MOBILE, Ala. --- The University of South Alabama men's basketball team was outscored 44-28 in the second half as UAB claimed a 72-54 win over the Jaguars in the opening game of the 2009 Coors Classic, presented by the GMAC Bowl.

The Blazers won their ninth straight game to improve to 10-1. The Jaguars dropped to 8-4.

“I said all along that we would have to match their physicalness,” said USA head coach Ronnie Arrow. “We matched it for probably 60 to 65 percent of the game. They just took it right to us, starting at about the 14-minute mark of the second half and we didn’t respond. (UAB head coach) Mike (Davis) does a really good job; they have a very physical team.”

UAB’s George Drake was named Most Valuable Player of the game after scoring a game-high 21 points. He shot 7-for-14 from the floor – 4-for-8 from 3-point territory – and grabbed seven rebounds with two steals and a block.

UAB scored the first six points of the game on back-to-back 3-pointers but after two free throws by USA sophomore Allyn Cooks (Bryan, Texas) at the 13:03 mark, the two teams were not separated by more than three points the rest of the half. There were four lead changes and eight ties in the first 20 minutes.

The second half was a different story, however. UAB opened with a 10-0 run, with six points coming from two Drake treys.

Two Gary Redus II (Decatur, Ala.) free throws finally ended the scoring drought which spanned 5:02. A jumper by senior Charles Tabet (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) at the 16:02 mark ended a span of 6:47 without a field goal.

The Jaguars were able to trim a 14-point deficit down to eight with 8:23 to play on a bucket by Cooks. But the Blazers scored the next 11 points over three minutes to put the game out of reach.

“In the first half we were running our offense well,” said Arrow. “We just didn’t do the little things after halftime.”

UAB shot 55.6% from the field after halftime compared to just 34.5% for South Alabama.

In addition to Drake’s 21, the Blazers had two others in double-figure scoring. Jamarr Sanders tallied 13 and Elijah Millsap recorded a double-double with 10 points and 15 rebounds.

Cooks led the South Alabama offense with 11 points.

South Alabama heads out to face Florida on Dec. 22. It will be the Jags final game before Christmas. Tip-off is at 6 p.m. Central.

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com.  Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

NOTES: USA senior Bryan Sherrer (Monticello, Ark.) had his five-game double-digit scoring streak ended but tied his career high with six assists… He had nine points on 1-of-8 shooting… South Alabama’s 54 points tied a season low (Southern Miss)… Tabet did not block a shot, ending his run of four straight games with at least three rejections… UAB’s shooting percentage of 55.6 in the second half is the highest by a USA opponent in a half this season… The Jaguars were outrebounded 41-28… USA is 0-4 against Conference USA this year.

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