BOWLING GREEN, Ky. ? Western Kentucky University finished with an 11-0 run over the final four minutes and received 24 points from Oscar Mendez-Valdez to defeat South Alabama 67-59 Saturday afternoon in front of a national television audience at Diddle Arena.

WKU wins its fourth straight and improves to 17-7 overall and 11-2 in the Sun Belt Conference. The Hilltoppers remain in first place in the SBC East. USA drops to 13-11 and 6-7.

“I thought it was a very physical game,” said Jaguar head coach Ronnie Arrow. “Fans got to see across the country what the Sun Belt is all about. Both teams made a good showing they just got some things done at the end that we didn’t.”

Mendez-Valdez led all scorers and hit six of his 10 shots from 3-point land.

Four players reached double-figures for South Alabama. DeAndré Coleman (Stone Mountain, Ga.) recorded 13 ? 10 in the first half ? and had seven rebounds. Seniors Brandon Davis (Birmingham, Ala.), Ronald Douglas (Baton Rouge, La.) and Domonic Tilford (Louisville, Ky.) tallied 12 apiece. All of Davis’s offense came in the second half.

After Tilford knocked down his second straight triple to go up 59-56 with 4:04 to play in the game, the Jaguars missed their last five shots and committed three turnovers.

“We tried to force too much,” said Arrow. “Each guy that touched the ball tried to be the hero rather than get the ball to somebody else. A lot of times that happens where you think you can get to the hole. ... You can’t turn the ball over three of six possessions late in the game against anybody, much less the team that’s first in your conference.”

Mendez-Valdez immediately answered Tilford’s trey with one of his own to tie the contest and Steffphon Pettigrew put the Hilltoppers ahead for the final time with a trifecta at the top of the key with 1:35 left.

The ?Toppers hit five of their six free throw attempts in the final minute.

While USA won the battle of the boards 38-32, WKU totaled 18 offensive rebounds and scored 17 second-chance points.

“They kicked our tails on the boards,” added Arrow. “We would probably have won by 8-to-12 points on just first possessions. Unfortunately, they got second possessions.”

South Alabama erased a seven-point halftime deficit by the 15:55 mark with an 11-3 run and extended it to a five-point margin with 13:46 on the clock after a lay-up by Coleman.

WKU dominated the early going, shutting out USA for the first 3:57 and jumping out to a 16-8 lead. But Western Kentucky went through a 4:04 scoring drought of its own, allowing South Alabama to tie the game at 16-16.

The Jaguars return home Thursday for the first of two straight at the Mitchell Center against Florida International. Tip-off is set for 7:05 p.m.

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: Coleman’s 13 points is the lowest game-high total by a Jaguar this season. The previous low was junior Brian Sherrer’s (Monticello, Ark.) 14 vs. Troy on Jan. 15... Tilford, who scored a career-high 30 in the first meeting with WKU, was held to just two points in the first half... The Hilltoppers won the turnover battle 16-5... The five turnovers forced are a South Alabama season low... Freshman C.J. Garner (Silver Spring, Md.) tied his career high with five assists and committed just one turnover. His seven rebounds are also a career best.

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