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LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – University of South Alabama went over eight minutes without a field goal in the second half and shot just 19.4 percent after intermission to let the Arkansas-LIttle Rock men's basketball team rally for a 65-60 win Thursday night at the Jack Stephens Center.

UALR stays undefeated in the Sun Belt at 3-0 and is 8-7 overall. USA loses its fifth straight game to drop to 6-10 and 0-3.

The Jaguars led by as many as 10 points in the first half and nine at intermission on the strength of seven 3-pointers, but went 2-for-17 from beyond the arc after halftime.

"I thought we came out and played well early in the game," USA head coach Matthew Graves said. "We moved the ball, took great shots and we were in a really good rhythm attacking inside and out. We went 7 of 17 on 3-pointers in the first half and had eight assists. We really moved the ball well and did some good things. Defensively we did a pretty good job of covering their guys.

"We get to the second half and some of those shots that were falling in the first half just weren't falling. We need to have better resolve and step up, know it's a good shot and when a team goes on a run, we have to be able to make a '3' or drive and finish an 'and-1.' In the second half we went through a long dry spell and didn't score the ball."

The Jags took their biggest lead of the contest, 49-38, after a 3-pointer from senior Augustine Rubit (Houston, Texas). From there, South Alabama gave up the next 14 points while missing 11 consecutive shots.

Arkansas-Little Rock took advantage of the drought and shot 5-for-8 from the field, tying the game on a Kenny Osse triple and taking the lead on an old-fashioned three-point play by DaVonte Smith.

"We allowed our slump to affect our effort defensively," Graves noted. "In the second half, they shot the ball just like they did in the first half, but we allowed the pace of the game to halt our energy, our effort and our excitement for each other."

USA responded and went back on top on two free throws from freshman Austin Karazsia (Linton, Ind.), and after UALR scored five unanswered, senior Antoine Allen (Baltimore, Md.) hit right back with five points of his own, nailing a 3-pointer and converting twice at the free throw line in just over 20 seconds to tie the game at 60-60 with 2:41 to play.

Allen's points would be the team's last as the Jaguars missed their last six shots. James White put the Trojans ahead for good at the 2:29 mark on a jumper and Ben Dillard went 3-for-4 at the charity stripe in the final 31 seconds.

"When you hold a team to around 42 percent on field goals, you expect to win those games," Graves said. "We've got to figure out a better combination offensively where we get in a better rhythm. We're searching for answers and need guys to step up and shoot with confidence. Right now we're really struggling to do that."

Will Neighbour recorded a double-double with 22 points and 10 rebounds, and added two blocks. White tallied 13 points while Smith grabbed 10 boards to go with his game-high six assists.

"He's obviously an all-league player and he's capable of doing some really nice things for them," Graves said.

South Alabama got 15 straight points early in the game off 3-pointers, including two from Allen and Rubit apiece. A 10-2 run, keyed by five straight points from freshman Isaiah Maston (Birmingham, Ala.) gave the Jaguars a 29-21 lead.

Rubit matched Neighbour's 22 points and pulled down a game-high 13 rebounds. Allen recorded 13 points and dished out three assists.

The Jaguars hit the road on Thursday, traveling to Arkansas-Little Rock for a 7 p.m. tip.

NOTES: South Alabama's five-game losing streak is the program's longest since the end of the 2006-07 campaign… The Jags are 0-7 this season away from home… Maston scored all of his career-high eight points in the first half… Rubit's double-double is his seventh of the season and he's posted back-to-back double-doubles for the first time since Nov. 24… He leads all active Division I players with 49 career double-doubles… Rubit's 22 points are his most since pouring in 35 vs. Gonzaga on Dec. 14 and he tied his career high with three 3-pointers… USA fell to 0-8 this year when scoring 69 or fewer points… Neighbour came into the evening averaging 9.0 points in three career games against the Jaguars... USA won the battle of the boards 41-37 and had 13 offensive 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).

—USA—