Game Notes

Game 11 • Dillard Bleu Devils (3-1) at South Alabama Jaguars (5-5)
December 17, 2013 • 7:05 p.m. • Mitchell Center (10,000) • Mobile, Ala.

THE COACHES
South Alabama
Matthew Graves (Butler, 1998)
Record at USA: 5-5 (1st year)
Overall Record: 5-5 (1st year)
Record vs. Dillard: 0-0

Dillard
Bernard Griffith (Xavier [La.], 1971)
Record at Dillard: 9-46 (3rd year)
Overall Record: Same

LAST GAME
South Alabama got a career-high 35 points from Augustine Rubit but fell 68-59 to No. 20/16 Gonzaga. Dillard lost 107-64 at Southern-Baton Rouge in an exhibition contest.

NEXT GAME
The Jaguars will face Arkansas Saturday in North Little Rock. The Bleu Devils return to action after Christmas, traveling to Loyola on Dec. 30.

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

RANKINGS (through Dec. 15)
USA: #179 RPI (RealTimeRPI), #151 Sagarin
Dillard: N/A

THE SERIES
This will be the first regular-season meeting between the two schools. South Alabama defeated Dillard 100-56 in an exhibition before the 2011-12 season.

OPENING TIP
South Alabama has lost back-to-back games for the first time this season.

After leading at halftime in the first eight games, the Jaguars have trailed at the break in their last two outings, both losses. USA fell behind by as many as 17 against Rice before eventually taking the lead and trailed by 19 early against Gonzaga.

The Jaguar defense held Gonzaga, the nation's sixth-best scoring team, to 21.4 points below their scoring average coming in to the contest and their lowest output—by 11 points—of the season. The Bulldogs were held to season lows in points, field goal percentage, 3-pointers, 3-point percentage and assists. They were ranked first in the nation in field goal and 3-point percentage and fifth in 3-pointers per game.

South Alabama ranks first in the Sun Belt in field goal percentage defense (.395) and second in scoring defense (66.0) and 3-point percentage defense (.258). The Jags are 12th in the nation in 3-point defense. Four USA opponents have shot less than 15 percent from 3-point land in a game this season.

Augustine Rubit set a new career high with 35 points—tied for the 11th most in school history—against Gonzaga. He shot 11-for-16 from the floor, 3-for-3 from 3-point land and 10-for-10 at the free-throw line. In the second half alone, he tallied 23 points, with eight coming at the charity stripe. The three trifectas are also a career high and he jumped up into a tie for fifth in the Sun Belt in 3-point percentage (.500). The 35 points are also tied for the most by a Sun Belt player this year.

With his 10-for-10 performance at the line Saturday, Rubit became the school's all-time leader in free throws made (472). Since going 2-for-12 at the stripe against William Carey, Rubit is converting 85.5 percent, including 91.7 percent (22-24) in his last two games.

Rubit is 12 rebounds away from 1,000 for his career. His seven boards vs. Gonzaga were his lowest total since grabbing five against Southern Miss.

Rubit is tied amongst active Division I players in rebounds (988) and first by himself in double-doubles (46). He is second in rebounding average (10.2) and free throws made.

Mychal Ammons blocked a season-best three shots against Gonzaga and is now ranked sixth in the SBC in blocks per game (1.3). He has five rejections in his last two games combined.

Rubit and Aakim Saintil, who went 2-for-3 from distance for the second straight game, helped the Jags shoot 7-for-17 from behind the 3-point arc. The team is 10th in the nation in 3-pointers per game (9.3) and 48th in 3-point percentage (.391). Antoine Allen, who went 2-for-6 Saturday, is ninth in the conference in 3-point percentage (.472) and fourth in 3-pointers per contest (2.5).

Barrington Stevens III posted his third consecutive game, and eighth of the season, with a positive assist-turnover ratio, dishing out a team-high four assists with three turnovers vs. Gonzaga.