Game Notes
Game 24 • South Alabama Jaguars (11-12, 4-6) at Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks (7-17, 1-10)
February 11, 2017 • 4 p.m. • Fant-Ewing Coliseum (7,000) • Monroe, La.
THE COACHES
South Alabama
Matthew Graves (Butler, 1998)
Record at USA: 48-72 (4th year)
Overall Record: Same
Record vs. ULM: 0-7
UL Monroe
Keith Richard (ULM, 1982)
Record at ULM: 75-135 (7th year)
Overall Record: 225-252 (16th year)
LAST GAME
South Alabama made their last six shots to win at Troy 76-71. Louisiana-Monroe fell 69-55 at Georgia State.
NEXT GAME
The Jaguars finish their road trip at Louisiana-Lafayette on Monday. The Warhawks 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); Warhawks All-Access (video)
RANKINGS (Through Feb. 9)
USA: #207 RPI, #222 Sagarin
ULM: #280 RPI, #266 Sagarin
THE SERIES
Tied 11-11.
Current winning streak: Louisiana-Monroe, 7 wins
USA's last win in series: 71-56 (1/17/13)
Last meeting: ULM 66, South Alabama 59 (2/25/16)
USA's last win at Fant-Ewing Coliseum: 77-72 (1/3/13)
ULM's last win at Fant-Ewing Coliseum: 100-68 (1/23/16)
USA's record at Fant-Ewing Coliseum: 6-5
USA's road streak: Lost 3
USA's longest winning / losing streak in series: 3 / 6
Notes: ULM's current seven-game win streak is the program's longest against South Alabama… The Warhawks' 100-68 win last year in Monroe was their biggest in the series, one shy of the Jaguars' 90-57 win in 2008-09… ULM leads the series 9-3 in the last 12 meetings… Four consecutive meetings from 2009-10 to 2012-13 were decided by a combined 12 points… ULM broke a seven-game losing streak to South Alabama during the 2009-10 season in Monroe 61-58, and won again in Mobile the next season 67-65… USA's average margin of victory in its seven-game win streak was 15.3 points… Freddie Goldstein tied his own school record with nine 3-pointers in USA's 88-86 win in Monroe in the 2011-12 season, to end a two-game skid to the Warhawks… The two schools played four times in 1975 and 1976 but didn't resume the series until 2005.
OPENING TIP
South Alabama's seven-game losing streak to Louisiana-Monroe is the second-longest active streak by an opponent. Middle Tennessee has won eight in a row against the Jaguars.
The combined record of USA's six conference losses is 47-18 (.723). The Jags have four losses to the three teams tied for first in the league at 9-2.
The Jaguars have trailed at halftime in seven of their last eight games, including five in a row, but improved to 3-9 when down at the break after the win over Troy last Saturday.
South Alabama had just five turnovers at Troy, tied for the fewest since the 1980-81 campaign.
ULM is 11th in the SBC in turnover margin (-1.83) and forces the fewest turnovers in the league (11.3). USA leads the league and ranks in the top 25 in Division I in both turnover margin (+3.22) and turnovers forced (16.6).
USA is 9-2 when posting a positive assist/turnover ratio, and has done so in two of the last three games (both wins).
The Jaguars have shot 70 percent or better from the free-throw line in the last four games, the longest streak of the season. ULM and USA rank eighth and ninth, respectively, in the Sun Belt in free-throw percentage at 65.5%.
Ken Williams led the Jaguars last Saturday in points (18), rebounds (7) and assists (7), while committing no turnovers. He is the first USA player this year to lead the team in all three categories, and 13 of his points came in the second half.
Williams' seven assists are the most in his career without committing a turnover, and the plus-seven assist/turnover ratio tied his personal best.
Williams extended his double-digit scoring streak to eight — the longest active run on the team — and is averaging 15.9 points over that stretch; he averaged 6.4 points with one double-digit performance in the five games prior.
Since he tied his season-low with two points against Texas State on Jan. 14, Don MuepoKelly is averaging 9.5 points and converting 63.6 percent from the field. He had 16 points at Troy — tied for his second-highest total of the season — on 7-for-10 shooting.
Josh Ajayi has hit double-digit points in every conference game but one (nine points at Little Rock) and is averaging 14.0 points and 6.2 rebounds against league opponents.
Trhae Mitchell recorded nine points at Troy — one shy of his career high — on 4-for-4 shooting, and added two blocks. In his last four games — all starts — he is averaging 6.0 points and 1.8 blocks per outing, and converting 75.0 percent from the field.
ULM is the only school with two players in the top seven in the league in rebounding. Travis Munnings is second at 8.3 rpg and Sam McDaniel is seventh at 7.0.
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—
