1996–97 South Alabama Jaguars basketball team

American college basketball season March 2026 August 2023 1996–97 South Alabama Jaguars Basketball South Alabama Jaguars wordmark.svg 250 Sun Belt Conference Sun Belt 23–7 14–4 Bill Musselman 2nd Mitchell Center Sun Belt Regular season co-championsSun Belt tournament champions NCAA tournament first round 1997–98 The 1996–97 South Alabama Jaguars basketball team represented the University of South Alabama as members of the Sun Belt Conference during the 1996–97 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Jaguars were led by head coach Bill Musselman and played their home games at the Mitchell Center. They finished the season 23–7, 14–4 in Sun Belt play to finish in first place. They won the Sun Belt tournament to earn an automatic bid to the 1997 NCAA tournament as the 13 seed in the Southeast region. In the opening round, the Jaguars lost to eventual National champion Arizona.Arizona Tops S. Alabama 65-57 https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/longterm/colbask/men/articles/uasoutha.htm The Washington Post March 14, 1997 February 12, 2022 Roster 1996 South Alabama Jaguars y Rusty Yoder 5 G 6 1 Jr Bill Musselman (Wittenberg) https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/south-alabama/1997.html 1996-97 South Alabama Jaguars Roster and Stats Sports Reference February 12, 2022 Schedule and results 1996-97 NCAA Division I men's basketball rankings 1996 yes yes |- !colspan=9 style=South Alabama Jaguars| Regular season Nov 23, 1996 yes 1996 men Abilene Christian Wildcats Abilene Christian Jaguar Gym Mobile, Alabama 85–62 1–0 Nov 26, 1996 yes 1996 men West Florida Argonauts West Florida Jaguar Gym Mobile, Alabama 86–60 2–0 Nov 29, 1996 yes 1996 men Grambling State Tigers Grambling Jaguar Gym Mobile, Alabama 57–54 3–0 Dec 3, 1996 yes yes 1996 none Southern Miss Golden Eagles Southern Miss Reed Green Coliseum Hattiesburg, Mississippi 36–55 3–1 Dec 7, 1996 yes 1996 none Florida A&M Rattlers Florida A&M Jaguar Gym Mobile, Alabama 81–53 4–1 Dec 10, 1996 yes 1996 men UAB Blazers UAB Jaguar Gym Mobile, Alabama 74–63 OT 5–1 Dec 18, 1996 yes yes 1996 men Auburn Tigers Auburn Beard-Eaves-Memorial Coliseum Auburn, Alabama 51–60 5–2 Dec 21, 1996 yes 1996 men Nicholls State Colonels Nicholls State Jaguar Gym Mobile, Alabama 69–66 6–2 Dec 28, 1996 1996 men Southwestern Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Southwestern Louisiana Jaguar Gym Mobile, Alabama 63–66 6–3 0–1 Jan 2, 1997 yes 1996 men Arkansas–Little Rock Trojans Arkansas–Little Rock Jaguar Gym Mobile, Alabama 64–56 7–3 1–1 Jan 4, 1997 1996 men Arkansas State Indians Arkansas State Jaguar Gym Mobile, Alabama 72–53 8–3 2–1 Jan 9, 1997 1996 men Texas-Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros Texas-Rio Grande Valley Jaguar Gym Mobile, Alabama 72–58 9–3 3–1 Jan 11, 1997 yes 1996 none Lamar Cardinals Lamar Montagne Center Beaumont, Texas 84–62 10–3 4–1 Jan 13, 1997 yes 1996 men Jacksonville Dolphins Jacksonville Jacksonville Memorial Coliseum Jacksonville, Florida 77–45 11–3 5–1 Jan 18, 1997 yes 1996 none Western Kentucky Hilltoppers Western Kentucky E.A. Diddle Arena Bowling Green, Kentucky 68–66 12–3 6–1 Jan 20, 1997 1996 men New Orleans Privateers New Orleans Jaguar Gym Mobile, Alabama 65–52 13–3 7–1 Jan 23, 1997 yes Arkansas–Little Rock Barton Coliseum Little Rock, Arkansas 47–48 13–4 7–2 Jan 25, 1997 yes Arkansas State Convocation Center Jonesboro, Arkansas 79–68 14–4 8–2 Jan 30, 1997 yes New Orleans Lakefront Arena New Orleans, Louisiana 51–58 14–5 8–3 Feb 1, 1997 yes Texas-Rio Grande Valley UTPA Fieldhouse Edinburg, Texas 65–51 15–5 9–3 Feb 3, 1997 1996 none Louisiana Tech Bulldogs Louisiana Tech Jaguar Gym Mobile, Alabama 56–50 16–5 10–3 Feb 13, 1997 Lamar Jaguar Gym Mobile, Alabama 66–53 17–5 11–3 Feb 15, 1997 Jacksonville Jaguar Gym Mobile, Alabama 92–74 18–5 12–3 Feb 20, 1997 yes Louisiana Tech Thomas Assembly Center Ruston, Louisiana 44–43 19–5 13–3 Feb 22, 1997 Western Kentucky Jaguar Gym Mobile, Alabama 83–59 20–5 14–3 Feb 24, 1997 yes Southwestern Louisiana Cajundome Lafayette, Louisiana 62–65 20–6 14–4 |- !colspan=9 style=South Alabama Jaguars| Sun Belt Conference tournament Mar 1, 1997 yes yes 2 Southwestern Louisiana 7 Barton Coliseum Little Rock, Arkansas Quarterfinals 66–39 21–6 Mar 2, 1997 yes yes 2 Arkansas–Little Rock 3 Barton Coliseum Little Rock, Arkansas Semifinals 71–52 22–6 Mar 4, 1997 yes yes 2 Louisiana Tech 5 Barton Coliseum Little Rock, Arkansas Championship game 44–43 23–6 |- !colspan=9 style=South Alabama Jaguars| NCAA tournament Mar 13, 1997 yes yes 13 SE Arizona 15 4 SE The Pyramid Memphis, Tennessee First round 57–65 23–7 AP Poll Central Time W West 2019-20 South Alabama Men's Basketball Media Guide https://usajaguars.com/documents/2019/11/4/19_20_Media_Guide.pdf University of South Alabama Athletics February 12, 2022 References Category:South Alabama Jaguars men's basketball seasons South Alabama South Alabama South Alabama Jaguars basketball South Alabama Jaguars basketball