PREVIEW: Eagles Open 2026-27 Season with Ball State in Statesboro

STATESBORO – The 2026-27 edition of Georgia Southern men's basketball kicks off on Monday evening at the Jack and Ruth Ann Hill Convocation Center, as the Eagles square off against Ball State in the Sun Belt vs. MAC challenge. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. and will be broadcast live on ESPN+.

THE OPENING TIP

Year four of the Charlie Henry era begins on Monday, as the Eagles welcome Ball State to Statesboro for the first time in five year and the first time inside the Jack and Ruth Ann Hill Convocation Center. In five meetings with the Cardinals, Georgia Southern holds a 3-2 record, but dropped the most recent meeting in 2022, 58-54, in Muncie, Indiana. In year three under Henry, Georgia Southern saw a four-game improvement, finishing the regular season 16-15, before becoming the third team in NCAA history to win five games in five days and advance to the Sun Belt Championship game.
The 2025-26 Georgia Southern men's basketball squad tallied a multitude of records throughout the year scoring the most points in program history (2,994), sixth in scoring average (80.9), second in rebounds (1,263), first in field goal attempts (2,251), first in free throws (654), free throws attempted (878), free throw percentage (.745), three-point field goals (370), three-point field goals attempted (1,099), and second in blocked shots (135).
Four Eagles enter the new season as first year student-athletes, helping bolster an 11-player revamp of the roster. Jayden Crawford, Hayden Clay, Jeromy Davis, and Elton James, all enter their first year in Statesboro and are seeking to play strong roles this season in terms of minutes and action.
Second Team Preseason All-Sun Belt recipient, Dallas Gardner, enters his second season with the Eagles, but the first in which he will be on the court after being sidelined all of last season due to injury. Gardner used the 2025-26 season to build his strength up but also was a key piece of the Eagles success being a leader and energy guy on the bench. His poise and ability to take over a contest in the blink of an eye, garnered the respect of the Sun Belt coaches who voted on the preseason teams. The Charlotte, North Carolina, native has his eyes set on finishing the job this season in Pensacola, after having to watch his squad fall in the Championship game to Troy last March.
Georgia Southern men's basketball returns four players from the 2025-26 squad which won 21 games and added the first Sun Belt Championship game appearance since joining the league in 2014-15. During that stretch, the Eagles became the first program to have three players named to the All-Tournament team as Tyren Moore, Spudd Webb, and Alden Applewhite were honored. The three Eagles also recorded 100-plus points during the tournament run, joining a list of 10 other players in Men's College Basketball history to accomplish the feat. The five wins in five days put the Eagles in rare air, joining the 2024 NC State and 2011 UConn squads, as the only programs in history to win five games on consecutive days. Six different Sun Belt Tournament records fell at the hands of the Eagles as they posted the most points (501), field goals made (160), three-pointers made (74), rebounds (186), assists (73), and recorded a new program record 23 three-pointers made in a single contest.

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Players Mentioned

Alden Applewhite

Hayden Clay

Jayden Crawford

Jeromy Davis

Dallas Gardner

Elton James

Tyren Moore

Spudd Webb

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