Game Notes
MOBILE, Ala. – After a season-opening win over nationally-ranked Florida State, the University of South Alabama men’s basketball team will commence its 2012-13 home schedule Wednesday night against William Carey.
The Jaguars will take on the Crusaders starting at 7:05 p.m. in the Mitchell Center. All upper level seats will be on sale for $1, as will hot dogs from 6 p.m. until halftime.
Subscribers to Jaguars All-Access can watch online at USAJaguars.com or fans can listen for free on WNSP.com or over the air at 105.5 FM. Game updates will be provided via live stats and Twitter (@SouthAlaMBK).
South Alabama is coming off its second win over a top-25 opponent in the last four years and avenged a 41-point defeat a season ago.
“I think our guys did a heck of a job of doing what they had to do to win,” said USA head coach
Ronnie Arrow. “Everybody that got into the game contributed. Did we do everything right? No, but we did a lot of good things.
“At the end of the game, we showed the ability to win big games. We hit free throws, we got stops and if we didn’t get a stop, we held them to one shot. We showed maturity in key situations at the end of the game. For this early in the season, I thought that was good against a quality team.”
Wednesday will bring an unfamiliar opponent to the Mitchell Center in William Carey. Despite the two schools being separated by approximately 90 miles, tomorrow’s contest will be just the second meeting. The Jags won that 2002-03 game 123-75, the sixth biggest victory in school history.
“First of all, they only lost to Mississippi State (in an exhibition) by six,” Arrow said. “When we show up, we better not look at “WILLIAM CAREY” on their jersey; we better look at it like it’s “FLORIDA STATE” on their jersey. For us to be where we want to be, we should show maturity every practice and every game to get better. Whatever we need to do against this team, we need to go do it.”
The Crusaders enter the contest undefeated at 2-0 and are averaging 89.0 points per contest, thanks to a 105-56 win last week over Dillard. WCU has six players averaging double figures, led by junior
Daron Bell, who paces the squad with 14.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per contest.
“We’re going to have to guard the ball without fouling,” Arrow said. “Ninety percent of their offense is taking the ball to the hole. We’re going to have to guard the hole. We can’t reach because then we’ll have two guys in foul trouble.”
South Alabama figures to counter with its defense that held FSU to 23.8 percent shooting from behind the arc and forced 17 turnovers with eight steals. That performance came one game after Spring Hill converted just 28.3 percent from the floor overall and had 28 turnovers.
“We helped each other (defensively),” Arrow said about the FSU game. “They didn’t get all the way to the hole too many times for an easy shot. We limited them to one shot for the most part. When you do that, good things happen.”
On the other end of the floor, the Jaguar offense Friday was led by junior
Antoine Allen (Baltimore, Md.), who came off the bench to score a career-high 21 points on 4 of 5 shooting from 3-point land. He set a new career high in points and 3-pointers and scored the most points by a USA player in their debut since 2009.
Allen earned player of the week honors from both the Lou Henson Award (given to the top mid-major player in the country) and the Sun Belt Conference.
“The best part about Antoine is what you don’t see in the stats,” Arrow commented. “He comes to win every game. There isn’t anyone on our schedule that he thinks can beat us. He’s played at Miami, he’s played in front of big crowds and where he came from in Baltimore, basketball is a big thing. He’s a winner. As a coach, you want your guys to be that way. Some talk it and some do it; he’s one that does it.”
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—
