The Southern University men’s basketball team is expecting a big turnaround from a dismal season. Last season the Jaguars finished 7-20 overall and 6-12 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference.
Coming back for the Jags will be leading scorer and team captain Victor Tarver who averaged 15.8 points per game. Carl Alexander the teams second leading scorer (14.1 ppg.) is gone due to graduation and is leaving big shoes to fill by this year’s team. Alexander also was the team’s leading 3-point shooter hitting 42% of his attempts.
One shining player for the Jags was surprising freshman walk-on Tim Johnson who averaged 10.1 points and shooting 42% from the field. Sophomore forward Nicholas Egland was a key contributor averaging 10.3 points and leading the team with 8.4 rebounds.
“I think there is some parity there (in the SWAC),” said Jags head coach Ben Jobe at the SWAC’s media day. “I think we were picked to finish eighth, but I think the parity is bigger than it has been in recent years and we should be able to makes some moves”.
One key factor for Southern this year could be the addition of sophomore Pete Cipriano, who was forced to sit out last season as a red-shirt. The 6-9 center gives the Jaguars the much needed height they will need to compete in the SWAC.
“We got a couple of key positions filled as far as big men go. They will give us the size we need to compete this year,” said Tarver.
Brian Johnson, the team’s second leading rebounder and perhaps the quickest swingman in the SWAC, averaged 9.3 points per game and seems excited about the start of a new season.
“I feel as if everything is right with the team this year. We’ve got the big men we needed and our chemistry is right,” Johnson said.
The Jaguars will have two exhibition games at home starting on November 15 against Lake Charles Supreme Court and on the 18th against VASDA. The regular season will begin on November 22-24 with a tournament at LSU.
“I think we will go much further than we did last year. We have better players at each position,” said Tarver.
