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MOBILE, Ala. – Middle Tennessee outscored South Alabama 40-25 in the second half and used a solid defensive effort to defeat the Jaguars men's basketball team 68-47 Saturday night at the Mitchell Center.

The Blue Raiders are currently riding an 11-game winning streak and are 19-2 overall and 8-0 in Sun Belt Conference play. The 8-0 league start is the program’s best since 1985-86. The Jaguars drop to 10-8 and 2-5.

“They’re a very good team,” said USA head coach Ronnie Arrow. “I really thought that we were prepared and that we would come out and play for 40 minutes tonight, but they have a way of wearing you down. Late in the game, we no-showed.”

Middle Tennessee shot 55.1 percent through the first 15 minutes of the second half and finished the game at 49.1 percent, matching their season average coming into the contest, which ranked 13th in the nation.

USA, on the other hand, converted just 26.3 percent from the floor, its second-lowest percentage of the season, including 20.6 percent in the first half.

 “We get flustered and then we just take it to the hole, whether there’s something there or not,” Arrow commented. “When we get pressured, we don’t release the pressure and just make them commit the foul. We’re not reversing the ball and making the defense move like we can. A lot of that has to do with pressure and I tell our guards that it’s up to the guards. The guards handle the ball. We’re not reversing the ball to get movement up the middle. We’re making one pass and looking inside. If it’s not there, we’re taking it to the hole. That’s not our offense.”

USA freshman Mychal Ammons (Vicksburg, Miss.) poured in a team-high 13 points and sophomore Augustine Rubit (Houston, Texas) added eight points and eight rebounds. Junior Javier Carter (Dallas, Texas) blocked three shots to move into second place on the school’s career blocks list (116).

LaRon Dendy and JT Sulton both posted game-high totals of 14 points for Middle Tennessee. Dendy converted six of his seven shots from the floor and added five boards.

MTSU outscored USA 13-5 to end the first half, including eight unanswered following a Blue Raider technical foul, to take a 28-22 lead into intermission. The Jaguars went without a field goal in the final 4:04, and missed their final six shots.

The scoring surge continued after intermission as Middle Tennessee made eight of its first 10 shots from the field and went on a 15-3 run to go ahead 43-25 less than four minutes in to the second half.

MTSU had 21 assists on 28 field goals and forced 17 turnovers.

“We guarded for 40 minutes tonight,” said Middle Tennessee head coach Kermit Davis. “To give up only 26 percent shooting is outstanding. We really got back to moving the ball. It was really a show of unselfish play.”

“This team is a legit, I think, top 25, top 28 team in the country,” Arrow said. “They’re good at every position and they go ten deep. That’s why they are what they are, 19-2.”

South Alabama heads out on the road Thursday to take on Arkansas at Little Rock at 7 p.m.

NOTES: The 47 points are the program’s fewest at home since Feb. 13, 2003 (46 vs. FIU)… After outrebounding 13 straight opponents, the Jags have failed to do so in their last two games (tied 40-40 tonight)… USA has failed to shoot 60 percent or better at the free throw line in their last three outings… South Alabama set a new season high with 26 offensive rebounds, but only converted them into 13 points… Senior Antione Lundy (Saginaw, Mich.) had three steals, tying the most by a USA player this season… Carter is still 97 blocks away from tying the school record held by Kelly Blaine.

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—