Game Notes
Game 15 • South Alabama Jaguars (7-7, 1-2) at Florida International Panthers (7-7, 2-0)
Jan. 8, 2011 • 7 p.m. EST • U.S. Century Bank Arena (5,000) • Miami, Fla.
THE COACHES
South Alabama
Ronnie Arrow (Southwest Texas State, 1969)
Record at USA: 184-135 (12th year)
Overall Record: 318-226 (20th year)
Record vs. Florida International: 6-0
Florida Intl.
Isiah Thomas (Indiana, 1987)
Record at FIU: 14-32 (2nd year)
Overall Record: Same
LAST GAME
South Alabama fell behind early and couldn’t catch up at Florida Atlantic, falling 65-57. Florida International held on to defeat Arkansas State 75-70.
NEXT GAME
The Jaguars return home in a week to host Louisiana at Monroe. The Panthers travel to North Texas on Thursday.
ON THE AIR
Radio: 105.5 WNSP (tape delay); Lee Shirvanian (pxp). Can be heard in full on WNSP.com.
On the web: www.wnsp.com (audio)
RANKINGS (Through Jan. 6)
USA: #256 RPI (RealTimeRPI), #271 Sagarin
FIU: #314 RPI (RealTimeRPI), #263 Sagarin
THE SERIES
USA leads 16-7.
Current winning streak: South Alabama, 6
FIU’s last win in series: 69-67 (2/18/07)
Last meeting: South Alabama 69, FIU 65 OT (2/11/10)
Last five games: USA leads 5-0
USA’s last win at US Century Bank Arena: 71-59 (12/31/09)
FIU’s last win at US Century Bank Arena: 69-67 (2/18/07)
USA’s record at US Century Bank Arena: 7-3
USA’s road streak: Won 3
USA’s longest winning / losing streak in series: 6 / 2
Notes: USA’s current win streak is its longest all-time vs. FIU… The Jags have also won eight of the last nine games… Twice FIU has won in the Sun Belt Tournament… The series is 13-7 USA since FIU joined the league in 1998… The last meeting, a 69-65 USA win, was the first in the series to go to overtime… Only two of the 11 games in Miami have been decided by single digits (12/20/08 and 2/18/07).
OPENING TIP
A win would give the Jaguars their 700th win in the program’s history.
Sophomore Martino Brock missed Thursday’s game at FAU due to a thigh bruise and is considered questionable for Saturday. He averaged 16.5 ppg and 10.0 rpg against FIU last year.
Thursday was the first time this season South Alabama didn’t win or lose both the rebounding margin and field goal percentage battle. USA outrebounded FAU 47-29 but was outshot 42.6% to 32.3%. The Jags were 7-0 when winning both prior to Thursday.
Since scoring four points at Arkansas State on Dec. 30, Tim Williams is averaging 23 ppg with one double-double. He recorded his second double-double of the year Thursday with 21 points and 10 rebounds, the most points by a USA player in a double-double game in 2010-11. He ranks fourth in SBC in scoring at 15.2 ppg.
With a block at FAU, DeAndré Hersey extended his streak of at least one rejection in his last seven outings. He earned his first start of the year Thursday and is tied for fourth in the SBC in blocks per game (1.4). He has hit 50% from the floor in each of his last five games and 56.3% in the last seven.
South Alabama as a team leads the Sun Belt and ranks 20th in the nation in blocks per contest (5.6). The Jags rejected four shots Thursday, their lowest in the last five games, and have four players in the league’s top 15.
USA pulled down a season-high 24 offensive rebounds vs. Florida Atlantic and lead the conference in both offensive rebounds per game (15.4) and in offensive rebound percentage (38.7%). The Jags had more offensive rebounds than defensive, and won the battle on their offensive end, with 24 boards to FAU’s 20 defensive.
While Augustine Rubit was held to eight points on 4-for-11 shooting Thursday, he grabbed 10 rebounds for his seventh double-digit rebounding game in his last nine games. He is 10th in the nation and tops the SBC with a 10.9 rebounding average.
