Box Score (html)
Box Score (pdf)

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Down as much as 14 in the second half, the University of South Alabama men’s basketball team came back to get as close as three in the last minute but eventually fell 79-73 to Western Kentucky Thursday night at Diddle Arena.

The Jaguars fall to 16-11 overall and 13-6 in the Sun Belt Conference while the Hilltoppers improve to 16-14 and 10-9.

WKU shot 57.1 percent from the floor in the second half and placed four players in double-digit scoring, led by T.J. Price’s 22 points.

“We just didn’t defend well enough to have a chance on the road,” USA interim head coach Jeff Price said. “Everything we gave up, from offensive rebounds to free throws, was all predicated on us guarding the ball and we just didn’t do a good job of guarding the basketball.”

The ‘Toppers used a 14-2 run in the first half to take control early and a 12-3 spurt midway through the second to lead 62-48 with 10:12 left.

South Alabama responded with the next six points and later went on a 12-4 run, capped off with a 3-pointer from junior Dre Conner (Lauderhill, Fla.), to pull within four—the game’s closest margin since midway through the first half—with 2:40 left in the contest.

“I don’t think we’re going to die,” Price said. “These guys want to win; our minds need to get where they were a couple weeks ago where we were really buying in to defending and rebounding the ball. When you play a really good offensive team like Western Kentucky, I think you get into the mindset of, ‘we can outscore them.’ That’s not going to be the case with this team. We have to get our mindset back to where we’re going to defend and rebound.”

WKU’s George Fant and USA’s Augustine Rubit (Houston, Texas) traded baskets, and Jaguar junior Antoine Allen (Baltimore, Md.) hit once at the free throw line to make it a 74-71 game at the 1:17 mark.

The Jaguar defense forced a stop on the Hilltoppers’ next possession, but a Rubit jumper went begging and the Jags were unable to corral the rebound.

Western Kentucky made 5 of 6 free throws and forced South Alabama to miss its last three 3-pointers to hold on.

Rubit led all scorers with 23 points—shooting 7 of 7 from the foul line—and added nine rebounds. He set new career highs with four assists and three steals.

Senior Javier Carter (Dallas, Texas) recorded his second consecutive double-double with a season-high 14 points and also grabbed 10 rebounds with six blocks and three steals.

“They were both aggressive tonight,” Price said. “Javier has been really good the last two games; we need to keep him playing like that. I thought Aug did a good job of finding open people out of the double team. Our guys have to knock down shots for him. I thought we did a good job of getting it in there and he played hard. He’s used to people double- and triple-teaming him; he’s getting it out well, and we have to make shots.”

Conner and Allen added 12 points apiece for the Jags.

In addition to Price’s total, Fant contributed 13—all in the second half—and Brandon Harris came off the bench to pour in 12.

South Alabama finishes the 2012-13 regular season at Troy Saturday night at 7:30 p.m.

NOTES: Rubit has scored 20 or more points 13 times this season… He moved into ninth place in USA history for career points (1,324) and 10th in Sun Belt history for career rebounds (868)… Western Kentucky held a 38-30 advantage on the glass and scored 21 second-chance points to South Alabama’s 12… WKU converted 15 USA turnovers into 30 points… Carter is the third USA player (Rubit, Mychal Ammons) to record consecutive double-doubles this season… Carter moved into a tie for 14th place in Sun Belt history with 195 blocks; he has 12 in his last two games… He has rejected six or more shots in a game six times in his career… Conner reached double-digits in points for the fourth time this season and did it after scoring a total of one point over the last two games… USA is shooting 87.8 percent (36-41) from the foul line over the last two games... South Alabama lost for the first time in eight games when scoring 70 or more; the Jags are 9-1 this season when hitting the 70-point mark vs. Sun Belt foes.

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).

—USA—