MOBILE, Ala. ? The University of South Alabama got back on the winning track on Tuesday with an 80-56 win over Texas College. The Jags improve to 6-5 on the year heading into Sun Belt Conference play Friday.
The teams exchanged baskets for the first nine minutes of the game as senior Carlos Smith had two 3-pointers on back-to-back possessions and Texas College’s Lewis Covile also had six points on three field goals.
Neither team could build more than a four point advantage through the next six minutes, but a quick 5-0 spurt by the Jags put USA up 27-22 with 4:40 to play in the half. USA built a 32-26 lead on a nice old-fashion three-point play by junior Demetric Bennett with 1:31 left. A steal and layup by Bennett pushed the lead to 35-26 with 1:15 left.
On the ensuing two possessions, an alley-oop and a fast break layup by Bennett swelled the lead to 39-26 with 17 seconds to play in the half. The Steers’ Jameus Hartsfield hit a 35-footer at the buzzer to cut the deficit to 39-29 at the half.
Leading the way for the Jags at the half was Bennett with 13 points on 5 of 10 from the floor. Sophomore Brandon Davis had eight points and junior Daon Merritt dished out six. Covile led the Steers with eight points.
USA shot 38 percent from the field for the half on 15 of 39 from the floor. The Jags were just 3 of 16 from beyond the arc, but got to the free throw line eight times in the first half, making six. Texas College countered with a 13 of 28 from the floor and 3 of 10 from beyond the arc. The Steers went 0 of 2 from the charity stripe.
USA held a commanding 26 to 15 lead on the boards and had nine steals in the opening half with seven coming in the final 1:37.
A 18-4 run by the Jags over the first seven minutes in the second half pushed the lead to 57-33. During the run, USA forced seven turnovers and had five steals. Playing in his second game as a Jaguar, sophomore Ernest Little scored seven points and four rebounds during the run on 3 of 3 from the field.
The Jags kept the Steers at bay for the next five minutes and held a 66-45 lead with just under seven minutes left. USA increased the lead to 24 with a pair of layups by sophomore Trajinski Grigsby building the lead to 75-51 with 3:12 left.
Jaguar freshman Brooks Taylor hit a 3-pointer and the game finished at 80-56.
For the game, USA had a game-high 24 points by Bennett on 9 of 15 from the field and 4 of 5 from the charity stripe. Also in double figures was Smith with 12 points and Davis chipped in 11.
Hartsfield led the Steers with a double-double. He had 13 points and 10 rebounds. Also in double figures was Czyz Bennett and Sadiki Guerra with 12 each and 10 by Covile.
USA shot 40 percent from the floor and struggled from the 3-point line and the charity stripe. However, the Jags posted a season-high 51 rebounds and 29 on the offensive end. The Jags forced 23 Steer turnovers for 33 points. USA also had a season-high 20 steals, led by Bennett with a career-high seven. Merritt ended the game with nine steals and five points.
USA begins the 2006-07 Sun Belt Conference portion of the schedule on Friday at Western Kentucky. The Jaguars and Hilltoppers split the two meetings last year as WKU won in Mobile, while USA won the Sun Belt Conference Championship Game. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.
