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MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama men’s basketball team used two big runs and a stifling press defense to defeat Dillard 100-56 in an exhibition game Tuesday night at the Mitchell Center.

The game served as the Jaguars’ final preseason tune-up before the new season opens officially Saturday at Mississippi State.

“I thought we ran the court really well and scored in transition,” said USA head coach Ronnie Arrow. “We rebounded really well. Last game we had 11 turnovers this game we had 10 tonight so there were some very positive things. They’ve got three days to get ready for one of the top teams in the SEC. Hopefully, we got enough out of these two games to be able to go in and play against them. It all starts right now. We worked the ball around really well and when we got it down, for the most part, we locked up on defense.”

South Alabama had five players in double figures led by freshman Mychal Ammons (Vicksburg, Miss.) who tallied 17 points and seven rebounds. Both totals were game highs. He earned seven of his points at the line (7-for-10).

“He’s getting better and better every day,” Arrow said. “He played inside his whole high school career and now we’ve got him outside of his natural habitat. We want him to be a ‘3.’ He’s getting better and working at it. He’s learning and he’s a man-child when he gets it, especially when he buries you under the goal. He’s got a nice shot outside.”

Sophomore Augustine Rubit (Houston, Texas) totaled 12 points and six rebounds in 18 minutes of work. Junior Wendell Wright (Long Beach, Calif.) converted 6-for-8 from the floor for 13 points. Junior Trey Anderson (Carrollton, Texas) and junior Freddie Goldstein (Milwaukee, Wis.) scored 11 and 10 points, respectively.

Anderson, Goldstein and Wright combined to dish out 17 assists with just three turnovers. Anderson and Goldstein had six assists apiece.

Those three also spearheaded the defensive effort as the Jags forced 22 turnovers and converted them into 30 points. Wright and Goldstein nabbed four steals each.

“I think we’ve got enough depth to (press),” commented Arrow. “It depends on how we do each day and each week to be able to do it for long periods of time. Whether we do it at 94 feet, or we drop it back we’ll probably be putting some kind of pressure on this year.”

The Jags used their defensive pressure to put together a 20-4 run midway through the first half, getting three steals and turning them into five points. Sophomore Dallas Jones (New Market, Ala.) capped off the run with back-to-back 3-pointers to put South Alabama ahead 37-13 with 7:49 to go before halftime.

Ten unanswered points over a span of 3:23 helped USA go into the break up 56-27.

The scoring onslaught continued after the intermission as the Jaguars poured in 11 straight points, finished with a steal-and-dunk combo from Wright. Two Dillard free throws temporarily stopped the tide, but the scoring run reached 21-2 at the 13:59 mark on two free throws from Ammons.

“We panicked a little bit,” said Dillard head coach Bernard Griffith. “They forced us into turnovers. Good athletes are going to make you turn (the ball) over, and we did that quite a few times. You can’t stay in the ball game against a team that scores 35 fast-break points. They are real athletic, they are a good group, and we are going to have to go back to the drawing board and do a whole bunch of work.”

The South Alabama press gave the Jags a 35-9 advantage in fast break points.

Cameron Hill paced the Bleu Devils with 15 points. Lance Theard added 14 points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals. Rashad Johns came off the bench to tally 12 points.

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—