Game Notes

Game 20 • South Alabama Jaguars (9-10, 2-4) at Arkansas State Red Wolves (13-6, 4-2)
January 23, 2017 • 7 p.m. • Convocation Center (10,038) • Jonesboro, Ark.

THE COACHES
South Alabama
Matthew Graves (Butler, 1998)
Record at USA: 46-70 (4th year)
Overall Record: Same
Record vs. A-ST: 1-5

Arkansas State
Grant McCasland (Baylor, 1999)
Record at A-ST: 13-6 (1st year)
Overall Record: Same

LAST GAME
South Alabama suffered an off-night shooting in a 73-56 loss at Little Rock on Saturday. Arkansas State gutted out an 82-80 win over Troy.

NEXT GAME
The Jaguars return home for a Saturday clash with Georgia Southern. The Red Wolves travel to Louisiana-Monroe.

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); http://es.pn/2i7hlsU (video)

RANKINGS (Through Jan. 21)
USA: #226 RPI, #238 Sagarin
A-ST: #76 RPI, #89 Sagarin

THE SERIES
Arkansas State leads 24-18.

Current streak: Arkansas State, 2 wins
USA's last win in the series: 81-76 (3/5/15)
Last meeting: Arkansas State 79, South Alabama 73 OT (2/4/16)
USA's last win at the Convocation Center: 81-76 (3/5/15)
ASU's last win the Convocation Center: 79-73 OT (2/4/16)
USA's record at the Convocation Center: 5-15
USA's record in Jonesboro: 5-16
USA's road streak: Lost 1
USA's longest winning / losing streak in series: 5 / 5

Notes: South Alabama had a five-game win streak over ASU snapped in 2009-10 in Mobile, then ended a five-game Arkansas State streak in 2014-15 in Jonesboro… The Red Wolves had won the previous four meetings prior to USA's five-game streak and have won nine of the last 11 against the Jaguars… Arkansas State is 5-0 in games decided in overtime… The series dates back to the 1970-71 season… The Jags have scored more than 90 points just once in 38 games (91-78, 12/28/06).

OPENING TIP
South Alabama has lost seven of the last eight to Arkansas State, but the one win came in 2014-15 in Jonesboro. Two of the losses in the series came in overtime. The recent success for the Red Wolves — winning nine of the last 11 — comes on the heels of a five-game losing streak to the Jaguars.

The Jags, who had made 41 3-pointers in the previous four games coming into Saturday, which was tied for the highest four-game total since 2006-07, had just four against Little Rock, and none until the 4:52 mark of the second half after starting 0 for 10. The team finished the game 4 for 15 (26.7%).

The Jaguars have allowed 10 of their last 11 Division I opponents to shoot 50 percent or better in the second half after the Trojans went 13 for 25 (52.0%) after intermission. Those 11 teams are converting a combined 54.4 percent from the floor and 42.0 percent from 3-point land.

South Alabama is 1-7 when trailing at halftime, 2-8 when posting a negative assist/turnover ratio and 0-6 when losing the bench points.

Little Rock committed 20 turnovers Saturday, marking the seventh time this season the Jags have forced 19 turnovers or more in a game. USA leads the Sun Belt and ranks 11th in the nation with 17.1 turnovers forced per contest and is third in the SBC and 28th in the Division I in turnover margin (+3.26).

Dederick Lee set a new career high vs. Little Rock with eight points — all in the second half — on 3-for-4 shooting overall and 2-for-2 on 3s. He also had a team-best four assists and two steals. Lee has 11 assists and just four turnovers in his last two games.

Don MuepoKelly shared team-high honors Saturday with 10 points, his second straight double-digit game after going seven in a row with less than 10. He is averaging 11.0 points while shooting 7 for 11 (63.6%) from the floor in his last two outings.

Herb McGee has hit a 3-pointer in each of his last five games and is shooting 6 for 10 over that stretch.

Josh Ajayi had his five-game double-digit scoring streak snapped Saturday with nine points. He still leads the team with 14.2 points, 6.7 rebounds and a 50.8 shooting percentage in the last six games.

South Alabama and Arkansas State are two of the bottom three teams in the league in free-throw percentage. The Jaguars are 10th (64.4%) and the Red Wolves are 11th (64.2%).

A-State's Devin Carter is third in the conference in scoring (16.9 ppg) and first in 3-pointers (3.3 pg), and is coming off a game-high 23-point effort Saturday vs. Troy.

Last season against South Alabama, Carter averaged 26.5 points while shooting 60.6 percent (20-33) from the floor and 55.0 percent (11-20) from 3-point territory. He had 33 points and six rebounds in the overtime win in Jonesboro.

Arkansas State leads the Sun Belt in both field-goal percentage (.474) and 3-point percentage (.392). South Alabama is second in the league and 34th in Division I in 3-point defense (.311).

The 2017 Sun Belt Conference Men's and Women's Basketball Championships are scheduled for a week of March Madness in the Big Easy.  New Orleans will once again be home to the two championships that will take place at Lakefront Arena from March 7-12 and ticket books can now be purchased from your school's ticket office.  For more information, visit the Sun Belt Conference's championship central websites - Men's Championship – Women's Championship – and be sure to follow the #FunBelt on social media - @SunBelt.

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—