Game 13 • Richmond Spiders (5-7) at South Alabama Jaguars (7-5)
December 29, 2018 • 3 p.m. • Mitchell Center (5,520) • Mobile, Ala.

THE COACHES
South Alabama
Richie Riley (Eastern Kentucky, 2005)
Record at USA: 7-5 (1st year)
Overall Record: 42-33 (3rd year)
Record vs. Richmond: 0-0

Richmond
Chris Mooney (Princeton, 1994)
Record at UR: 242-202 (14th year)
Overall Record: Same

LAST GAME
South Alabama went into the Christmas break on a three-game win streak after an 86-47 win over Mobile. Richmond defeated High Point 74-59 on Dec. 22.

NEXT GAME
The Jaguars return after the new year to start Sun Belt play at home on Jan. 3 against Appalachian State. The Spiders also start league play in 2019, traveling to Dayton on Jan. 6.

ON THE AIR
Radio: 99.5 FM The Jag; J.T. Crabtree (pxp)
On the web: 995thejag.com/listen (audio); ESPN+ (video); J.D. Byars (pxp), Pat Greenwood (color)

RANKINGS (through Dec. 27)
USA: #273 NET, #224 Sagarin
UR: #229 NET, #201 Sagarin

THE SERIES
Richmond leads 1-0.

Current streak: UR, 1 win
Last meeting: Richmond 65, South Alabama 54 (12/18/14)
USA's last win at Mitchell Center: N/A
UR's last win at Mitchell Center: N/A
USA's record at Mitchell Center: 0-0
USA's record at home: 0-0
USA's home streak: N/A
USA's longest winning / losing streak in series: 0 / 1

Notes: The only game in the series took place Dec. 18, 2014 in Richmond.

OPENING TIP
A win Saturday would give South Alabama eight non-conference victories for the first time since 2011-12. A loss would give South Alabama a 7-6 record after 13 games for the third straight season.

USA is returning to action after an 86-47 win over Mobile, its largest victory of the season.

South Alabama has shot 50 percent or better in its last five halves of basketball, and has converted 50 percent from the floor in three straight games for the first time since December 2008.

The Jaguars have alternated holding opponents to 20.0 percent or less from 3-point land and allowing 50.0 percent or better in their last five games. Last time out, USA held Mobile to 1 for 12 (8.3%) from distance, the second-lowest by an opponent this season, one game after Alabama A&M shot 10 for 18 (55.6%), the second-highest by an opponent this season.

South Alabama has held three opponents to less than 10 percent shooting from behind the arc this season (Chattanooga, 6.3%; Florida A&M, 9.1%; Mobile, 8.3%).

The Jaguar defense has been getting it done in other areas lately as well, recording 18 turnovers forced and 10 steals in each of the last two games. That has resulted in 44 points off turnovers in that span, notably a season-best 24 against Alabama A&M. John Pettway, Josh Ajayi and Trhae Mitchell all have four steals apiece in the last two games.

South Alabama's 19-6 assist/turnover ratio against Mobile is its best since Feb. 25, 2017 at UT Arlington (16-5). The six miscues are the team's fewest since that game as well.

USA has posted a positive assist/turnover ratio in each of the last three games, the program's longest stretch since the first three games of January 2015.

Josh Ajayi is averaging 18.0 points and 8.0 rebounds, and is shooting 88.9 percent from the floor in his last two games. He made 13 consecutive shots over the two games, set a new career-high with four blocks his last time out and recorded his fourth double-double of the season vs. Mobile with 16 points and 11 rebounds.

The Jaguars are 6-0 this season when a player records a double-double.

Trhae Mitchell followed a near triple-double vs. Alabama A&M with a career-high 28 points against Mobile. He shot 12 for 15 from the floor, made both of his 3-point attempts and had three blocks and assists each.

Mitchell has tallied multiple blocks in each of his last six outings and has moved up to sixth in USA's career record books with 98.

One game after setting a new personal best in assists with six against Alabama A&M, John Pettway bettered that against Mobile, handing out seven against just one turnover. In his last two games, Pettway has recorded 13 assists and two turnovers.

PREVIEWING SATURDAY
Head coach Richie Riley on Richmond
On returning after a long break: "We let the guys go until they came back Christmas night and we've practiced a few times since then to begin our preparation for Richmond. It's a complex preparation, so while we're preparing for them, we had to get our guys back in game shape. Four days doesn't seem like a lot, but it is when you're used to practicing every single day."

On what a win would mean for the program: "It's huge for the progression of our program. When you take over a new program, you want to continue to take steps forward. With all of the stuff that's gone on with injuries, sitting out four guys and being short-handed a lot of nights, to get the most non-conference wins since 2011-12 would be a great momentum builder for our guys. We have a team that needs confidence. We've been trying to figure out as a team what goes into winning. To do that would be a huge confidence builder and would get us some momentum going into Sun Belt Conference play."

On Richmond: "They're very complex. They run a lot of two-guard concepts and they're good at it. They have a really good post player in Grant Golden who can do a little bit of everything; he can shoot from outside, is obviously a good interior scorer and he can pass. His skill-set is really good with what they do offensively. Jacob Gillyard, a guard, is really good in ball-screen situations. He finishes at the rim really well for a 5-9 guard; it shows how crafty he is. They have a lot of shooters around him. Nathan Cayo has been playing his best basketball as of late; with Nick Sherod being out, he's really taken another step. Offensively, they're a tough prep. They have some of the same cutting concepts we have, so I hope it helps us that we guard that every day. Chris Mooney has always been a guy that has had outstanding teams. Defensively, they play a matchup zone that is unique, so you have to have a gameplan on how to attack it. We pride ourselves on being a team that's hard to prepare for and they're the same way. It takes your guys being dialed in, so that's been our goal the last few days."

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/WeAreSouth_JAGS. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

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