Game Notes

Game 19 • South Alabama Jaguars (10-8, 2-5) at Arkansas at Little Rock Trojans (8-13, 5-2)
January 26, 2012 • 7 p.m. • Jack Stephens Center (5,600) • Little Rock, Ark.

THE COACHES
South Alabama
Ronnie Arrow (Southwest Texas State, 1969)
Record at USA: 199-152 (13th year)
Overall Record: 333-243 (21st year)
Record vs. UALR: 7-5

UALR
Steve Shields (Baylor, 1988)
Record at UALR: 140-125 (9th year)
Overall Record: Same

LAST GAME
South Alabama lost 68-47 to Middle Tennessee. UALR fell 65-53 at Western Kentucky.

NEXT GAME
The Jaguars return home for a Sunday game against Troy. The Trojans host Denver on Saturday.

ON THE AIR
Radio: 105.5 WNSP; Lee Shirvanian (pxp)
On the web: www.wnsp.com (audio); Trojan Tracker (PPV video)

RANKINGS (Through Jan. 23)
USA: #154 RPI (RealTimeRPI), #179 Sagarin
UALR: #214 RPI (RealTimeRPI), #215 Sagarin

THE SERIES
USA leads 23-13.

Current winning streak: UALR, 1 win
USA’s last win in series: 92-79 (2/24/11) in Mobile
Last meeting: UALR 82, USA 68 (3/5/11)
USA’s last win in Little Rock: 72-65 (1/19/08)
UALR’s last win in Little Rock: 86-53 (2/5/04)
USA’s record in Stephens Center: 2-0
USA’s record in Little Rock: 8-8
USA’s away streak: Won 2
USA’s longest winning / losing streak in series: 6 / 3

Notes: Thursday will be South Alabama’s first trip to Little Rock since Jan. 19, 2008… USA has won seven of the last nine meetings dating back to the 2005-06 season… UALR’s win in Mobile on 1/22/09 ended a four-game USA winning streak in the series… USA won 10 of 11 from 3/2/97 to 3/3/01… The Jags are 6-1 vs. the Trojans in the SBC Tournament, including 3-1 at neutral sites… The lone loss came last season (82-68) in the first round… South Alabama advanced to the SBC championship game in 2009 with a 54-44 win in Hot Springs.

OPENING TIP
UALR is the only Sun Belt opponent that South Alabama leads in the series by 10 or more games (23-13, 63.9%).

South Alabama’s win at Troy Jan. 14 gave USA head coach Ronnie Arrow the second-most conference wins in Sun Belt history, moving past Dickey Nutt with 104. He needs eight more to become the conference’s career leader. His next win will be No. 200 in his 13 seasons at USA.

After outrebounding 13 straight opponents, the Jags have failed to do so in their last two games (28-28 vs. FIU and 40-40 vs. MTSU). Of USA’s 40 rebounds Saturday, a season-high 26 came on the offensive glass. The Sun Belt’s leader in offensive rebounds per game (16.1) and offensive rebound percentage (43.7%), the Jaguars have grabbed more offensive rebounds than defensive in a game three times this season. USA has two of the top four offensive rebounders in the league in Augustine Rubit (1st, 3.4) and Antione Lundy (T-3rd, 2.7). Both Rubit (1st, 8.5) and Lundy (5th, 6.8) rank in the SBC’s rebounds per game chart.

Javier Carter had three blocks against  Middle Tennessee to extend his streak of blocks to 15 games. He passed Brandon Davis for second on USA’s all-time blocks list, and brings 116 into Thursday’s contest. Carter has 56 on the season (first in the league), which ranks sixth in USA’s single-season record book and four away from fifth place. He also has 17 steals, which are second on the team. His blocks average (3.1) is tops in the SBC and 10th in the nation.

Once a top-30 free throw shooting team in the nation, South Alabama has failed to reach the 60-percentage mark five times in the last seven games, including the last three outings, and is shooting 58.6% in Sun Belt play.

Mychal Ammons is averaging 14.0 points in his last two games and has reached double-digits in either points or rebounds in his last three outings. His 28 total points in the last two games are his most over a two-game stretch in his career.

In two games against UALR, Augustine Rubit averages 10.5 points and 9.0 rebounds. He had a double-double in the regular-season matchup in Mobile with 11 points and 11 boards, in addition to a career-best three assists.

After opening up 5-0 in Sun Belt play to open the year, the Trojans have lost their last two, scoring just 51.0 ppg in those games. UALR is 11th in the league in scoring offense (61.4 ppg) and field goal percentage (40.1%).