Game Notes

Game 4 • South Alabama Jaguars (1-2) at LSU Tigers (3-2)
November 23, 2011 • 7 p.m. • Maravich Center (13,215) • Baton Rouge, La.

THE COACHES
South Alabama
Ronnie Arrow (Southwest Texas State, 1969)
Record at USA: 190-146 (13th year)
Overall Record: 324-237 (21st year)
Record vs. LSU: 0-2

LSU
Trent Johnson (Boise State, 1986)
Record at LSU: 52-51 (4th year)
Overall Record: 211-172 (13th year)

LAST GAME
South Alabama suffered a poor shooting night and lost 80-39 at No. 25/24 FSU. LSU defeated Georgia Tech 59-50 in Charleston, S.C.

NEXT GAME
The Jaguars take a week off before opening a four-game homestand Nov. 30 against UAB. The Tigers play at Houston next Tuesday.

ON THE AIR
TV: Cox Sports; Lyn Collins (pxp), Collis Temple III (color)
Radio: 105.5 WNSP; Lee Shirvanian (pxp)
On the web: www.wnsp.com (audio); ESPN3.com (video)

RANKINGS (Through Nov. 21)
USA: #87 RPI (RealTimeRPI), #242 Sagarin
LSU: #145 RPI (RealTimeRPI), #95 Sagarin

THE SERIES
LSU leads 2-0.

Current streak: LSU, 2 wins
Last meeting: LSU 80, South Alabama 65 (11/28/10)
USA’s last win at the Maravich Center: None
LSU’s last win at the Maravich Center: 71-62 (11/24/02)
USA’s record at the Maravich Center: 0-1
USA’s record on the road: 0-1
USA’s road streak: Lost 1
USA’s longest winning / losing streak in series: 0 / 2
Notes: The first meeting between the two schools was a 71-62 LSU victory in 2002 at the Hispanic College Funds Classic in Baton Rouge… The Tigers also claimed an 80-65 win in Mobile last year… USA head coach Ronnie Arrow met LSU during the 2002-03 season, but as the head coach of Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in a 95-60 loss to the Tigers.

OPENING TIP
South Alabama is 11-38 all-time against current members of the SEC and has lost three in a row. USA went 2-0 against the conference in the 2009-10 season (Florida, Arkansas).

USA’s Augustine Rubit has led the team in scoring and rebounding in each of the team’s first three games. He posted team-high totals of 10 points and eight rebounds Sunday at Florida State. His double-double Nov. 16 vs. Mobile was the 15th of his career. Rubit currently leads the Sun Belt in rebounding (10.3).

After a 3-for-3 shooting performance at FSU, Javier Carter is converting 61.1% from the floor for the season, good for third-best in the Sun Belt. He had six points vs. the Seminoles and is averaging 8.0 ppg on the season, third among all Jaguars.

The Jaguars’ 0-for-24 3-point shooting night Sunday tied an NCAA record.

South Alabama has excelled at the free throw line, converting 81.8% which ranks second in the conference. The team hit seven of its eight attempts at the charity stripe Sunday at Florida State.

Despite being outrebounded 46-31 against the Seminoles, the Jags grabbed a season-high 19 offensive boards, including a team-high best by Rubit. USA is third in the SBC in offensive rebounds per game (15.0) and in offensive rebounding percentage (.381).

LSU leads the SEC in turnover margin (+5.6) and is tops in opponents’ turnovers (19.2 pg). The Tigers have forced 20 or more miscues in three of their five games, have three double-digit steal games, and rank second in the conference in thefts per contest. Anthony Hickey ranks second in the SEC in steals (2.6) and Andre Stringer is tied for fourth (2.4).

Stringer totaled a game-high 21 points in last year’s matchup, making four of his six 3-point attempts. Ralston Turner added 17 points on two trifectas.

The Tigers had little trouble shooting from distance against the Jags last year, making 10-of-15 from beyond the arc. LSU is fourth in the SEC this season in 3s per game (7.2).