MOBILE, Ala. (Interstat) — A stunning second-half collapse by Coastal Carolina and a relentless surge from South Alabama culminated in a 53-48 Jaguars victory in a Sun Belt Conference men’s basketball game Thursday night at the Mitchell Center.

The game was a tale of two starkly different halves, defined by offensive inefficiency from the visitors and a decisive turnaround by the home team. Coastal Carolina, which led 24-15 at halftime, managed only 24 points again in the second half while South Alabama erupted for 38 to erase the deficit and secure the win before a crowd of 2,016.

The most important part of the game was South Alabama’s immediate and sustained defensive pressure to open the second half, which completely unraveled Coastal Carolina’s rhythm and ignited the Jaguars’ transition game. The Chanticleers, who had controlled the first 20 minutes, committed two turnovers and a shot-clock violation in the first four minutes of the second period. This allowed South Alabama to unleash a 13-2 run, turning a nine-point deficit into a 28-26 lead on a layup by Chaze Harris with 16:20 remaining. The Jaguars never trailed again.

Coastal Carolina’s offensive struggles were profound and consistent. The Chanticleers shot just 28.8% from the field for the game, making only 17 of 59 attempts. They were particularly reliant on the three-pointer, launching 43 but connecting on just 10. Their offensive rating of 79.6 points per 100 possessions underscored a night of stagnant ball movement, evidenced by only two team assists.

South Alabama, while not shooting lights out at 38.9% from the field, was markedly more efficient after halftime. They capitalized on Coastal’s mistakes, scoring 13 points off nine Chanticleer turnovers while committing only four themselves. The Jaguars also dominated in the paint in the second half, with Harris and Adam Olsen repeatedly finding seams in the Coastal defense.

Harris, a guard from Cleveland, Ohio, led all scorers with 15 points and added four assists, spearheading the Jaguars’ comeback. Forward Adam Olsen of Surrey, Canada, provided a critical inside presence, scoring a team-high 16 points and grabbing key defensive rebounds. Guard Jayden Cooper, from Pike Road, Alabama, chipped in 13 points, including three second-half three-pointers that helped stretch the South Alabama lead.

For Coastal Carolina, guard RaSheed Jones of Marion, Indiana, filled the stat sheet with nine points, five assists and two blocks but also had four turnovers. Center Nadjrick Peat of Alexandria, Jamaica, was a defensive force with three blocks and seven rebounds but was limited to seven points. The Chanticleers’ offensive woes were collective, with no player reaching double figures until Joshua Beadle’s late layup gave him 11 points.

The game’s pace was grinding, with only 119 total possessions. South Alabama’s ability to generate slightly easier looks, coupled with Coastal Carolina’s frigid shooting—they missed 20 of their 22 three-point attempts in the second half—proved decisive. The Jaguars also won the battle on the glass when it mattered, securing crucial defensive rebounds down the stretch to limit Coastal to one-shot trips.

With the loss, Coastal Carolina falls to 13-10 overall. South Alabama improves to 15-6. The Jaguars defied a pregame projection that gave them an 87.7% chance to win, though they did cover the 4.5-point spread. The total points scored, 101, fell far below the over/under line of 137.5, highlighting the defensive and offensively challenged nature of the contest.

Coastal Carolina will look to regroup quickly, traveling to face Louisiana-Monroe on Saturday. South Alabama remains at home to host Georgia State the same day.