Game Notes
MOBILE, Ala. – After posting back-to-back wins for the first time since Dec. 22, the University of South Alabama men’s basketball team will try to make it three in a row Sunday against Florida International at the Mitchell Center.
The Jaguars and Panthers will tip off at 4:05 p.m. The game can be seen online by subscribers of Jaguars All-Access, heard on 105.5 FM WNSP and WNSP.com, and followed via live stats on USAJaguars.com or Twitter @SouthAlaMBK.
While the Jaguars (10-8, 7-3 SBC) will attempt a three-game win streak for the first time this season, the Panthers (11-8, 6-4 SBC) arrive with a three-game streak of their own and have won seven of their last eight outings, with the lone loss coming on the road against Arkansas at Little Rock.
“They’re playing with a great deal of confidence,” interim USA head coach
Jeff Price said. “They pose a lot of different problems. They’re a good transition team, they play multiple defenses, they keep you on your heels and they press a lot. They just do a nice job and they’re playing really well right now.”
South Alabama leads the Sun Belt Conference in scoring offense at 70.3 per game and is 9-3 overall and 6-0 in league play when scoring 70 points or more. They will be going up against an FIU team that is second in the league in scoring (69.9 ppg) and next-to-last in scoring defense (71.3 ppg).
“It seems like every time I think it will be a shootout, the games are low scoring,” Price said. “We always want to play that way, it’ll be interesting to see how the dynamics of our team change with one less guard. I don’t expect it to change, but a lot of times if you think these games are going to be that way, it doesn’t necessarily happen. On paper it should be an up-tempo game and they’re a team that likes to speed the game up in transition and with their defense.”
The Panthers boast a pair of explosive scorers in
Tymell Murphy and
Malik Smith. Murphy, tied for fourth in the Sun Belt in scoring (15.4 ppg), is averaging 17.6 points in his last 10 games with four double-doubles. Smith provides the outside threat, leading the conference in 3-pointers with 3.1 per game and has multiple treys in five of his last six outings.
“They are two guys that are very difficult to guard,” Price said. “Tymell is really good off the dribble, extremely athletic and strong and hard to stay in front of. Malik is just a good overall player that can put it on the floor and you have to guard the 3-point line. They are two guys that have become a difficult matchup for everybody they’ve played against.”
With the loss of senior
Freddie Goldstein (Milwaukee, Wis.) to a season-ending injury, junior
Antoine Allen (Baltimore, Md.) becomes the Jags’ main 3-point threat. Allen went 3 of 6 from long range Thursday for a game-high-tying 19 points.
“I don’t know that Antoine’s role will change,” Price said. “Antoine is so much better when he lets the game come to him and we certainly don’t need to try to get him to do more. We have to address our rotations. The biggest problem is, right when we’re starting to feel like we’ve got our rotations down and developing chemistry, now we have to go back again and have to make some decisions on rotations—who plays in, who plays out—and how deep we go on our bench.”
Junior
Augustine Rubit (Houston, Texas) recorded his 10th double-double of the season—and first since Jan. 5—on Thursday with 19 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. In five career games against FIU, Rubit is averaging 20.0 points and 11.2 rebounds with four double-doubles. He had 19 points and nine rebounds earlier this season in Miami.
“There’s nothing in particular I can put my finger on with that,” Price said. “Aug has had a lot of success against everybody. I’ve been thrilled with Aug’s motor, his intensity and his will to win games. He’s been great.”
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).
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