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MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama men’s basketball team put four players in double-figure scoring, senior Javier Carter (Dallas, Texas) recorded his third career double-double and the Jaguars held North Texas to 33.8 percent shooting in a 69-57 win Saturday night at the Mitchell Center.

The Jags closed out the home schedule with their seventh-straight victory in Mobile and are now 16-10 overall and 13-5 in the Sun Belt Conference. The Mean Green fall to 11-19 and 6-13.

USA forced misses on 17 of North Texas’ first 21 shots of the second half and kept an opponent under 40 percent shooting for the first time in three games. NT’s shooting percentage is the lowest by a USA opponent this season.

“It was a good, solid, well-rounded victory,” interim USA head coach Jeff Price said. “We let them off the hook some in the first half. We keep talking about when we get these 10 point leads to build it up to 18 and not let it get down to two. We let them get it to six at the half, but I thought we did a better job in the second half of maintaining that. We kept it at 10 or 11 and it didn't really get under that and we pushed it away at the end. I thought it was a good overall effort. I thought our defense with 33 percent is outstanding. Outside of some easy baskets there in the last couple of minutes it probably would have been under 30.”

Carter poured in 10 points and grabbed a personal-best 12 rebounds to go along with six blocks. He shot 4 of 8 from the floor and was credited with one steal.

In addition to Carter’s night, senior Wendell Wright (Long Beach, Calif.) set a new career high with 10 points and added season-bests with five rebounds and three assists.

All together, the three Jaguar seniors—including Trey Anderson (Carrollton, Texas)—combined for 26 points, 19 rebounds and five assists.

“Our seniors did really appropriately on senior night,” Price said. “Wendell and Trey and Javier were outstanding. I haven't seen Javier that active in a while. He was active on the glass and blocking shots from the floor. They did a good job making it tough on Aug inside and he had one of those shooting nights, but it's good to see those other guys step up.”

South Alabama never trailed in the contest and led by as many as 11 in the first half before North Texas recorded the final five points of the period to cut the lead to 30-24 at the half.

A prolonged shooting slump—over eight minutes without a field goal—kept the Jags from pulling away, but the USA defense kept North Texas at bay and did not allow the Mean Green to get any closer than eight points. An Anderson-to-Carter alley-oop broke the drought and sparked a 13-4 run that doubled the Jaguar lead to 18 (61-43).

“I give those guys credit,” North Texas head coach Tony Benford said. “It’s their senior night, and they did a good job at home. I just thought that early on, we were a little stagnant offensively, and I give those guys credit. We got behind and just couldn’t really get in a groove. We just didn’t do a good job keeping them off the boards.”

USA sophomore Mychal Ammons (Vicksburg, Miss.) led all scorers with 18 points on 8 of 13 shooting from the floor.

“He was really good in the first half,” Price said. “I don't remember the first half stats, but he was a go-to guy down in the paint. I thought he did a really nice job posting up, getting fouls in there and when he got his second foul and I took him out—I think the last few minutes in the first half—and when I did that we stopped scoring and they made their comeback. I thought he was really good. He has been playing really well lately.”

Junior Augustine Rubit (Houston, Texas) grabbed a game-high 15 rebounds—his highest total since pulling down 17 on Dec. 29—but was held to nine points, just his second single-digit scoring game of the season.

Tony Mitchell led North Texas with his eight double-double of the year with 11 points and 11 rebounds. Alzee Williams added 15 points.

NT’s leading scorer, Jordan Williams, was held to nine points on 3 of 18 shooting from the field.

“He was a guy we wanted to try to lock down,” Price noted. “He is a good player—tremendous shooter. We talked about trying to stay close to him, and stay glued to him off the screen and try to contest every shot. I thought we made it tough for him. I thought we did a really nice job there.”

South Alabama closes out the season with two road games, starting with Western Kentucky Thursday night at 7 p.m.

NOTES: The Jaguars snapped a four-game losing streak to the Mean Green that dated back to the 2009-10 season… South Alabama shot a season-high 93.8 percent (15-16) from the free throw line and Wright went a career-best 6-for-6 at the line… Rubit’s streak of double-digit scoring games ended at 17 games… USA is 14-0 (11-0 Sun Belt) this season when leading or tied at halftime and 12-1 (10-1) when outshooting its opponent… Rubit tied Chris Gatling (Old Dominion) for 11th in Sun Belt history for career rebounds (859)… Rubit also reached the 1,300-point plateau tonight… His three free throw attempts were his fewest since going 1-for-1 at Florida Atlantic on Nov. 29; he leads the conference in free throws made and attempted… Carter has blocked six or more shots in a game five times in his career… Ammons is averaging 15.5 points in his last four games and has recorded 18 points twice in that span… South Alabama last won seven straight at home in 2007-08... The Jags grabbed a season-best 48 rebounds.

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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