Preview: Struggling Warhawks Face Surging Jaguars in Sun Belt Matchup MOBILE, Ala. (Interstat) — A Sun Belt Conference men’s basketball clash between teams at opposite ends of the standings unfolds Wednesday when the South Alabama Jaguars host the Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks at the Mitchell Center. South Alabama (20-9) enters the contest having won five of its last seven games, solidifying its position as one of the conference’s top teams. The Jaguars are coming off a 65-54 defensive win over Troy on Saturday. Conversely, Louisiana-Monroe (4-25) is mired in a difficult season, having lost 10 of its last 11 games. The Warhawks fell 102-94 to Arkansas State in their last outing, despite another high-scoring performance from their standout guard. The matchup features two of the league’s premier scorers. Louisiana-Monroe will lean heavily on junior guard Krystian Lewis, who is averaging 24.6 points over his last eight games. He erupted for 33 points and nine assists in the loss to Arkansas State and scored 28 in the Warhawks’ last victory on Feb. 4. South Alabama counters with its own dynamic guard, Chaze Harris. The junior has been consistently excellent, scoring 17 or more points in eight consecutive games, including a 30-point, five-assist effort in an overtime win at Arkansas State on Feb. 14. The teams’ only previous meeting this season was an instant classic, with South Alabama escaping Monroe, Louisiana, with a 96-92 double-overtime victory on Dec. 17. For the Warhawks, reversing their fortunes will require more than just Lewis’s heroics. Lavell Brodnex (14 points, 10 rebounds) and MJ Russell (16 points, nine rebounds) provided strong support in the last game and will need similar contributions. The Jaguars, who have lost only once at home since late January, will look to control the tempo and utilize a more balanced attack. Adam Olsen and Jayden Cooper, who each scored 16 points in the win over Troy, provide crucial secondary scoring. Tip-off is set for Wednesday night. South Alabama visits Southern Mississippi next on Friday, while Louisiana-Monroe travels to face Troy.