Game Notes

Game 13 • Georgia State Panthers (9-4, 0-0) at South Alabama Jaguars (6-6, 0-0)
December 29, 2017 • 7:05 p.m. • Mitchell Center (10,000) • Mobile, Ala.

THE COACHES
South Alabama
Matthew Graves (Butler, 1998)
Record at USA: 57-84 (5th year)
Overall Record: Same
Record vs. GSU: 1-7

Georgia State
Ron Hunter (Miami [Ohio], 1986)
Record at GSU: 123-74 (7th year)
Overall Record: 397-293 (23rd year)

LAST GAME
South Alabama rallied from a big early deficit but fell in the final minute at Tulane 77-73. Georgia State closed out non-conference play with a 71-48 victory at Chattanooga.

NEXT GAME
The Jaguars return to action Sunday with a home contest against Georgia Southern. The Panthers travel to Troy.

ON THE AIR
Radio: 99.5 FM The Jag; J.D. Byars (pxp)
On the web: 995thejag.com/listen (audio); JagNationTV.com (video)

RANKINGS (Through Dec. 27)
USA: #275 RPI, #240 Sagarin
GSU: #164 RPI, #113 Sagarin

THE SERIES
USA leads 14-12.

Current winning streak: Georgia State, 2 wins
USA's last win in series: 79-78 OT (2/11/16)
Last meeting: GSU 83, USA 80 (1/30/17)
USA's last win at the Mitchell Center: 79-78 OT (2/11/16)
GSU's last win at the Mitchell Center: 83-80 (1/30/17)
USA's record at the Mitchell Center: 3-3
USA's record at home: 8-5
USA's home streak: Lost 1
USA's longest winning / losing streak in series: 10 / 6

Notes: Georgia State had a six-game winning streak in the series — its longest vs. South Alabama — snapped in the 2015-16 season in Mobile… The 2013-14 meeting in Atlanta was delayed four days due to snow… South Alabama's 10-game win streak in the series lasted from 1979 to 2003, when Georgia State won 88-56 in Atlanta… The series is tied 8-8 in Sun Belt games… The Jags' 70-66 win in 2009-10 was their closest win vs. GSU since the first meeting (78-77) on Feb. 16, 1976; the next closest win was nine (70-61) on Jan. 7, 1980… The Panthers' last win in Mobile prior to the 2013-14 victory was in 1977.

OPENING TIP
The last three games in the series have been decided by a total of five points. The previous five — all Georgia State wins — were decided by at least 10 points, with three by 15 or more.

USA is 1-3 in Sun Belt openers under head coach Matthew Graves. The lone win came last year at home vs. Troy.

South Alabama committed a season-low eight turnovers its last time out at Tulane. The team averaged 15.7 in its previous three games, and is 11th in the Sun Belt in turnovers per game (15.9) and last in turnover margin (-2.4).

Georgia State is 33rd in the nation in steals per game (8.5), 36th in turnovers forced (16.7) and 18th in turnover margin (+4.8).

The Jaguars are 6-2 this season when leading at halftime and 0-4 when trailing at the break.

The 70-point plateau has not been kind to the Jags this season. The team is 1-4 when scoring 70 or more, and 0-6 when allowing 70-plus.

South Alabama leads the Sun Belt in 3-point defense (.295), is second in field-goal defense (.398) and fourth in scoring defense (65.2). That ranks 27th, 47th and 44th in the nation, respectively.

After averaging just 5.1 steals in its first 10 games, USA has recorded a season-high 11 in each of its last two contests. Seven different players were credited with a theft Dec. 21 against Tulane, led by Jordan Andrews' game-high three.

On Dec. 21, Rodrick Sikes became the first Jaguar to record two 30-point games in the same season since Augustine Rubit in 2012-13. Sikes had 34 points — 23 in the second half alone — last week at Tulane, the most by a USA player since Rubit scored 35 on Dec. 14, 2013.

Sikes has moved up to eighth in the Sun Belt with 16.6 points per game and fifth in 3-pointers per contest (2.8).

The Jaguars are 0-2 this season when Sikes scores 30 or more.

The Jags went 10 for 27 from distance vs. Tulane, thanks to six from Sikes, marking the second straight game the team had double-digit treys. USA is averaging 9.4 triples in its last five games.

Herb McGee is second in the league in 3-point percentage (.512). He has had five games this season with a 3-point percentage of 60 percent or better (min 3 made).

Georgia State's D'Marcus Simonds is third in the SBC in scoring (21.2 ppg) and steals (1.8 spg), and fifth in assists (4.6 apg).

Simonds played against USA just once last season, but had 21 points in Mobile.

PREVIEWING FRIDAY
Head coach Matthew Graves on Georgia State
General thoughts heading into the Sun Belt opener: "I'm excited to compete for a regular-season championship. Everyone starts at 0-0 and you have an opportunity at home to play a very good Georgia State team. Hopefully we can get off to a good start in conference play."

On the key to the turnover battle: "They do an outstanding job of mixing up zone defenses. It really keeps you off balance. They do a great job with their athleticism and length. We're going to have to be really sharp with the basketball – we're going to have to cut really hard and pass-fake and shot-fake. We've got to be able to finish 2-point field goals around the rim. We've really struggled in that area and if we can score around the rim, that'll eliminate some of their opportunities, especially in transition."

On Georgia State: "I think they're playing as well as anyone in the league right now. They had a difficult schedule right before Christmas, but they're shooting the 3-pointer extremely well. They have several guys that are capable of making multiple 3s in a game, which really challenges your defense. Getting to their 3-point shooters is going to be critical for us defensively."

On D'Marcus Simonds: "He is one of the most improved players in the league. He's gotten bigger, his shooting abiliuty has ability has improved, and his decisions and play-making have gotten much better than a year ago. He's really turning into a complete player, as evidenced by adding a low-post game to his repertoire. We're going to have to throw a lot of looks and people at him to try and slow him down."

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

Join the Jaguar Athletic Fund (JAF) Priority Fund, the unrestricted giving option of the University of South Alabama Athletics. Contributions to the Priority Fund directly support all 17 sports in addition to various support programming. For more information on how you can join visit: http://jaguarathleticfund.com/give

—USA—