FRESNO, Calif. ? A game-high 18 points by junior Daon Merritt and a double-double by sophomore Brandon Davis propelled the South Alabama Jaguars to a 76-58 victory over Winston-Salem State on Sunday.  USA improves to 2-1, while WSSU falls to 0-3. 

Unlike the previous two days in the tournament, the Jaguars started the game hot as they built a 16-4 lead through the first six minutes of the game.  Senior Stephen Cowherd provided two key 3-pointers during the run.  

Winston-Salem State, a team moving to Division I from Division II, cut the 12-point deficit to four with 7:46 to play in the half as it used a 10-2 run.  The Rams then cut the lead to one point at 25-24 with 5:29 to play on a 3-pointer by Brian Fisher.

Later, Roy Peak, the Rams’ all-conference player from a year ago, made his first bucket of the season as he was 0-for-11 coming into the contest.  Peake hit a 3-pointer to tie the game at 27 with 3:17 left.

USA proceeded with a 7-0 run to end the half, including a 3-pointer at the buzzer by Bennett for a 34-27 lead.

For the half, the Jags shot 40 percent from the field on 12-of-30 and 5-of-13 from beyond the arc.  WSSU shot 55 percent from the floor on 11-of-20 from the field and were 3-of-11 from beyond the arc.  USA held a 16-12 lead in rebounding and 9-2 on the offensive end.

The Jags opened the second half with five-straight points on a layup by Davis and a 3-pointer by Merritt to give USA a 39-27 lead with 19:07 to play.  WSSU’s Darrell Wong ended the run with a 3-pointer at 18:54.

USA held a 44-34 lead with 15:06 to play as WSSU went on another run to cut the deficit to four points with a 9-3 run to make the score 47-43.

The Jags then countered with a 13-0 run to take command of the game at 60-43 with 6:51 to play.  The Jags then cruised to a 18-point victory at 76-58.

Merritt led the game with 18 points on 5-of-9 from the field and 3-of-5 from beyond the arc, along with 5-of-6 from the line.  Bennett, who scored a career-high 27 points against UC-Irvine Friday, tallied 17 points on 6-of-10 from the field and 4-of-5 from beyond the arc.  He was two rebounds short of a double-double.  Davis, who played his best game as a Jaguar yet, had 10 points and 11 rebounds.  Cowherd added 10 points off the bench.

USA held WSSU to one player in double figures as Wonge scored 15 points.  The Jags shot 42 percent for the game and outreobunded WSSU 39-27 and 15-6 on the offensive end.

After Fresno State's 31-point win over UC-Irvine, the Fresno State All-Tournament Team was announced as two Jaguars were named to the team.  Merritt and Bennett were named to the all-tournament team and Fresno State's Dominic McGuire was named Tournament MVP.

USA now returns home to play Morehead State on Friday, Nov. 17 at 7:05 p.m. in the Mitchell Center.