MOBILE, Ala. --- Down 22 in the second half, the University of South Alabama men’s basketball team outscored Denver 31-7 in the final 15:11 and junior Tim Williams (Pontiac, Mich.) recorded the Jaguars’ last 11 points in a remarkable 54-52 comeback victory Thursday night at the Mitchell Center.

South Alabama finishes the regular season 16-14 overall and 8-10 in the Sun Belt Conference. Denver is now 16-12 and 9-8.

“This was a game of nothing but pride and heart,” said USA head coach Ronnie Arrow. “In the second half, I thought we played our style. The press was the difference in the game. It caused more turnovers for them, and I really think they got tired. They didn’t make a ‘3’ in the second half. I think their legs got a little tired.”

Denver dominated the opening 20 minutes, shooting 54.5 percent from the floor and 9-for-13 from 3-point territory, while holding USA to a season-low 19 points. But the second half was all South Alabama as the Jags converted 64.7 percent of their shots overall and did not allow a Pioneer 3-pointer.

DU came out of halftime firing with a 12-4 spurt and forcing USA into three turnovers. Three free throws from Chase Hallam gave the Pioneers a 45-23 lead with 15:11 to play.

The Jaguars went to work immediately, responding with a 14-0 run, starting with a three-point play by freshman Javier Carter (Dallas, Texas). He contributed seven of the team’s 14 points and freshman Martino Brock (Memphis, Tenn.) finished it off with a 3-pointer to cut the deficit to eight (45-37).

Denver turned it over five times in six possessions during the Jaguar rally, including four straight. Hallam finally snapped cold streak with a lay-up, but South Alabama scored the next six points, getting four from freshman Jayson Guerrier (Winter Springs, Fla.). That equaled his career total coming into the contest.

Once DU’s Justin Coughlin hit a lay-up for a six-point lead with 6:38 to play, Williams went to work, hitting two free throws with 2:55 left then a trifecta with 1:30 to go to cut the lead to 49-48. Brian Stafford hit the first of two free throws and after the Pioneers got the offensive rebound, they turned it over. Williams converted the mistake into a triple with 31 seconds on the clock to give USA the lead for the first time since the 7:06 mark of the first half.

After another Denver turnover – the team’s 21st for the game – Williams hit one of two free throws. Stafford hit a baseline jumper to tie the score at 52-52, but Williams brought the ball up the court and hit a running bankshot with seven ticks left for the final points of the game.

Denver had two short chances right before the buzzer but missed both.

“We wanted to send our seniors out as winners and we did that,” said Arrow. “I think that was really important. But the bottom line is we as coaches can’t make players play. They have to go out there and do their thing. It’s a war out there and they decided in the second half that it was a war and they were going to show up for it and do something about it. I couldn’t be more proud of them.”

Williams finished with a game-high 22 points, half of which came in the last 2:55 of the contest. Carter tallied a career-best 13 off the bench.

“We got the ball inside to Javier,” said Arrow. “He did some good things in there. He’s getting more alert and is finishing better, and our guys are doing a good job of getting him the ball.”

Stafford posted a team-high 16 points while Hallam added 15.

Up next for South Alabama is the Sun Belt Conference Tournament March 6-9 in Hot Springs, Ark. The opponent and time will be announced on Sunday.

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: Brock was held to five points but dished out five assists to tie his career best… Carter also tied a career high, blocking three shots… USA’s two lowest first-half scoring outputs have come against DU – the Jags had 20 on Jan. 23 in Denver and 19 tonight… Seniors Charles Tabet and Philip Tabet (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) both started, marking the first time the brothers started a game together… Both Tabets and senior Bryan Sherrer (Monticello, Ark.) were honored in a ceremony before the game… South Alabama’s bench outscored Denver’s 22-9 for the game after being outscored 42-5 in each of the previous two outings.

—USA—