NEW ORLEANS ? A game-high 22 points by junior Demetric Bennett and a torrid start propelled the South Alabama Jaguars (16-7, 10-2 SBC) to a 76-58 victory at New Orleans (10-12, 6-5 SBC) Thursday night at the Chamber of Horrors. Bennett led four Jaguars in double figures as USA shot 50 percent for the game. The Privateers were led by a team-high 20 points from Bo McCalebb.
The Jags spoiled the Homecoming festivities for New Orleans with their ninth consecutive victory. USA came into tonight’s contest with the seventh longest winning streak in the country.
USA was on fire from the outset as it jumped to an 11-0 lead just under four minutes into the game courtesy of a pair of treys by senior Leandro Buboltz and junior Daon Merritt. UNO missed its first four shots before James Parlow hit a 3-pointer to get the Privateers on the board.
UNO used a 9-1 spurt to bring the game within three points at 15-12 as McCalebb made five free throws during the run.
A trey by Bennett started a 17-0 spurt that put the Jags in control with a 34-13 lead with just under five minutes remaining in the half. UNO cut it to 17 with under a minute to play in the half, but a 3-pointer by senior Stephen Cowherd pushed the lead back to 20 at halftime, 43-23.
The Jags had one of their best halves of basketball this season, shooting 51.6 percent on 16 of 31 from the field, including 6 of 10 from beyond the arc. Bennett led the team with 10 points.
South Alabama held New Orleans to a season-low 22.2 percent from the field on 6 of 27 and 1 of 8 from beyond the arc. The Sun Belt Conference’s leading scorer, McCalebb, was held to just 2 of 9 from the field, but went 7 of 7 from the line in the first half for a team-high 11 points.
Opening the second half the way the first one did, gave USA a 28-point lead with 17 minutes left in the game courtesy of a 11-3 start. A jumper by Bennett pushed the lead to 30 with 15:16 to play.
Jamie McNeilly picked it up for the Privateers as he scored 10 straight points to cut the Jags’ 30-point lead to 20 with 8:11 to play. As the momentum began to shift, USA built the lead back to 26 points with back-to-back treys by Bennett and senior Carlos Smith.
McCalebb came back into the game with 4:34 to play and scored nine points during down the stretch, but it wasn’t enough as USA posted the 76-58 win. McCalebb had not played since the 16:08 mark.
Merritt had 13 points, five rebounds and three assists for the Jags, while Little chipped in 12 points and Buboltz added 11 points and tied his career high with a team-high seven rebounds. USA shot 26 of 52 from the field and was 11 of 20 from beyond the arc.
The Privateers had two players in double figures led by McCalebb with 20 points, while McNeilly added 16. USA held New Orleans to 29.8 percent from the field on 17 of 57, which is the lowest field goal percentage by an opponent this season.
USA continues on the road at Middle Tennessee Saturday at 7 p.m. The Jags return home to host Western Kentucky Thursday, Feb. 8 at 7:05 p.m. in the Mitchell Center.
