MOBILE, Ala. ? The University of South Alabama men’s basketball team dropped a tough 92-88 overtime decision to Troy on Senior Night Saturday at the Mitchell Center. Junior Daon Merritt led the way for the Jags with 19 points, while junior Ernest Little posted his sixth double-double of the season with 14 points and 11 rebounds.
Troy (13-16 (8-10 SBC) erased a seven point deficit with one minutes left in regulation to force overtime, sparked by back-to-back-to-back 3-pointers by Richard Chaney and two by Justin Jonus.
In the overtime period, both teams missed on their first two possessions. After a USA turnover, Troy’s Sammy Sharp scored the first bucket in the extra period with 2:54 left to make the score 80-78. The Jags proceeded to turn the ball over two more times on their next two possessions and a layup by Sharp put Troy up four with 1:40 left.
Senior Leandro Buboltz hit a big 3-pointer with 1:23 left to pull the Jags within one. An over and back call on Troy gave the Jags new life with under a minute to play. Merritt had a nice drive to the basket, but a block by Sharp thwarted the go ahead attempt. Merritt hit a 3-pointer to pull USA within three at 88-85 with 22 seconds left.
Two free throws by the Trojans, who made their final 10 free throw attempts to seal the game, put them up 90-85, but a 3-pointer by junior Demetric Bennett cut the deficit to 90-88 with 12 seconds left.
O’Darian Bassett, who had a game-high 25 points off the bench, nailed two free throws for a 92-88 score.
The Jags (20-10, 13-5 SBC) led the way for much the game and by as many as 11 points with 11 minutes left in the second half. USA honored three seniors before the game as Stephen Cowherd, Leandro Buboltz and Carlos Smith played their final game at the Mitchell Center.
For the game, USA shot 46.6 percent from the floor on 27 of 58. The Jags were 11 of 30 from beyond the arc and 23 of 33 from the line. USA held a sizable advantage on the boards at 42-32. Again, just like the Florida International game, USA turned the ball over 17 times which proved to be the difference in overtime.
Along with Merritt and Little, Bennett had 16 points off the bench, while Buboltz chipped in 11 and sophomore Brandon Davis had 11 off the bench as well.
Troy shot 47.1 percent from the floor on 32 of 68. The Trojans were 12 of 32 from beyond the arc and 16 of 20 from the line. Chaney chipped in 22 points and Jonus added 15, along with 14 from Sharp to lead the team.
USA will await the winner of Middle Tennessee (9) at Troy (8) in the first round of the 2007 Sun Belt Conference Tournament. The top-seeded Jags will play the winner at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, Mar. 4 at the Cajun Dome in Lafayette, La. USA split this season with both Middle Tennessee and Troy as each team won on the others home court.
