Game Notes

Game 1 • South Alabama Jaguars (0-0) at UNLV Runnin' Rebels (0-0)
November 11, 2016 • 9 p.m. CST • Thomas & Mack Center (18,000) • Las Vegas, Nev.

THE COACHES
South Alabama
Matthew Graves (Butler, 1998)
Record at USA: 37-60 (4th year)
Overall Record: Same
Record vs. UNLV: 0-0

UNLV
Marvin Menzies (UCLA, 1987)
Record at UNLV: 0-0 (1st year)
Overall Record: 198-111 (10th year)

LAST GAME
South Alabama defeated Mobile 77-46 in an exhibition last Friday. UNLV won the second of two exhibitions 92-66 against New Mexico Highlands.

NEXT GAME
The Jaguars open their home schedule Monday against Blue Mountain. The Rebels continue their six-game homestand Wednesday against UC Riverside.

ON THE AIR
Radio: 99.5 FM The Jag; J.D. Byars (pxp)
On the web: www.iheart.com/live/995-the-jag-mobile-7117/ (audio); Mountain West Network http://www.themw.com/page/watch-live (video)

RANKINGS (Final 2015-16)
USA: #240 RPI, #257 Sagarin
UNLV: #146 RPI, #111 Sagarin

THE SERIES
UNLV leads 2-0.

Current streak: UNLV, 2 wins
Last meeting: #16 UNLV 122, South Alabama 82 (12/13/75)
USA's last win at the Thomas & Mack Center: N/A
UNLV's last win at the Thomas & Mack Center: N/A
UNLV's last win in Las Vegas: 122-82 (12/13/75)
USA's record on the road: 0-2
USA's road streak: Lost 2
USA's longest winning / losing streak in series: 0 / 2

Notes: The two teams have not met since the 1975-76 season… UNLV won the first meeting 99-80 the previous year, and 122-82 in the most recent meeting.

OPENING TIP
UNLV leads the series between the two schools 2-0, winning by an average of 29.5 points. The Runnin' Rebels have averaged 110.5 points in the two wins vs. the Jaguars.

USA head coach Matthew Graves has not faced UNLV prior to Friday's contest, but is 0-1 against Marvin Menzies. The Jags fell 84-68 to a Menzies-led New Mexico State team in 2013-14.

South Alabama returns its top four scorers from last season's team that advanced to the quarterfinals of the Sun Belt Tournament for the ninth time in the last 10 seasons.

USA has won its last four season openers by an average of 15 points. The last three have been by an average of 18.3 points. The Jags are 33-15 overall in season openers and 10-1 in the last 11 years. However, USA is 10-38 in its first road game of the year and has lost 20 of the last 22.

South Alabama last opened a season on the road in 2012-13, a 76-71 victory over No. 25/24 FSU.

The Jaguars finished second in the league last year in 3-point percentage defense at 31.9 percent, and held seven of their last nine opponents to 25 percent or less.

In his junior season, Georgi Boyanov went from 6.0 ppg to 10.4 ppg — the second-best scoring average on the team — and 4.7 rpg to 7.4 rpg, to lead the team and rank fifth in the conference.

Boyanov also ranked fifth in the league in field-goal percentage at 50.5 percent.

Boyanov led the team with seven double-doubles, and became the first Jaguar to record three in a row since 2013.

Shaq Calhoun, who started just twice last season, paced the team with 43 steals, the highest total by a Jaguar since 2010-11. He was second on the team in 3-pointers with 49.

Don MuepoKelly finished first on the team in blocks with 28 and second with 30 steals. He had six steals and four blocks in two games in the Sun Belt Tournament.

MuepoKelly helped the Jags rank second in the league in blocks per game (4.0).

Ken Williams, who was a Third Team All-Sun Belt Conference selection in 2015-16 and a second team pick in 2014-15, was voted Preseason Second Team All-Sun Belt.

Williams paced the team in scoring for second straight season with 15.5 ppg and can become the third player in school history to lead the team in scoring for three consecutive seasons.

Williams' 106 assists in 2015-16 are the most by a Jaguar since 2007-08.

Williams is the first Jaguar to lead the team in scoring and have 100 assists since Demetrice Williams in 2001-02.

Williams ranks 11th in school history in career points (1,279) and needs 30 to tie for 10th.

He ranks third in career 3-pointers (203) — five from second — and second in 3-point attempts (591), nine shy of tying the school record.

UNLV returns just three letterwinners and one starter from last year's 18-15 squad. The team's leading returning scorer, Dwayne Morgan, averaged just 5.5 points per contest. By comparison, South Alabama has eight letterwinners coming back, including three that averaged 10 points or better.

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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