Game Notes
Game 6 • South Alabama Jaguars (5-0) at Eastern Illinois Panthers (3-2)
November 26, 2016 • 3:15 p.m. • Lantz Arena (5,300) • Charleston, Ill.
THE COACHES
South Alabama
Matthew Graves (Butler, 1998)
Record at USA: 42-60 (4th year)
Overall Record: Same
Record vs. EIU: 0-0
Eastern Illinois
Jay Spoonhour (Pittsburg State, 1994)
Record at EIU: 56-74 (5th year)
Overall Record: 162-106 (10th year)
LAST GAME
South Alabama completed a 3-0 run through the Red Diamond Roundball Classic with a 71-58 win over Jacksonville. Eastern Illinois earned a season split with Troy, defeating the Trojans 71-67 on Monday.
NEXT GAME
The Jaguars stay on the road to take on Southern Miss Wednesday. The Panthers host Bradley on Tuesday.
ON THE AIR
Radio: None
On the web: OVCDigitalNetwork.com (video)
RANKINGS (Through Nov. 24)
USA: #33 RPI, #135 Sagarin
EIU: #323, #253 Sagarin
THE SERIES
Eastern Illinois leads 1-0.
Current winning streak: EIU, 1 win
USA's last win in series: N/A
Last meeting: Eastern Illinois 70, South Alabama 61 (12/28/85)
USA's last win at Lantz Arena: N/A
EIU's last win at Lantz Arena: N/A
USA's record on the road: 0-0
USA's road streak: N/A
USA's longest winning / losing streak in series: 0 / 1
Notes: Eastern Illinois won the only meeting between the two schools in the 1985-86 season in Honolulu, Hawai'i at the Seaside Classic.
OPENING TIP
South Alabama is 5-0 for the second time in school history. The program has never started a season 6-0.
USA is unbeaten through its first five games for the first time since 1982-83 and has won five straight at any point in the season for the first time since 2007-08.
The Jaguars lead the Sun Belt in scoring defense (60.0 ppg), scoring margin (+17.6) and field-goal percentage defense (.343), and is second in 3-point percentage defense (.248), turnover margin (+5.0) and assist/turnover ratio (1.3).
The Jags committed a season-high 17 turnovers Sunday against Jacksonville. They entered the game averaging just 10.8 miscues per contest.
Despite the high turnover total, the team managed to post a positive assist/turnover ratio (18 assists) for the fourth time in five games.
The Jaguars have dished out 18 assists or more three times this season and rank in a tie for second in the Sun Belt (15.8 apg); they had 18 or more just twice in the previous four years.
Eastern Illinois is committing 12.6 turnovers per game and is forcing 19.6 miscues.
South Alabama's 68.2 second-half shooting percentage vs. Jacksonville is the highest by the team since converting 73.9 percent in the first half vs. Florida Atlantic on Feb. 14, 2009.
The Jaguar bench is averaging 32.0 ppg through five games and is outscoring the opponent's bench by 18.8 ppg.
Georgi Boyanov is second on the team in scoring (11.6 ppg) despite not having started a game. He is fourth in the conference in field-goal percentage (.639) and second in 3-point percentage (.727).
Don MuepoKelly has recorded at least one block in every game this season, including four twice, and has a team-high 12 on the year. His 2.4 blocks average is second in the league. He also has a five-game steal streak and is second on the team with seven.
Ken Williams is averaging 20.0 points in his last two games since being held to one point vs. FIU. In the second half alone, he is averaging 16.5 points in the last two contests.
His 21-point outing vs. Jacksonville was the 20th 20-point game in his career. He has 1,348 career points is two points shy of ninth at USA and four shy of eighth.
Williams has led the team in assists in each of the last three games — including seven vs. Youngstown State — and is fourth in the SBC with 4.0 per game.
Shaq Calhoun has multiple steals three times in the last four games and is averaging 2.0 per game, third-best in the Sun Belt.
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—
