Game Notes

Game 21 • South Alabama Jaguars (11-9, 8-4) at Arkansas at Little Rock (14-9, 8-4)
February 2, 2013 • 7 p.m. • Jack Stephens Center (5,600) • Little Rock, Ark.

THE COACHES
South Alabama
Jeff Price (Pikeville, 1981) - Interim
Record at USA: 6-4 (1st year)
Overall Record: 299-190 (18th year)
Record vs. UALR: 1-0

UALR
Steve Shields (Baylor, 1988)
Record at UALR: 161-137 (10th year)
Overall Record: Same

LAST GAME
South Alabama fell behind early and could not catch up in a 74-62 loss at Arkansas State. Arkansas at Little Rock won its third straight, a 62-57 road win at North Texas last Saturday.

NEXT GAME
The Jaguars start another three-game homestand Thursday against Troy. The Trojans travel to Louisiana at Monroe.

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

RANKINGS (Through Jan. 30)
USA: #177 RPI (RealTimeRPI), #191 Sagarin
UALR: #119 RPI (RealTimeRPI), #188 Sagarin

THE SERIES
USA leads 24-14.

Current winning streak: USA, 1 win
UALR’s last win in series: 75-50 (1/26/12) in Little Rock
Last meeting: USA 77, UALR 62 (12/22/12)
USA’s last win in Little Rock: 72-65 (1/19/08)
UALR’s last win in Little Rock: 75-50 (1/26/12)
USA’s record in Stephens Center: 2-1
USA’s record in Little Rock: 8-9
USA’s road streak: Lost 1
USA’s longest winning / losing streak in series: 6 / 3

Notes: Saturday will mark the first time since 2001-02 that the two teams will meet in Little Rock in consecutive seasons… The Trojans’ 75-50 win last season was the second biggest win by UALR in the series… USA has won eight of the last 11 meetings dating back to the 2005-06 season… UALR’s win in Mobile on 1/22/09 ended a four-game USA winning streak in the series… USA won 10 of 11 from 3/2/97 to 3/3/01… The Jags are 6-1 vs. the Trojans in the SBC Tournament, including 3-1 at neutral sites… The lone loss came in 2010-11 (82-68) in the first round… South Alabama advanced to the SBC championship game in 2009 with a 54-44 win in Hot Springs.

OPENING TIP
South Alabama’s season-long three-game win streak came to an end Thursday at Arkansas State.

The Jaguars are 11-0 when leading or tied at halftime and 0-9 when trailing at the break.

Arkansas State’s 74 points tie the most the Jaguars have allowed in regulation since giving up 92 at UAB on Dec. 8 (ULL had 74 at the end of regulation and 89 in double overtime on Jan. 10). USA had previously not allowed any of its last three opponents to score more than 58 points.

South Alabama outshot Arkansas State 38.0 percent to 36.4 percent, dropping the Jags’ record to 8-1 (6-1 SBC) in 2012-13 when posting a higher shooting percentage. ASU’s percentage was the second-lowest by a USA opponent this season and marked the fourth time in the last five games that the Jags held the other team below 40 percent shooting.

The Jags were outrebounded vs. Arkansas State (43-34) for the first time since Dec. 22. USA has lost the rebounding battle just five times this season.

On Thursday Augustine Rubit fell one rebound short of a double-double with 18 points and nine rebounds—both team highs—and added two blocks. Rubit totaled nine rebounds for the sixth time this season and has just two games with fewer than nine this season. He maintains his lead in the Sun Belt Conference rankings with 10.8 boards per contest—ninth-best in the nation—and needs two rebounds to take over 16th place in league history for career rebounds and four for the 15th spot. He already ranks second in school history.

Rubit is averaging 20.5 points and 8.5 rebounds in his last two games vs. UALR, including a 22-point, seven-rebound performance in his last appearance in Little Rock. He had 19 and 10 earlier this season vs. the Trojans.

Rubit recorded 10 of his 18 points in the second half Thursday and has led or tied the team in scoring in each of his six games. After posting 20 or more points six times in nine games, he hasn’t reached that goal in his last three outings, but still ranks second in the SBC with 19.1 ppg.

With three blocks vs. ASU, Javier Carter extended his streak to 14 straight games with at least one block. The three rejections represent his highest total since also blocking three shots vs. New Mexico State on Dec. 4. He has posted multiple rejections six times in his last seven outings and ranks third in the league with 2.2 per game.

Carter did work on the offensive end vs. the Red Wolves, scoring 10 of his season-high-tying 11 points in the first half. He made all five attempts from the floor in the first half.