Game Notes

Game 27 • South Alabama Jaguars (11-15, 6-9) at Appalachian State Mountaineers (6-19, 4-10)
February 18, 2016 • 7:30 p.m. EST • Holmes Center (8,325) • Boone, N.C.

THE COACHES
South Alabama
Matthew Graves (Butler, 1998)
Record at USA: 34-56 (3rd year)
Overall Record: Same
Record vs. App: 2-1

Appalachian State
Jim Fox (SUNY Geneseo, 1995)
Record at App: 18-31 (2nd year)
Overall Record: Same

LAST GAME
South Alabama shot a season-low 26.4 percent in a 61-54 loss to Troy. Appalachian State lost its fifth straight, 91-60 to Texas-Arlington.

NEXT GAME
The Jaguars take a week off before their final two home games of the season, starting with Louisiana-Monroe next Thursday. The Mountaineers host Troy Saturday.

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

RANKINGS (through Feb. 16)
USA: #247 RPI, #272 Sagarin
App: #269 RPI, #262 Sagarin

THE SERIES
USA leads 2-1.

Current winning streak: South Alabama, 1 win
App State's last win in series: 64-53 (1/22/15) in Boone
Last meeting: South Alabama 73, Appalachian State 60 (1/30/16)
USA's last win at the Holmes Center: N/A
USA's record at the Holmes Center: 0-1
USA's road streak: Lost 1
USA's longest winning / losing streak in series: 1 / 1

Notes: The two schools split a pair of games last season, the first two in the series; each team won at home.

OPENING TIP
South Alabama is 1-5 in its last six Sun Belt Conference road games.

The Jags' first-half (17.9%) and overall shooting percentage (26.4%), and first-half points (14) Tuesday are all season lows. USA was credited with 23 missed layups and went 4 for 25 from 3-point land.

South Alabama fell to 0-10 (0-5 SBC) when its opponent shoots 50 percent or better in the second half.

The Jags' 11 steals are tied for third most this season, and the 21 turnovers forced are the most by a Division I opponent in 2015-16.

South Alabama's 25 offensive rebounds Tuesday are a new season high, and the team's total of 37 over the last two games also ties its season best.

The Jaguars turned those 25 offensive rebounds into 17 points, the most in regulation against a Sun Belt opponent all season.

Don MuepoKelly — who tied his career high with 10 total rebounds — grabbed seven on the offensive glass, tying the most by a USA player this season.

Georgi Boyanov also grabbed 10 rebounds for his ninth double-digit rebound performance of the season. The rest of the team has three combined.

Ken Williams was the only Jaguar in double-digit points with 13. He is averaging 18.3 points in his last three games.

Williams was held without an assist Tuesday for the second time this season. He has led the team in that category a team-best 15 times and has 80 on the year, tied for seventh in the league.

Shaq Calhoun tied his personal record with four steals Tuesday, moving him up to 10th in the SBC in steals per game (1.3). He also multiple thefts in four of his last five games.

Frank Eaves, the second-leading scorer in the Sun Belt at 19.2 ppg, was held to two points against South Alabama earlier this year, shooting 1 for 15 from the floor and 0 for 7 from 3-point land.

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—