MOBILE, Ala. – After a two week break the 52nd-ranked  University of South Alabama men's tennis team will travel to Starkville, Miss. to face No. 10 Mississippi State Sunday 11 a.m. at the A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre.

Sunday will mark the 13th meeting between MSU and USA. The Bulldogs leads the all-time series with the Jaguars 8-4.

South Alabama enters the match with a 2-2 overall record.  The Jaguars split a pair of matches at the ITA Kick-Off Weekend in Gainesville, Fla. USA fell 5-2 to No. 42 UNC-Wilmington, but later picked up a 7-0 win over No. 56 St. John’s.

“The break has been really helpful because we have practiced very well and some of the guys needed a day off to heal some injuries,” said USA head coach Nick Brochu. “We had some time to prepare for Mississippi State and get the guys ready physically and mentally.”

The two teams last met in 2008 when the No. 52 Bulldogs defeated the Jaguars 4-3.

Mississippi State holds a 5-0 record in their spring campaign, after defeating Texas Tech, LSU, Rice, Auburn and Ole Miss. The Bulldogs’ duo of Jordan Angus and Malte Stropp are ranked No. 25 heading into the weekend. Stropp is also ranked No. 81 in the nation in singles and Romain Bogaerts is ranked No. 25.

“Mississippi State is undefeated this year and top 10 in the nation,” said Brochu. “They’re probably the best team we are going to play all year. We have to look at this as one match at a time instead of four points overall. We have to look at the smaller picture because trying to beat Mississippi State as a whole can be too overwhelming. We just have to take it one step at a time.”

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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