Game Notes

Game 12 • South Alabama Jaguars (6-5, 0-0) at Arkansas State Red Wolves (5-8, 0-0)
Dec. 30, 2010 • 8:05 p.m. • Convocation Center (10,038) • Jonesboro, Ark.

THE COACHES
South Alabama
Ronnie Arrow (Southwest Texas State, 1969)
Record at USA: 183-133 (12th year)
Overall Record: 317-224 (20th year)
Record vs. Arkansas State: 5-5

Arkansas State
John Brady (Belhaven, 1976)
Record at ASU: 35-39 (3rd year)
Overall Record: 316-255 (20th year)

LAST GAME
South Alabama cruised to a 90-48 win over city rival Mobile on Monday. Arkansas State rolled over Central Baptist 120-39.

NEXT GAME
The Jaguars return home Sunday to host Middle Tennessee on Sunday. The Red Wolves will be in action on New Year’s Day, facing Western Kentucky in Jonesboro.

ON THE AIR
Radio: 105.5 WNSP; Lee Shirvanian (pxp)
On the web: www.wnsp.com (audio)

RANKINGS (Through Dec. 27)
USA: #235 RPI (KenPom), #268 Sagarin
ASU: #179 RPI (KenPom), #233 Sagarin

THE SERIES
Tied 16-16.

Current streak: ASU, Won 1
Last meeting: Arkansas State 69, South Alabama 63 (1/9/10)
Last five games: USA leads 4-1
USA’s last win at Convocation Center: 74-67 (1/17/09)
ASU’s last win at Convocation Center: 83-58 (1/6/05)
USA’s record at Convocation Center: 4-10
USA’s road streak: Won 2
USA’s longest winning / losing streak in series: 5 / 4

Notes: South Alabama had a five-game win streak over ASU snapped last season in Mobile… The Red Wolves had won the previous four meetings prior to the streak… Arkansas State is 2-0 in games decided in overtime… The series dates back to the 1970-71 season… The Jags have scored more than 90 points just once in 31 games (91-78, 12/28/06).

OPENING TIP
All four victories in South Alabama’s win streak have been by double-digits and by an average of 22.3 points. The streak is USA’s longest since winning four in a row Nov. 25-Dec. 9, 2009. The Jaguars are shooting 47.8% from the floor and outrebounding the opposition by a 14.5 margin during the streak.

A constant during the streak is the starting lineup of Martino Brock, Javier Carter, Augustine Rubit, Gary Redus and Tim Williams.

The 90-48 defeat of Mobile is the program’s largest margin in a win since Feb. 25, 2003 (123-75 vs. William Carey).

USA is 6-0 when winning the rebounding battle and outshooting its opponent and 0-5 when losing both categories.

The Jags average 83.0 points in their six wins and have scored less than 80 just once in their victories (68 at Georgia Southern).

Monday was the first game this season USA shot 50% or better from the floor. The team hit 59.1% in the first half, a season high.

After allowing their first six opponents to convert 48.1% from 3-point land, South Alabama is holding their last five opponents to shoot just 25.9%, including a low of 11.1% (2-18) by Mobile. The Rams missed their first 13 long-range attempts.

Augustine Rubit had his five-game double-digit rebounding streak snapped Monday with nine rebounds, but still scored 16 points. The league’s top rebounder  (11.1 rpg) averaged 14.8 boards during his run and had three double-doubles. He is converting 69.4% from the floor in his last four outings and is averaging 15.0 ppg and 14.0 rpg during that stretch.

Allyn Cooks has tied his season high of five assists in each of the last two games without committing a single turnover. The 10 assists with no turnovers is a career-best and he leads the Sun Belt in assist/turnover ratio (3.2). Only once before had Cooks gone two straight games without a turnover—the first two games of his USA career.