Official Game Stats
MOBILE, Ala. -- As if from a storybook, seniors Daon Merritt and Demetric Bennett combined for 42 points Thursday night to lead South Alabama to an 81-61 Senior Night victory over New Orleans at the Mitchell Center. The Jaguars closed the regular-season home schedule 16-0, but will serve as hosts for the Sun Belt Conference Tournament next month.
Merritt, who surprised girlfriend Treva Dortch with an engagement ring as part of his senior presentation, tallied 22 points on the heels of a season-high five three-pointers. He finished the game eight-of-11 overall from the field, while also adding two rebounds and four assists. Bennett registered his third double-double of the season by adding 11 rebounds to his 20 points. He also tallied four assists while making three steals. Brandon Davis and Domonic Tilford also hit double figures with 11 points each.
South Alabama (24-5, 15-2 Sun Belt) used seven straight points as part of a 12-2 run in the first five minutes to turn its only deficit of the game, 4-3, into a 15-6 lead with 11:51 left in the first half. After New Orleans (18-11, 8-9) hit a jumper to trail by seven, the Jaguars ran off 10 straight points to open a 17-point advantage, 25-8 with 7:26 remaining. The lead reached as many as 23 points, 42-19, in the final minute of the half as Merritt tallied 14 of his points in the period. USA hit 55.6 percent in the period, while limiting the Privateers to just 29.0 percent.
The second half was much of the same as South extended its lead to as many as 28 points in the final six minutes. The Jaguars finished the game shooting an even 50.0 percent from both the field overall and the three-point line. UNO warmed up after intermission, but ended at 36. 6 percent for the contest.
"Our guys were as focus as I have seen them all year at Western Kentucky last week and tonight was similar," Head Coach Ronnie Arrow said. "Now we have to take that on the road on Saturday to win a championship. When we come to play with energy and knowledge, we can be awfully tough.
"What can you say about our seniors," Arrow continued. "They have led this team all year long and on a night that is for them, they put on a show. Daon sets the tone for this team and he did tonight."
With the win, South Alabama moved back into a first-place tie with Western Kentucky with only a Saturday trip to Florida International remaining on the schedule. As holders of the tiebreaker with the Hilltoppers, the Jaguars need only to win vs. the Golden Panthers to claim a share of the East Divsion title and the top seed at the Sun Belt Conference Tournament.
