Game Notes
Game 19 • South Alabama Jaguars (9-9, 2-3) at Little Rock Trojans (11-7, 2-3)
January 21, 2017 • 6 p.m. • Jack Stephens Center (5,600) • Little Rock, Ark.
THE COACHES
South Alabama
Matthew Graves (Butler, 1998)
Record at USA: 46-69 (4th year)
Overall Record: Same
Record vs. Little Rock: 3-4
Little Rock
Wes Flanigan (Auburn, 1997)
Record at LR: 11-7 (1st year)
Overall Record: Same
LAST GAME
South Alabama rallied back after falling behind 16-points but fell short, losing 89-83 to Texas-Arlington. Little Rock dropped its second straight, a 77-72 loss at home vs. Arkansas State.
NEXT GAME
The Jaguars travel to Arkansas State Monday. The Trojans host Troy.
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)
RANKINGS (Through Jan. 17)
USA: #222 RPI, #233 Sagarin
LR: #218 RPI, #192 Sagarin
THE SERIES
USA leads 28-18.
Current winning streak: Little Rock, 2 wins
USA's last win in series: 57-55 (3/12/15) at SBC Tournament
Last meeting: Little Rock 74, South Alabama 43 (2/6/16)
USA's last win in Little Rock: 72-69 (1/5/15)
UALR's last win in Little Rock: 74-43 (2/6/16)
USA's record in Stephens Center: 4-3
USA's record in Little Rock: 10-11
USA's road streak: Lost 1
USA's longest winning / losing streak in series: 6 / 3
Notes: South Alabama swept the season series in 2015-16 3-0, defeating the Trojans in the first round of the Sun Belt Tournament… The Jaguars' victory in Little Rock in 2012-13 was the program's first since 2007-08… The Trojans' 75-50 win in 2011-12 was the second-biggest win by UALR in the series until Little Rock won 74-43 last year… UALR swept the season series in 2013-14 for the first time since 1995-96… UALR's win in Mobile on 1/22/09 ended a four-game USA winning streak in the series… USA won 10 of 11 from 3/2/97 to 3/3/01… The Jags are 7-1 vs. the Trojans in the SBC Tournament, including 4-1 at neutral sites… The lone loss came in 2010-11 (82-68) in the first round; Little Rock eventually won the tournament… South Alabama advanced to the SBC championship game in 2009 with a 54-44 win in Hot Springs.
OPENING TIP
The two schools have alternated sweeping the season series in each of the last four seasons. South Alabama took all three meetings in 2014-15 — winning 57-55 in the first round of the Sun Belt Tournament — before Little Rock took both matchups last season, including a 31-point win in Little Rock.
The Jaguars recorded their highest first-half scoring total of the season Monday vs. Texas-Arlington (43 points) and their second-highest field-goal percentage (.457), one game after posting their lowest first-half total (18 vs. Texas State).
On Monday, South Alabama tied their season best in 3-pointers with 11, and set a new season high in attempts with 30. The team has converted double-digit treys in three of its last four outings, and has 41 triples during that stretch, tying the most in a four-game span since 2006-07 (2013-14 had 41, 17 in triple OT loss at Rice).
The Jaguars set a new season high vs. UT Arlington with 20 assists on 31 field goals; the team's assist/field goal ratio was their best of 2016-17.
Dederick Lee set a new career high Monday with seven assists. He has 49 assists and 26 turnovers this year.
Defensively, the Jags allowed a season-high 49 second-half points Monday, and 57.7 percent shooting from the floor. Nine of USA's last 10 Division-I opponents have converted 50 percent or better from the floor in the second half.
USA lost the turnover battle vs. UTA for just the fourth time all year (16-15) and dropped in 1-3 in those games; the Jags rank 36th in the nation in turnover margin (+3.1).
South Alabama is 7-2 when posting a positive assist/turnover ratio and 0-5 when losing the bench points.
The Jaguars have held each of their last two opponents to 25.0 percent shooting from 3-point land, and rank 31st in Division I in 3-point defense (30.8%).
Ken Williams, who scored his 1,500th career point Monday, needs six assists to tie for ninth all-time at South Alabama, and nine to tie former teammate Barrington Stevens III for eighth with 300. Williams also needs one made free throw to tie Virgil Stanescu for seventh with 300.
Williams has scored at least 13 points in four of his last five games, averaging 14.6 points over that span.
Josh Ajayi has scored in double-digits in his last five games (all starts), and eight of his last nine, averaging 15.2 points and 7.0 rebounds in that five-game stretch. He led the Jags with 16 vs. UTA, but tied his season low with two rebounds (UNLV).
Shaq Calhoun posted a team-best two steals vs. UT Arlington and has 12 in his last five outings. He currently ranks fifth in the conference with 1.6 per game.
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—
