Game Notes

Game 28 • ULM Warhawks (13-12, 7-7) at South Alabama Jaguars (14-13, 7-7)
February 22, 2018 • 7:05 p.m. • Mitchell Center (10,000) • Mobile, Ala.

THE COACHES
South Alabama
Matthew Graves (Butler, 1998)
Record at USA: 65-91 (5th year)
Overall Record: Same
Record vs. ULM: 1-8

UL Monroe
Keith Richard (ULM, 1982)
Record at ULM: 90-154 (8th year)
Overall Record: 240-271 (17th year)

LAST GAME
South Alabama let a late lead slip away in a 72-70 loss at Coastal Carolina on Saturday. ULM won its fourth straight, defeating Texas State 79-71.

NEXT GAME
The Jaguars close out their home schedule Saturday against Louisiana. The Warhawks go to Troy.

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

RANKINGS (Through Feb. 20)
USA: #250 RPI, #217 Sagarin
ULM: #206 RPI, #232 Sagarin

THE SERIES
ULM leads 12-11.

Current winning streak: ULM, 1 win
USA's last win in series: 66-63 (2/11/17)
Last meeting: ULM 83, South Alabama 74 (1/27/18)
USA's last win at the Mitchell Center: 71-56 (1/17/13)
ULM's last win at the Mitchell Center: 66-59 (2/25/16)
USA's record at the Mitchell Center: 4-4
USA's record at home: 5-4
USA's home streak: Lost 3
USA's longest winning / losing streak in series: 3 / 7

Notes: ULM's seven-game win streak from 2014-2016 was the program's longest against South Alabama… The Warhawks' 100-68 win in 2015-16 in Monroe was their biggest in the series, one shy of the Jaguars' 90-57 win in 2008-09… ULM leads the series 9-4 in the last 13 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 is 11-2 at home this season. The 11 wins are the most since also winning 11 in 2008-09, and the team will finish with the best home win percentage since 2007-08.

USA won the first three meetings and four of the first five against ULM in the Mitchell Center, but has lost the last three. The Warhawks have won eight of the last nine games overall.

The Jaguars converted just 56.5 percent at the free-throw line vs. Coastal Carolina on Saturday. The team was shooting 77.9 percent in its previous eight games.

A lead at halftime has usually meant victory for the Jags, but they let a 30-27 lead on Saturday slip away to fall to 11-3 this season with a halftime advantage.

South Alabama has moved into first in the conference in 3-point defense (.299) and is second in field-goal defense (.407) and third in scoring defense (67.6 ppg). Nationally, the Jags rank sixth in 3-point defense, 27th in field-goal defense and 57th in scoring defense.

Rodrick Sikes recorded his 10th 20-point performance of the season at Coastal Carolina with a game-high 21 on three 3-pointers. In the last six seasons, only Augustine Rubit in 2012-13 (15) had more 20-point games in a season.

The Jags are 6-4 when Sikes scores 20 or more, and 2-3 when he has 30 or more.

Sikes had a career-high 38 points in the first meeting in Monroe, going 13 for 23 from the floor and 7 for 13 from 3-point land. The 38 points and seven treys are tied for eighth in school history.

Josh Ajayi is averaging 18.6 points and shooting 50.8 percent from the field in his last eight games. He had 13 points and nine rebounds at Coastal Carolina.

In two career games against ULM, Ajayi is averaging 12.5 rebounds. He had a double-double against the Warhawks last season, and set a new career high with 14 boards last month in Monroe.

Dederick Lee set a new personal best with 15 points on five 3s against ULM in January, setting new personal bests in both categories.

UL Monroe has the longest win streak in the conference at four, and has won six of its last seven games. The lone loss in that stretch came to league-leading Louisiana.

Travis Munnings, who had a team-high 20 points vs. South Alabama earlier this year, had 15 points and eight rebounds against the Jags last season, and Sam McDaniel is averaging 19.0 points in the last two games vs. USA, including 20 in February 2017.

ULM leads the Sun Belt in 3-point percentage (.380) and 3s per game (9.2). The Warhawks went 9 for 21 (42.9%) from distance in Monroe.

PREVIEWING THURSDAY
Head coach Matthew Graves on ULM
On facing ULM: "ULM is playing as well as anybody in the league right now. Coach Richard has his kids doing a lot of great things both offensively and defensively. It's going to be a heck of a challenge, and I'm glad we'll be playing in the Mitchell Center."

On key to better result against ULM: "I think we have to get off to a better start. Over there, we really struggled to score the ball early. Even though we were guarding well, the longer we went without scoring, the more it affected us defensively. I felt like we started forcing quick shots, and when you allow them to get out in transition, they're really difficult to stop."

On key to ULM's good play: "They've found a lineup they like; they're basically playing six guys in a smaller lineup that makes it difficult to match up against. They can spread the floor and shoot the basketball extremely well."

On McDaniel and Munnings: "With their size and ability to play on the perimeter, they present a lot of matchup problems defensively because they can take bigger guys out on the wing, and when you put smaller guys on them, they can go inside and post up. Their size and versatility makes them a tough matchup for anybody."

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—