Game Notes

Game 16 • South Alabama Jaguars (4-11, 2-3) at Texas State Bobcats (9-5, 3-2)
January 15, 2015 • 7:30 p.m. • Strahan Coliseum (7,200) • San Marcos, Texas

THE COACHES
South Alabama
Matthew Graves (Butler, 1998)
Record at USA: 15-31 (2nd year)
Overall Record: Same
Record vs. TXST: 1-1

Texas State
Danny Kaspar (North Texas, 1978)
Record at TXST: 17-28 (2nd year)
Overall Record: 263-169 (15th year)

LAST GAME
South Alabama allowed 50 second-half points in an 81-73 home loss to Georgia Southern. Texas State fell behind early and was unable to overcome Louisiana-Monroe in a 62-59 defeat.

NEXT GAME
The Jaguars go to Louisiana-Lafayette Saturday. The Bobcats travel to Arkansas State.

ON THE AIR
Radio: 710 AM WNTM; J.D. Byars (pxp)
On the web: www.iheart.com/live/newsradio-710-wntm-1 (audio)

RANKINGS (through Jan. 12)
USA: #330 RPI, #299 Sagarin
TXST: #152 RPI, #165 Sagarin

THE SERIES
Tied 1-1.

Current streak: USA, 1 win
Last meeting: USA 63, Texas State 53 (3/6/14)
TXST's last win in the series: 67-66 OT (2/20/14)
USA's last win in Strahan Coliseum: None
TXST's last win in Strahan Coliseum: 67-66 OT (2/20/14)
USA's record in Strahan Coliseum: 0-1
USA's road streak: Lost 1

Notes: The two schools have met just twice in their history, both last year after Texas State joined the Sun Belt Conference.

OPENING TIP
South Alabama has scored 72 or more points in four straight games for the first time since the end of the 2007-08 campaign. The Jaguars are averaging 84.0 points over that span while shooting 52.5 percent from the floor and 46.7 percent from 3-point land. The team is also averaging 8.8 treys per game during that stretch, with two double-digit performances.

However, the Jags are 2-2 over those four games thanks to the opposition averaging 86.0 points and shooting 50.2 percent overall and 39.4 from behind the arc. Their last two opponents averaged 56.0 points in the second half alone.

USA committed 16 turnovers Saturday—its most in the last five games—and Georgia Southern turned them into 25 points, the most by an opponent this season. The Jaguars are last in the Sun Belt in turnover margin at minus-2.13.

Texas State, Thursday's opponent, is second in the league in steals (8.7) and in turnover margin (3.36), and forces a conference-high 17.4 turnovers per game.

Dionte Ferguson was held to 10 points Saturday, but went 6-for-6 from the foul line and is shooting 90.1 percent (20-for-22) at the stripe in his last five outings to move to 15th in the conference at 71.0 percent. He entered the season converting 55.7 percent at the stripe for his career.

Ferguson is averaging 18.0 points and shooting 63.0 percent from the floor in his last three games. His run includes his career-high 25 points at Arkansas-Little Rock.

Ken Williams scored a game-high 23 points vs. Georgia Southern for his second straight 20-point outing and third of the season, more than all other USA players combined. His 49 total points are the most by a Jaguar over a two-game stretch since Augustine Rubit had 56 in December 2013. Williams is averaging 24.5 points and shooting 55.6 percent from the floor and 64.3 percent from 3-point land over his last two games. He has also dished out seven assists with just two turnovers over that span as well.

Barrington Stevens III has at least five assists in each of his last four outings and is averaging 5.8 helpers in that time. He has 10 assists and two turnovers in the last two games combined while averaging 10.0 points.

The Jaguars will be facing a top-two Sun Belt defense for the second straight game as Texas State leads the conference in scoring defense (57.1), and is fourth in field goal percentage defense (40.3%) and second in 3-point defense (29.2%). The Bobcats are allowing 52.2 points in regulation in Sun Belt play.

Emani Gant leads Texas State in scoring (13.7), rebounding (6.6) and field goal percentage (55.4%)