Game Notes

Game 7 • South Alabama Jaguars (3-3) at Florida International Panthers (2-2)
December 1, 2012 • 7:30 p.m. EST • U.S. Century Bank Arena (5,000) • Miami, Fla.

THE COACHES
South Alabama
Ronnie Arrow (Southwest Texas State, 1969)
Record at USA: 209-159 (14th year)
Overall Record: 343-250 (22st year)
Record vs. FIU: 7-3

Florida International
Richard Pitino (Providence, 2005)
Record at FIU: 3-3 (1st year)
Overall Record: Same

LAST GAME
South Alabama earned its 300th Sun Belt win Thursday over Florida Atlantic. Florida International dominated Arkansas State at home 80-61.

NEXT GAME
The Jaguars return home to host New Mexico State on Tuesday. The Panthers start a six-game road trip Dec. 9 at Stetson.

ON THE AIR
Radio: 105.5 WNSP; Michael Brannen and Braden Cheek
On the web: Jaguar All-Access (audio) - FREE, wnsp.com

RANKINGS (Through Nov. 28)
USA: #251 RPI (RealTimeRPI), #149 Sagarin
FIU: #178 RPI (RealTimeRPI), #241 Sagarin

THE SERIES
USA leads 17-8.

Current winning streak: FIU, 2 wins
USA’s last win in series: 86-78 (1/22/11)
Last meeting: FIU 81, South Alabama 74 (2/25/12)
USA’s last win at Century Bank Arena: 71-59 (12/31/09)
FIU’s last win at Century Bank Arena: 81-74 (2/25/12)
USA’s record at Century Bank Arena: 7-5
USA’s record on the road: 8-5
USA’s road streak: Lost 2
USA’s longest winning / losing streak in series: 6 / 2

Notes: FIU ended a six-game losing streak to South Alabama Jan. 8, 2011 in Miami… The win (73-62) was the Panthers’ second-biggest win in the series (74-43 in 1998)… USA’s win streak was its longest all-time vs. FIU… The Jags have lost three of the last four… FIU has a 1-0 record in the Sun Belt Tournament… The series is 14-10 USA since FIU joined the league in 1998… The Feb. 11, 2010 meeting in Mobile, a 69-65 USA win, was the first in the series to go to overtime… Two FIU wins in the 2004-05 season (one regular season, one SBC Tournament) were vacated due to NCAA penalties.

OPENING TIP
Ronnie Arrow needs one win to pass Gene Bartow for the most Sun Belt wins in league history. Arrow is 111-84 in conference play in 14 seasons at South Alabama.

FIU leads the Sun Belt in both field goal percentage (46.6%) and 3-point percentage (40.3%). The Panthers shot 60.4% from the floor Thursday vs. Arkansas State, including 66.7% in the second half. FIU went 5-for-7 (71.4%) from 3-point land in the second half. USA is allowing the opposition to shoot 39.0% from distance on the season, last in the SBC.

The Jaguars committed just nine turnovers Thursday vs. FAU, the lowest total by the team since totaling seven vs. Denver on Feb. 22, 2011. USA ranks ninth in the league in turnover margin (-0.17) and will go up against the league’s best team in forcing turnovers (18.8) and second best in steals (9.5).

Junior Augustine Rubit’s 20-point scoring streak ended at four Thursday, but he extended his run to three straight double-doubles with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Despite putting up his lowest point total of the season, he moved into 18th at USA in career scoring and he remains in first place in the Sun Belt in points per game (19.2) and is second in rebounding (9.0).

In his career, Rubit averages 20.3 points and 11.8 rebounds against FIU with four double-doubles.  In Miami, Rubit averages 22.5 points and 13.0 boards, including a 25-point performance in the regular-season finale last season thanks to 17 points on 8-for-8 shooting in the second half alone.

Rubit went to the free throw line just once Thursday, but converted, increasing his season percentage to 88.6, second best in the Sun Belt. He has made 23 of his last 24 attempts at the line. Rubit is moving his way up USA career charts and needs 10 rebounds for sixth place, five blocks for 10th, eight points for 17th and nine free throws for 10th.

Junior Xavier Roberson made all of his career-high five 3-pointers vs. FAU in the first half and ended up with a personal-best 23 points. He is averaging 4.3 triples in his last three games and has totaled four or more in a game four times this season. Roberson is 10th in the league in scoring (14.5 ppg), third in 3-pointers per game (3.2) and tied for third in 3-point percentage (50.0%).

One game after having his 10-game blocks streak ended, senior Javier Carter rejected four FAU shots. He just missed out on a double-double with 11 points and nine rebounds, and made all four shots from the floor. The Jags blocked seven as a team and lead the conference in blocks per game (5.8). Carter ranks second with 2.7 per contest and Rubit is fourth at 2.2.