Box Score (html)
Box Score (pdf)

DENVER – In a game eerily similar to the last University of South Alabama and Denver matchup, USA rallied from a 15-point deficit in the first half to defeat the Pioneers 48-47 Sunday afternoon at Magness Arena.

The Jags snap a three-game losing streak and improve to 11-14 overall and 5-9 in the Sun Belt Conference, while the Pioneers drop to 13-14 and 9-5.

The last time the two teams met, on Feb. 25, 2010 in Mobile, South Alabama came back from 22 points down in the second half to win 54-52. Sunday's comeback wasn't quite as large but just as effective.

"They're such a different team to prepare for, our guys did a really good job," USA head coach Ronnie Arrow said after the game. “That was a team effort. It was a great win for us.”

USA shot 50 percent (11-22) from the floor in the second half after hitting just 20.8 percent (5-24) before halftime. The Pioneers went 5-for-20 from the floor after halftime.

The Jaguars used a 13-2 run to pull within two at the 6:37 mark and took their first lead of the game (46-45) with 1:25 to play on a 3-pointer by senior Gary Redus (Decatur, Ala.). A put-back from redshirt freshman Augustine Rubit (Houston, Texas) with 34.1 seconds left expanded the margin to three.

On Denver's next possession, a game-tying 3-pointer came just after a called timeout, but Brian Stafford was fouled attempting a '3' with 7.6 ticks on the clock  The conference's leading free throw shooter missed the first but made the next two, getting the Pioneers to 48-47.

Redus went to the line with 6.4 seconds remaining for a one-and-one but was unable to convert. DU's last-gasp attempt came after the final buzzer.

“We started substituting three at a time and we were fresh,” Arrow said. “I think the press really helped us. If we just stand around and watch them pass the ball around, that's not good.”

Senior Tim Williams (Pontiac, Mich.) scored 10 of his 14 points after halftime and Rubit recorded his first double-double since Feb. 5 with 14 points and 16 rebounds. He added a career-high-tying three blocks.

The Jags blocked nine shots as a team, including five from sophomore Javier Carter (Dallas, Texas), tying his personal best.

Chase Hallam was the only Pioneer in double-figures with 15 points and 12 rebounds.

USA started the game 2-for-12 from the floor and went over seven minutes (16:16-9:07) without a point while DU jumped out to a 17-6 lead.

The Jags hit just five field goals in the opening half and got seven of their 17 first-half points at the foul line.

South Alabama returns home for the final two regular-season contests, starting Thursday night at 7:05 p.m. against Arkansas at Little Rock.

NOTES: The 48 points scored are the program's fewest in a win since tallying 44 against Arkansas at Little Rock on Feb. 6, 1999... Redus did not get one of the team's nine blocks, ending his streak of eight straight games with a rejection... Williams reached double-digit scoring for the first time since Jan. 30... USA shot 34.8 percent from the floor, its lowest in a win since Feb. 11, 2010.

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—