Game Notes

Game 24 • South Alabama Jaguars (13-10, 5-7) at Louisiana at Monroe Warhawks (2-22, 1-10)
February 11, 2012 • 2 p.m. • Fant-Ewing Coliseum (7,000) • Monroe, La.

THE COACHES
South Alabama
Ronnie Arrow (Southwest Texas State, 1969)
Record at USA: 202-154 (13th year)
Overall Record: 336-245 (21st year)
Record vs. ULM: 3-2

La.-Monroe
Keith Richard (ULM, 1982)
Record at ULM: 9-46 (2nd year)
Overall Record: 159-163 (11th year)

LAST GAME
South Alabama used a season-best shooting night to defeat Arkansas State at home, 74-57. Louisiana at Monroe lost a close 70-66 decision to West Division leader UALR on Feb. 4.

NEXT GAME
The Jaguars host their final home game of the year next Saturday against Western Kentucky. The Warhawks start a two-game road swing Thursday at North Texas.

ON THE AIR
Radio: 105.5 WNSP; Lee Shirvanian (pxp)
On the web: www.wnsp.com (audio); Warhawks All-Access (video PPV)

RANKINGS (Through Feb. 9)
USA: #174 RPI (RealTimeRPI), #202 Sagarin
ULM: #331 RPI (RealTimeRPI), #316 Sagarin

THE SERIES
USA leads 8-4.

Current winning streak: Louisiana at Monroe, 2 wins
USA’s last win in series: 67-60 (2/21/09)
Last meeting: ULM 67, South Alabama 65 (1/15/11)
USA’s last win at Fant-Ewing Coliseum: 90-57 (1/8/09)
ULM’s last win at Fant-Ewing Coliseum: 61-58 (1/14/10)
USA’s record at Fant-Ewing Coliseum: 4-2
USA’s road streak: Lost 1
USA’s longest winning / losing streak in series: 7 / 2

Notes: ULM broke a seven-game losing streak to South Alabama during the 2009-10 season in Monroe, 61-58 and won again in Mobile last season 67-65… ULM’s current two-game win streak matches the program’s longest against South Alabama… USA’s average margin of victory in its seven-game win streak was 15.3 points… The two schools played four times in 1975 and 1976 but didn’t resume the series until 2005… The Jags’ last two wins at home have been by seven points.

OPENING TIP
South Alabama needs four Sun Belt wins to reach the 300-win plateau.

Ronnie Arrow is five SBC victories away from setting a new league record for career conference wins.

USA’s 17-point win over Arkansas State is the program’s biggest in Sun Belt play since defeating Florida Atlantic 91-70 on Feb. 14, 2009.

The Jaguars shot a season-best 53.8 percent (28-52) against the Red Wolves, including 55.6 percent (15-27) in the first half. The shooting performance in the first half is tied for the second highest in a half this season. The team has increased its shooting percentage in each of the last three games.

Mychal Ammons enjoyed a career night against Arkansas State, setting new personal highs in points (25), field goals (9) and free throws (7). He shot 9-for-13 from the floor and 7-for-8 from the free throw line. He has scored 18 or more in two of his last three outings. His 25 points are the third-most by a USA player this season.

After struggling since the start of Sun Belt play from the free throw line, USA converted better than 80 percent Thursday for the second time in three games. In fact, the Jags’ 88.2 percentage (15 of 17) is a new season high.

South Alabama’s rebounders went back to work Thursday after losing the battle of the boards last week at Western Kentucky for just the third time all season. USA outrebounded ASU 34-23, holding the Red Wolves to the second-fewest rebounds by a Jaguar opponent all season.

Augustine Rubit scored 14 points with eight rebounds vs. Arkansas State and is averaging 17 points and eight rebounds in his last two games, thanks to a 64.7 shooting percentage (11 of 17). Last season against ULM he poured in 23 points with seven rebounds. Rubit needs five rebounds to tie for 10th on USA’s career rebounding list. He is now third in the Sun Belt in scoring (14.7 ppg) but tops the league in rebounding (9.0 rpg) and double-doubles (8).

ULM’s leading scorer, Fred Brown, scored 25 points (9-18 FGs, 4-8 3FGs) last year against South Alabama in Mobile. Since pouring in 24 points Jan. 28 against Louisiana at Lafayette, Brown has tallied just eight points total in his last two games.

The Warhawks rank last in the SBC in scoring offense (59.0 ppg), 11th in scoring defense (69.8 ppg) and last in scoring margin (-10.7).