Game Notes

MOBILE, Ala. – Having already clinched a spot in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament, the University of South Alabama men's basketball team will wrap up the regular season at home Saturday vs. in-state rival Troy.

The Jaguars' two seniors, Dionte Ferguson (Prattville, Ala.) and Jermaine Williams (Saint Stephens, Ala.), will be honored in a ceremony prior to the 4:05 p.m. tip-off. Live audio can be heard on 710 AM or on iHeartRadio.com, and live video as well as live stats will be available at USAJaguars.com. In-game updates will also be provided on Twitter at @SouthAlaMBK.

A top eight finish has already been decided, but the Jags' seed in the tournament has not. They could finish as high as sixth with a win or as low as seventh with a loss.

"Regardless of what's on the line, whether you're a six or seven seed, it really doesn't matter; it's just the difference in uniform color you're wearing," USA head coach Matthew Graves said. "What's important about the game tomorrow is you have two seniors that have been a part of your program—one for a year (Williams) and another for three (Ferguson)—and you want to see them go out with a win on your home floor one last time. This game is more about pride and effort and going into the postseason feeling even better about yourself and your team.

"I'm extremely proud and excited for the team and what they've been able to accomplish. Certainly when you're 2-10 going into a road game at Arkansas-Little Rock (Jan. 5), you're not sure how it's going to turn out. After the team met and looked at each other and themselves in the mirror, we really came together and did some good things the rest of the season. We weren't perfect and we had our moments, but we really had stretches of very good basketball."

USA (10-20, 8-11 SBC) clinched its spot Thursday with an 81-76 victory at Arkansas State. The Red Wolves rallied from a 24-point deficit in the second half to tie, but sophomore Ken Williams (Houston, Texas) led a late charge to clinch the win. Williams, who had 13 points and tied his career high with six assists in the first meeting in Troy, ranks seventh in the conference in scoring at 15.5 ppg. He tallied 12 of his 18 points Thursday in the second half.

"I think with Juice, he just needs to stay the course and continue doing what he's been doing," Graves said. "He made a huge '3' for us last night, but at the same time, we have other guys that can score the ball, so it's not solely on his shoulders to go out and get his 20 points. He needs to continue to play good basketball and within himself, and play like he's been playing since Christmas. He's been in an attack mindset trying to get to the free-throw line and being opportunistic with his shots. I'm just really pleased with how he's bounced back and had a great second-half of the season. I don't think there's any question he's a second-team all-league guy as a sophomore."

South Alabama has dominated the recent series with Troy, winning seven of the previous eight meetings, including 71-67 Feb. 12 in Troy.

The Trojans have already been eliminated from tournament contention and enter Saturday with a 10-18 overall record and 5-14 mark in league play.

"I think they'll come out and play extremely hard," Graves said. "They might try to do something a little different, maybe play some different combinations to see what they have for next year, or press or maybe take some more chances. We just need to be prepared to play extremely hard, play together, stay the course and be focused, and not get too caught up in what they're doing, because with a week off to prepare, they could throw a myriad of things at us. We just have to go out and control what we can, and that's play good basketball."

The Trojans have two of the top 11 scorers in the league in Musa Abdul-Aleem and Wesley Person. Abdul-Aleem is eighth in the conference—one spot behind Williams—at 15.2 ppg, while Person is the top freshman scorer in the league with 13.8 ppg.

Abdul-Aleem was held below his average the last time the two teams met in Troy with 11 points on 4 of 13 shooting, but Person had 14 points—nine in the second half—on four 3-pointers.

"We're not going to change from a defensive standpoint; we need to lock on and trail those guys off screens, be physical with them off ball-screens, and contest every shot they take," Graves said. "If they're going to score 20 points, it needs to be on 20 shots. We have to make life difficult for them. For the most part, our guards that rotated on those two in Troy did a good job of making them take difficult shots, and the baskets they got, they had to work for."

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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