Game Notes
Game 9 • South Alabama Jaguars (5-3) at Rice Owls (3-5)
December 7, 2013 • 5 p.m. • Tudor Fieldhouse (5,208) • Houston, Texas
THE COACHES
South Alabama
Matthew Graves (Butler, 1998)
Record at USA: 5-3 (1st year)
Overall Record: 5-3 (1st year)
Record vs. Rice: 0-0
Rice
Ben Braun (Wisconsin, 1975)
Record at Rice: 59-110 (6th year)
Overall Record: 611-499 (37th year)
LAST GAME
South Alabama used a huge first-half run and recorded its fourth-largest victory in school history in a 91-41 win over Spring Hill. Rice got seven 3-pointers from Austin Ramljak but fell at Houston Baptist 73-71.
NEXT GAME
The Jaguars travel west to take on No. 19/15 Gonzaga Dec. 14 in the Battle in Seattle. The Owls take 12 days off before hosting Northwood on Dec. 19.
ON THE AIR
Radio: None
On the web: OwlVision All-Access (video PPV); RiceOwls.com (audio)
RANKINGS (through Dec. 4)
USA: #117 RPI (RealTimeRPI), #147 Sagarin
Rice: #301 RPI (RealTimeRPI), #251 Sagarin
THE SERIES
Tied 1-1.
Current streak: Rice, 1 win
Last meeting: Rice 71-69 (11/14/09)
USA's last win at Tudor Fieldhouse: None
Rice's last win at Tudor Fieldhouse: 71-69 (11/14/09)
USA's record at Tudor Fieldhouse: 0-1
USA's road streak: Lost 1
USA's longest winning / losing streak in series: 1 / 1
Notes: Each school has a win on their home court… The first meeting came in Mobile at the Senior Bowl Tournament on Dec. 29, 1975, a 112-64 South Alabama victory… Rice avenged the loss on Nov. 14, 2009 at the Rice Basketball Challenge, 71-69.
OPENING TIP
Saturday will be a homecoming for Houston-area natives
Augustine Rubit and
Ken Williams. Rubit was on the USA roster when the Jags visited Rice in 2009-10 but sat out the year with a redshirt.
South Alabama is 1-9 against Conference USA schools since the start of the 2009-10 season.
USA has led each game this season at halftime by an average of 12.0 points. USA is averaging 41.0 points in the first half while shooting 47.3 percent from the floor and 49.0 percent from 3-point land. Defensively, the Jags are holding the opposing team to just 29.0 points.
The Jaguars enjoyed their best second half of the year against Spring Hill, scoring a season-high 47 points and shooting 57.1 percent from the field. Coming in to the game the team was being outscored by 5.1 points with a 32.3 shooting percentage after halftime.
South Alabama's 91-41 win over Spring Hill is tied for the fourth-largest victory in school history. The Jags last scored 90 or more in regulation Dec. 11, 2011 against Alcorn State.
South Alabama has held six of eight opponents to under 40 percent shooting from the floor and lead the Sun Belt Conference in scoring defense (62.0) and field goal percentage defense (.382) and is second in 3-point percentage defense (.267). Three opponents have shot 12 percent or worse from 3-point land.
Mychal Ammons scored 15 of his season-high 17 points Monday in the first half, hitting three of his four 3-point attempts. He averaged 5.2 points in his previous five games after going for 13 and 16 points in the first two.
Rubit scored 18 points in only 19 minutes of work on Monday and just missed a double-double with nine rebounds. The nine boards were enough to get Rubit up to second place in Sun Belt history, 40 shy of the all-time leader.
USA had a positive assist-turnover ratio (13 assists, nine turnovers) Monday for the second time in the last three games. The team is averaging 8.7 turnovers in their last three outings after averaging 15.4 miscues in the first five.
Aakim Saintil had one steal vs. Spring Hill, ending his three-game streak with multiple thefts, but he remains in second in the conference with 2.1 per contest. He has at least one steal in seven of his eight games played.
After the first scoreless game in his young career at Middle Tennessee, Williams recorded 13 points for the third time in the last four games. Williams hit three 3-pointers in five attempts and had two assists and two steals. In his three 13-point outings, he is shooting 59.1 percent from the floor and 60.0 percent from 3-point land.
