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BATON ROUGE, La. – University of South Alabama junior Freddie Goldstein (Milwaukee, Wis.) hit a shot at the buzzer to send the game into overtime and later hit two free throws with 2.0 seconds left in the contest to give the Jaguars a 79-75 win over LSU Wednesday night at the Maravich Center.

The Jaguars rebounded from a big loss at Florida State to even their record at 2-2, while LSU dropped to 3-3. USA has defeated three SEC schools in the last three seasons (Florida and Arkansas in 2009-10).

“That was just a tremendous effort from where we were the last time we played,” said USA head coach Ronnie Arrow. “To come in here and play the way we did was a total team effort. I can’t be happier with any team that I’ve ever coached.”

Goldstein dribbled around for several seconds at the top of the key before moving down the right wing and hit a fadeaway jumper over LSU’s Justin Hamilton as the buzzer sounded.

Moments earlier, Goldstein went to the line down three points with 18.9 seconds left. He hit the first but missed the second. However, junior Xavier Roberson (Houston, Texas) got the rebound to keep the possession alive. The Jags took a timeout to set up the final play.

“Freddie wants every big shot, he wants every big pass,” Arrow said of Goldstein. “He was looking for someone, didn’t see it, jumped up and stuck it. He thinks he’s 6- (feet) 8 (inches). We want him with the ball because I feel like if anyone’s going to make it, he will.”

The Jaguars never trailed in overtime and held LSU to 1-for-5 shooting from the floor.

Roberson hit back-to-back jumpers in the extra frame to put USA up four (75-71) with 2:25 to play. Two free throws from Andre Stringer on the Tigers’ next possession cut the margin to two, but sophomore Augustine Rubit (Houston, Texas) hit a jumper from the free throw line with 25 seconds left to kick the lead back up to four.

LSU missed several 3-point attempts in the waning moments but got a layup with 2.1 seconds on the clock and fouled Goldstein to put him at the line. Goldstein calmly hit a pair to ice the contest.

The Jaguars trailed by 10 points at halftime and found themselves down 12 early in the second half.

The Tigers took a 61-50 lead with 8:04 left in regulation on a three-point play by Hamilton. USA answered with a 14-2 rally and took the lead for the first time since midway through the first half on a free throw by Rubit at the 3:01 mark.

LSU regained control on its next possession with two free throws by Ralston Turner and stretched the advantage to three (69-66) with two more free throws from Stringer before Goldstein took over.

Rubit shared game-high honors in points with 20 and Roberson recorded a career-best 19 on 8-for-12 shooting from the floor. Junior Javier Carter (Dallas, Texas) recorded his first-ever double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds and tied his personal high of five blocks.

“Xavier hit some big buckets for us,” Arrow said. “Aug missed some easy shots but some other guys picked up the slack. It was just a total team effort. Those were the games that we’ve been giving away—we haven’t been stopping the bleeding. We did tonight and came back and won the thing.”

Stringer was one of four LSU starters in double-digit scoring and paced the Tigers with 20 points. Turner added 13.

South Alabama takes a week off before opening a four-game homestand Nov. 30 against UAB.

NOTES: Wednesday was South Alabama’s first overtime contest since Jan. 11, 2011 against Louisiana at Lafayette… Rubit notched the sixth career 20-point game of his career, but was held to the second-fewest rebounds in his two seasons (three)… The Jags won the rebounding battle 42-31… Roberson (nine) and Rubit (nine) combined to score the team’s first 18 points of the contest but did not record another point until early in the second half… Carter tallied eight points, six rebounds and three blocks in the second half alone… Senior Antione Lundy (Saginaw, Mich.) poured in a career-high 13 points off the bench… USA shot a season-best 50.8 percent from the floor, including 57.7 percent in the second half… The team converted just 23.5 percent Sunday at Florida State… The Jaguars went over seven minutes without a point in the first half, allowing LSU to go on a 12-0 run… The Tigers now lead the series between the two schools 2-1… Each has won on the other team’s floor in the last two seasons.

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

—USA—