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MOBILE, Ala. – University of South Alabama senior Tim Williams (Pontiac, Mich.) scored a game-high 25 points and hit two late free throws to give the men’s basketball team a 63-57 Sun Belt Conference win over Middle Tennessee Sunday afternoon at the Mitchell Center.

USA gets over the .500 mark for the first time since Nov. 20 and currently stands at 7-6 overall and 1-1 in the Sun Belt. MTSU falls to 5-9 and 0-1.

Williams was the only Jaguar in double-figures and scored his most points since pouring in a career-high 33 on Nov. 20 against Central Michigan. He rebounded from a four-point effort Thursday, his lowest as a Jaguar. Ten of Williams’ points came at the free throw line on 11 attempts.

“The one statistic that I told Tim that’ll tell if he had a good game, is if he shot free throws,” USA head coach Ronnie Arrow said after the game. “If he shoots free throws that means he’s active. It shows activity that he hasn’t been doing. What he’s been doing is just being a jump shooter. If the jump shot is going, he’s having a good game. If it’s not going then it looks like he wasn’t even out there. If he would’ve been that tonight, it would’ve been a long day for us.”

The Jags, who led by as many as 12 in the first half, saw the lead evaporate thanks to a 16-4 run that spanned the last 4:07 before halftime and the first 1:40 after the break. MTSU recorded the first five points of the second half to tie the score at 31-31.

A 10-2 Middle Tennessee run midway through the final period, capped off with a 3-pointer by James Gallman, gave the Blue Raiders their largest lead of the game, 47-43. They found themselves up four again after another triple from Gallman with 4:48 remaining, but junior Allyn Cooks (Bryan, Texas) answered with a 3-pointer of his own and sophomore DeAndré Hersey (Carrollton, Ala.) nailed two at the free throw line to put the Jags back on top 55-54.

James Washington buried an 18-footer on Middle Tennessee’s next possession and hit the resulting free throw for a 3-point play and a 57-55 lead, but those would be the Blue Raiders’ last points of the contest. Williams scored South Alabama’s next five points at the free throw line, including two with 39.6 seconds left, to go up 60-57.

After a missed shot from Washington, Cooks missed twice at the line but got a reprieve thanks to an offensive rebound. He hit his next two attempts to ice the victory.

Cooks dished out a career-high seven assists—with just one turnover—in addition to his nine points and four rebounds. Hersey and sophomore Rico Sanders (College Park, Ga.) also came off the bench to post seven and six points, respectively. Hersey also rejected a career-best five shots.

“Hersey, Rico and Allyn stepped it up,” said Arrow. “Rico stepped up and played a good game. Allyn, that’s probably the best game he’s played. He’s been playing really steady for us, but, overall, that’s the best game he’s had. Seven assists and one turnover—that’s a pretty good night’s work. (With) four rebounds, that’s a heck of a game for a point guard.”

Washington led the Blue Raiders with 11 points and three steals and Jason Jones tallied 10 points and six rebounds.

South Alabama heads to Florida this week for road games at Florida Atlantic (Thursday) and Florida International (Saturday). Both games will start at 6 p.m. CST.

NOTES: South Alabama won at home over Middle Tennessee for the first time since Feb. 22, 2007, snapping a three-game losing streak… The Jaguars are now 7-0 when outrebounding and outshooting their opponent… Williams had 11 points in the first half on 5-for-5 shooting from the floor… USA tied its season high with 10 blocks and sophomore Javier Carter (Dallas, Texas) continued his run of a block in nine of his last 10 outings… Redshirt freshman Augustine Rubit (Houston, Texas) was held to three points due to foul trouble but still grabbed nine rebounds… He was held scoreless in the first half… Cooks’s seven assists are the most by a USA player since Daon Merritt had nine on March 1, 2008.

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—