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MOBILE, Ala. – Four University of South Alabama men’s basketball players scored in double-figures and the Jaguars outscored Houston Baptist by 20 in the first half en route to a 91-62 victory Sunday afternoon at the Mitchell Center.

USA snaps a four-game losing streak to improve to 3-5 on the year while HBU drops to 1-7. The Jags return to the court Saturday afternoon at Georgia Southern. Tip is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Eastern time.

“When you penetrate, pitch and put the ball in the hole it makes life a whole lot easier,” said Jaguar head coach Ronnie Arrow. “You don’t have to run many plays. That’s what the game has gotten to. If you watch any game on T.V. now they penetrate. If you can get to the hole, get to the hole. If not, you feed the open man.”

Senior Tim Williams (Pontiac, Mich.) scored a game-high 22 points—20 before halftime to match the highest first-half total by a South Alabama player since March 10, 2008. He previously scored 20 in a half on Nov. 20. Sunday marks his first game in double-figures since Nov. 23 at UAB.

“I thought that we did a good job of getting him good shots,” said Arrow. “I don’t know how many shots he took the second half, but he shot 50 percent. I know he shot really well the first half. I was really pleased.”

Williams added a season-best seven rebounds and made four 3-pointers, tying the most by a USA player this year. At one point he scored 14 of the team’s 27 points.

Sophomore Javier Carter (Dallas, Texas) tallied 13 points—10 after halftime—while junior Allyn Cooks (Bryan, Texas) came off the bench to pour in 12 points with five assists. Senior Gary Redus (Decatur, Ala.) tied his season-bests of 10 points and four assists.

Redshirt freshman Augustine Rubit (Houston, Texas) recorded his third straight double-digit rebounding game with 12 in only 17 minutes of work. He had four points and three rebounds in just three minutes of action before the break due to foul trouble.

The Jaguars never trailed in the contest thanks to Rubit and Williams who combined for all of the team’s first 10 points. Williams contributed five points in a 12-2 run to give the Jags a double-digit lead for the first time.

Four different players scored in a 9-0 spurt late in the first half to put South Alabama ahead 39-18, including Williams who hit a 3-pointer and Carter, who slammed home two more points.

Houston Baptist went over six minutes without a field goal until Sammy Obetoh made a lay-up with 52 seconds remaining. The Jags held the Huskies to 30.8 percent from the floor, the lowest by a Jaguar opponent in a half all season.

The Jaguars forced four turnovers during the run and converted them into five points.

“The press really gets us going,” said Arrow. “A lot of times we start out the game lackadaisical. I thought we gave up too many easy buckets on the press, but it got us going and we got a lot of steals out of it.”

The second half was more evenly matched as the Huskies finally got going on offense. HBU converted 53.8 percent from the floor after halftime and was only outscored by nine.

Obetoh and Andrew Gonzalez each had 15 points for Houston Baptist. Gonzalez leads the Great West Conference with a 21.2 scoring average. Shawn Echols had 14 points, but only four after halftime.

NOTES: South Alabama set new season highs with 22 assists, 10 blocks, 12 steals, 49 rebounds and 10 3-pointers… Sophomore Martino Brock (Memphis, Tenn.) had a career night with five steals and five assists… He entered the contest tied for third in the Sun Belt Conference in steals… The team’s 91 points are the most since tallying 96 in an overtime win at Florida Atlantic on Jan. 2, 2010, and the most in regulation since a 91-70 win over FAU on Feb 14, 2009… Rubit has five double-digit rebounding performances this season… USA used its fifth different starting lineup, putting Redus at point guard… The Jaguars last had 10 blocks in a game on Jan. 31, 2009 vs. New Orleans.

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).

—USA—