Official Game Statistics
MOBILE, Ala. -- South Alabama used a 17-4 run early in the second half to break open a close game and cruise to its 13th straight home win, 81-58 over Arkansas State Thursday evening at the Mitchell Center. Demetric Bennett and Domonic Tilford each topped 20 points for the Jaguars (19-4, 11-1).
Bennett finished the game with 23 points and six rebounds, while Tilford tallied 16 of his 21 points in the second half. The Jaguars hit 50 percent of their shots in the contest, including 55.6 percent (15 of 27) after intermission, but it was the defensive effort that proved to be the difference. Arkansas State hit just 29.0 percent from the floor in the second half, converting only nine of 31 attempts. The Indians (9-14, 4-8) also made only six threes during the contest and committed 15 turnovers. South Alabama held its fifth straight double-digit rebounding advantage, 40-28.
Adrian Banks led three Indians in double figures with 22 points and five rebounds. Yima Chia-Kur added 14 points, while Shawn Morgan chipped in 11 points and seven rebounds.
South Alabama led by as many as eight points in the first 10 minutes, but saw Arkansas State close to within a basket, 33-31 with 4:38 left in the first half. But the Jaguars scored the next four points before the teams traded points in the final minute for a 39-33 lead at the break.
The second half opened with three straight Arkansas State points, but USA scored nine in a row to push the lead to double digits for the first time, 50-38 with 15:56 to play. Eight straight points later in the period on a jumper by Bennett and back-to-back threes by Tilford gave the Jags a 64-42 lead with 10:36 to play. The biggest margin was 26, 76-50, after Bennett converted a layup with 4:47 left.
"Our guys came out tonight and played a full game of defense," Head Coach Ronnie Arrow said. "In the second half, our offense made the extra pass and we saw our shooting percentage go from 45 to 55 percent. We got stops tonight, especially in the second half. Arkansas State is a good shooting team and we held them to 28 percent from behind the arc. That's a pretty good effort."
The win was the 13th in as many tries for the Jaguars at the Mitchell Center this season, making this the fourth-longest home winning streak in school history. The Jaguars have also won 15 of their last 16 games overall and stayed even with Western Kentucky atop the Sun Belt Conference standings
South Alabama returns to action on Sunday when it travels to in-state rival Troy. Tipoff at Trojan Arena is set for 1 p.m.
