Game Notes

Game 18 • Troy Trojans (7-10, 1-3) at South Alabama Jaguars (9-8, 2-2)
January 13, 2018 • 3:05 p.m. • Mitchell Center (10,000) • Mobile, Ala.

THE COACHES
South Alabama
Matthew Graves (Butler, 1998)
Record at USA: 60-86 (5th year)
Overall Record: Same
Record vs. Troy: 6-2

Troy
Phil Cunningham (Campbellsville, 1990)
Record at Troy: 70-107 (5th year)
Overall Record: Same

LAST GAME
South Alabama defeated Trinity Baptist 99-34 Tuesday in the biggest win in school history. Troy dropped a 57-56 decision at Texas State Saturday.

NEXT GAME
The Jaguars continue their homestand Thursday against Coastal Carolina. The Trojans host Appalachian State.

ON THE AIR
Radio: 99.5 FM The Jag; J.D. Byars (pxp)
On the web: 995thejag.com/listen (audio); JagNationTV (video)

RANKINGS (Through Jan. 11)
USA: #221 RPI, #216 Sagarin
Troy: #250 RPI, #187 Sagarin

THE SERIES
USA leads 21-8.

Current winning streak: USA, 2 wins
Troy's last win in series: 61-54 (2/16/16) in Troy
Last meeting: South Alabama 76, Troy 71 (2/4/17)
USA's last win at the Mitchell Center: 76-71 (2/4/15)
Troy's last win at Mitchell Center: 61-54 (2/16/16)
USA's record at Mitchell Center: 8-4
USA's home streak: Won 1
USA's longest winning / losing streak in series: 5 / 2

Notes: South Alabama has won 11 of the last 13 meetings... Despite the in-state rivals being separated by about 170 miles, the two schools have met just 29 times; all but two of the meetings came after Troy joined the Sun Belt in 2005... South Alabama won the two pre-Sun Belt clashes in 1993 and 1995... The Jaguars won the first five games in the series and seven of the first eight... A buzzer-beating shot gave USA a 69-67 victory in Mobile on Jan. 16, 2010... Freddie Goldstein set a new school record with nine 3-pointers in the 2011-12 season at Troy... USA leads the series 2-1 in games played at the Sun Belt Tournament, including an 87-81 victory in 2011-12 in the first round... Troy snapped a five-game skid in 2013-14 in Troy and a four-game slide in 2015-16 in Mobile.

OPENING TIP
A win over Troy would be USA's 799th in school history. The program currently holds a 798-626 record.

South Alabama is 11-2 against Troy in the last 13 meetings between the two schools. Two of the Trojans' last three wins against the Jaguars have come in Mobile.

After allowing a season-high 91 points on Jan. 6 at UT Arlington, South Alabama gave up just 34 points on Tuesday to Trinity Baptist, the fifth-fewest by an opponent in school history.

Tuesday's 99-34 win was the biggest in school history, surpassing a 58-point victory over Missouri Baptist on Jan. 3, 1980.

The Jags are 11th in the Sun Belt in offensive rebounds per game (9.4), but they have tied their season high in that category (13) in each of the last two games. The 13 offensive boards led to just two points at UT Arlington, but 15 vs. Trinity Baptist, tied for the second most this season.

USA is averaging 11.4 offensive rebounds in its last five games.

USA had its best rebounding night of the year against Trinity Baptist, outrebounding the Eagles 45-27, thanks to career nights from Trhae Mitchell and Kevin Morris. Mitchell grabbed 10, while Morris had nine, including five on the offensive end. Both just missed double-doubles — Mitchell had eight points and Morris tallied a personal-best 12 on 6-for-8 shooting.

Mitchell also blocked three shots, giving him four multi-block games in his last five outings. He currently ranks fourth in the Sun Belt with 1.5 per contest.

The Jaguars are 9-0 when scoring 70 points or more, and 9-2 when leading at halftime.

South Alabama leads the conference in blocks (4.9), field-goal percentage defense (.396) and 3-point defense (.290), and is second in scoring defense (65.4 ppg).

USA is in the top 50 nationally in four defensive categories: 3-point defense (7th), field-goal defense (28th), scoring defense (37th) and blocks (41st).

Troy is fifth in the conference in scoring (76.2 ppg), but is averaging 66.7 points in its last three contests. The Trojans are second in 3s per game (9.2), and Wesley Person leads the conference individually (3.3).

Rodrick Sikes, who scored 16 points Tuesday, has led the team in scoring five times in the last six games. He went 6 for 9 from the floor, tied for his best shooting night of the season, and hit two 3-pointers.

Sikes has reached double-digit points in 15 consecutive games, and has scored 16 or more in his last six.

Nick Davis is averaging 9.0 points and 6.0 rebounds while shooting 62.5 percent from the floor in his last five games.

In addition to leading the league in 3-pointers, Person is third in scoring (20.4 ppg), and second in free-throw percentage (.843) and 3-point percentage (.427).

Person is averaging 17.7 points in six career games against South Alabama, but was held to a career-low 10 in Mobile last year, and his 12.0 average in two games as a junior was his lowest in a season.

PREVIEWING SATURDAY
Head coach Matthew Graves on Troy
On starting three straight games vs. Sun Belt opponents at home: "I'm excited for this three-game homestand. It's a big stretch of games for us, starting with Troy. They're coming in with a lot of experience. Wesley Person and Jordon Varnado are outstanding players, and Kevin Baker and Alex Hicks have gotten better from last year, so they've improved there. Their starting five is a really good group."

On if the Trinity Baptist game served its purpose: "I believe that the game will serve us well in the future. We had an opportunity to play guys some extended minutes that don't normally don't get those minutes and they performed well. We also did some really nice things in a game that got out of hand. I felt like our guys still defended and we still shared the basketball. That shows a lot about the character of our team."

On Troy: "They have an outstanding perimeter scorer in Person, who's been in a lot of battles and is a four-year starter. He's had an outstanding career so we have to be aware of where he is on the perimeter. They have a really good inside duo with Varnado and Hicks. Those two guys are as good as any tandem in the Sun Belt right now."

On preparing for Wesley Person: "You have to be constantly aware that he'll shoot it from '3' at any time. He does a great job of drawing fouls on his perimeter shot with how he kicks his feet out, so you have to be aware and understand where he is on the court, whether it's in transition, off different screening actions or dribble-handoffs. It's a team focus."

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).

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—USA—