round matchp was against the 9th-seeded Louisville Cardinals. Despite their efforts, the Jaguars fell to Louisville by a score of 69–66 in a closely contested game.
(Cliff Ellis coached the Jags from 1975-1984, and took them to their first ever NCAA Tournament appearance. He most recently served as the Head Coach at Coastal Carolina, until his retirement in 2023)
Building on the momentum from their NCAA debut in 1979, the South Alabama Jaguars returned to the tournament in 1980, marking their second consecutive appearance on college basketball’s grandest stage. In the 1980 NCAA Tournament, the Jaguars were seeded 9th in the Midwest Regional, setting up a first-round clash against the 8th-seeded Alcorn State Braves, who we covered the other day. The game was a tightly contested battle, as both teams were determined to make a statement and advance deeper into the tournament. Unfortunately for South Alabama, they fell to Alcorn State by a score of 70–62, bringing an end to their season.
Over the years, South Alabama has produced several standout players who have left an indelible mark on the program. Among them is Jeff Hodge, the all-time leading scorer for the Jaguars, whose contributions in the late 1980s helped elevate the team to new heights. Another popular player during this time was Houston, MS native Terry Catledge, who played at USA from 1981-85 and was drafted 21st overall by the 76’ers in 1985. He would have 9 year career in the NBA for the 76’ers, Bullets and Magic.
(The school’s most decorated player Terry Catledge, who played here from 1981-85.)
The Jaguars best season was perhaps the 1988-89 season. Under the leadership of head coach Ronnie Arrow, South Alabama entered the tournament as a 10th seed in the Southeast Regional. Their first-round matchup pitted them against in-state rival, 7th seeded Alabama Crimson Tide. Despite being the underdogs, the Jaguars played with tenacity and skill, pulling off one of the biggest upsets of the tournament by defeating Alabama with a thrilling score of 86–84. The victory not only advanced South Alabama to the second round but also secured the program’s first-ever NCAA Tournament win—and so far their only win in the Tournament
In the second round South Alabama fell victim to the #2 seeded Michigan Wolverines, who win that years National Championship.
The Shot That Rolled The Tide – South Alabama Basketball
The Jags would make the Tournament again in 1991 as an #11 seed. Led by Ronnie Arrow, the Jaguars would lose the #6 seed Utah in the First Round. Former NBA Head Coach Bill Mussellman took over for two seasons in 1995. He would guide the Jag to the Tournament in 1997, as a #13 seed. Setting up a first-round matchup against the 4th-seeded Arizona Wildcats, a powerhouse team led by legendary coach Lute Olson. The Wildcats boasted a talented roster that included future NBA stars such as Mike Bibby and Jason Terry.
(Ronnie Arrow, who guided the Jaguars for two different stints (1987-1994, 2007-2012)
The Jags would be back in 1998, as a 12 seed losing to #5 seed Illinois in the First Round. Later that year a new era for South Alabama would begin with opening of the 10,000 Mitchell Center. The state-of-the-art arena replaced the outdated Jag Gym.
(Above: The 10,000 seat Mitchell Center opened in 1998, and is one of the premier venues in the Sun Belt Conference)
It would be 2006 until the Jags would be back in the Tournament. In 2006 the 14 seed Jags, led by coach John Pelphrey, traveled to Jacksonville to matchup with #3 seed Florida Gators. South Alabama fell to Florida with a final score of 76-50. The Gators’ dominance was evident, led by future NBA stars like Joakim Noah and Al Horford. South Alabama struggled to keep pace, shooting just 34.5% from the field compared to Florida’s 57.6%. The Gators would eventually win the 2006 National Championship.
(Current Tennessee Tech Head Coach John Pelphrey guided the Jags to one NCAA Tournament appearances as coach for the Jags from 2002-2007)
South Alabama’s most recent appearance in the Tournament was 2008. Ronnie Arrow was once again at the helm for the Jags. In the first round of the tournament, South Alabama faced the No. 7 seed Butler Bulldogs. Despite their efforts, South Alabama fell to Butler with a final score of 81-612. The Bulldogs’ strong performance, led by their disciplined play and effective shooting, proved too much for the Jaguars to overcome.
This year South Alabama’s basketball team found itself at the center of a dramatic and unfortunate mix-up. The Jaguars, who had fought hard throughout the season, were initially invited to participate in the NIT, only to have their invitation rescinded hours later due to a miscommunication involving UC Riverside.
The confusion began when UC Riverside, which had been expected to play in the College Basketball Invitational (CBI), instead decided to accept its NIT bid. This decision came after South Alabama had already been informed of their selection and had begun preparing for the tournament. The abrupt reversal left South Alabama’s players and coaching staff, led by head coach Richie Riley, devastated.
Riley did not hold back his frustration, calling the situation “inexcusable” and criticizing the NIT’s handling of the matter. He expressed his disappointment on social media, describing the apology issued by the NIT as “meaningless” and accusing the organization of failing to properly address the emotional toll on his team.
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