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MOBILE, Ala. – Louisiana at Monroe forced a turnover at the buzzer on the University of South Alabama’s final possession to preserve a 67-65 victory over the Jaguars Saturday night at the Mitchell Center.

The Warhawks pick up their first Sun Belt Conference win of the season at 1-4 and are now 6-13 on the season. The Jaguars drop their third in a row and hold a 7-9, 1-4 record.

The Jags lost despite shooting 54.8 percent from the floor, including a 61.9 percent mark in the first half. It is the first time this season USA outshot its opponent and lost.

“We just have a hard time guarding,” Jaguar head coach Ronnie Arrow said after the game. “As hard as we’ve worked on defense we’re just not dedicated to guarding. If you shoot the ball 54 percent at your own home you’re supposed to win.”

Redshirt freshman Augustine Rubit (Houston, Texas) scored a career-high 23 points for the Jags on 9 of 12 shooting from the floor. Sophomore Martino Brock (Memphis, Tenn.) made six of his seven shots from the field for 17 points.

“Aug is a one-man scoring force,” said Arrow. “Martino shot the ball well, but we’ve got to get him to not hold onto the ball as much. He played hard. I can’t take anything away from him.”

South Alabama forced a shot clock violation with 10.1 seconds left and called timeout with 6.9 on the clock to set up its final play. The Warhawks double-teamed Brock at the top of the key and knocked the ball away as time expired.

“Lob the ball to Aug if he’s open, or get to the hole,” Arrow said of South Alabama’s final play. “Drive to the hole and get to the basket. See if we can get a hand check.”

ULM’s Fred Brown posted a game-high 25 points on 9-for-18 shooting, including 4-for-8 from 3-point land. Tommie Sykes had a double-double with 13 points and 12 boards and Lawrence Gilbert added 14 points.

“They just scored at will and that’s not taking anything away from them,” said Arrow. “Brown just scored at will. He drove. We didn’t shot block. We didn’t get in his way. We’re not guarding.”

Louisiana at Monroe led for most of the first half and grabbed a 29-19 advantage with 6:17 to go before halftime. South Alabama responded with back-to-back 3-pointers from Brock and went on a 12-3 run to pull within one. The Jags ended the half on a 21-8 spurt to lead by three, 40-37.

Rubit opened the scoring after the break to go up five, but Brown answered with a trey and neither team led by more than three the rest of the game. The second half alone featured seven ties and 11 lead changes.

Brown connected on a trifecta with two minutes left to put the Warhawks up 66-63, either team’s largest lead since the 17:36 mark of the second half. Brock came back with a jumper and Sykes hit one of two free throws with 1:05 remaining. Williams missed a three-ball from the corner that would have given USA the lead before the game’s final two possessions.

ULM outrebounded the Jags 30-17 and held the Sun Belt’s top offensive rebounding team to just six offensive boards for the game and two in the first half. USA’s 17 rebounds are a season low.

“That team, on paper, was not a good rebounding team and they kicked our butts on the boards,” said Arrow. “We came out and stood around.”

South Alabama continues its homestand Thursday against Western Kentucky. Tip-time is 7:05 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on Fox College Sports.

NOTES: USA is 1-4 in the Sun Belt for the first time since the 1998-99 season… South Alabama shot 61.9 percent in the first half, a season high… USA missed six of its first nine free throws and finished the game at 57.1 percent… Rubit and Brock accounted for 40 of the team’s 65 points… Brock hit all four of his 3-point attempts, tying the most 3s in a game by a USA player this year… The last player to shoot 4-for-4 on 3-pointers was Bryan Sherrer on Nov. 14, 2009 at Rice… Rubit had five of the team’s six offensive boards… ULM had just two points off the bench… Sophomore DeAndré Hersey (Carrollton, Ala.) had four blocks, one shy of his career high… USA had nine turnovers, tying a season low, and got 21 points off 14 ULM miscues.

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).

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