Game Notes

Game 24 • Little Rock Trojans (5-19, 2-9) at South Alabama Jaguars (11-12, 4-6)
February 8, 2018 • 7:05 p.m. • Mitchell Center (10,000) • Mobile, Ala.

THE COACHES
South Alabama
Matthew Graves (Butler, 1998)
Record at USA: 62-90 (5th year)
Overall Record: Same
Record vs. Little Rock: 3-6

Little Rock
Wes Flanigan (Auburn, 1997)
Record at LR: 20-36 (2nd year)
Overall Record: Same

LAST GAME
South Alabama's fell 80-63 at Troy on Saturday. Little Rock lost 81-51 at home to Georgia State.

NEXT GAME
The Jaguars take on Arkansas State Saturday. The Trojans 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. 6)
USA: #260 RPI, #240 Sagarin
LR: #311 RPI, #291 Sagarin

THE SERIES
USA leads 28-20.

Current winning streak: Little Rock, 4 wins
USA's last win in series: 57-55 (3/12/15) at SBC Tournament
Last meeting: Little Rock 62, South Alabama 57 (3/2/17)
USA's last win in the Mitchell Center: 66-64 (1/19/15)
UALR's last win in the Mitchell Center: 62-57 (3/2/17)
USA's record in the Mitchell Center: 7-5
USA's record in Mobile: 14-7
USA's home streak: Lost 2
USA's longest winning / losing streak in series: 6 / 4

Notes: Little Rock's current win streak is its longest in the series… South Alabama swept the season series in 2015-16 3-0, defeating the Trojans in the first round of the Sun Belt Tournament… The Jaguars' victory in Little Rock in 2012-13 was the program's first since 2007-08… The Trojans' 75-50 win in 2011-12 was the second-biggest win by UALR in the series until Little Rock won 74-43 in 2015-16… UALR swept the season series in 2013-14 for the first time since 1995-96… UALR's win in Mobile on 1/22/09 ended a four-game USA winning streak in the series… USA won 10 of 11 from 3/2/97 to 3/3/01… The Jags are 7-1 vs. the Trojans in the SBC Tournament, including 4-1 at neutral sites… The lone loss came in 2010-11 (82-68) in the first round; Little Rock eventually won the tournament.

OPENING TIP
Little Rock's current four-game win streak in the series is its longest against South Alabama. It comes on the heels of USA's 5-2 record in the previous seven meetings. The Jags' longest win streak vs. the Trojans is six, from 1999-01.

The Trojans' win streak was extended last season by a 14-point, halftime comeback in the Mitchell Center.

Thursday will be South Alabama's first home game since Jan. 20, an 83-77 win over Appalachian State. The Jags are 9-2 at home this season, including 4-1 in Sun Belt play.

The Jaguars have lost three straight games for the first time this season. Prior to this current stretch, the team had won three of its last four outings.

South Alabama is shooting 82.5 percent from the free-throw line in the last four games. The Jags have hit 80 percent or better three times in the last four games, a first under head coach Matthew Graves.

Trhae Mitchell didn't miss in the Jags' loss at Troy on Saturday, going 5 for 5 from the floor and 7 for 7 from the free-throw line for a career-high 17 points.

Mitchell is averaging 14.0 points and shooting 72.7 percent from the field in his last three games, and has set a new career-high in points twice over that span.

Josh Ajayi matched Mitchell Saturday with 17 points, shooting 6 for 12 from the field and 5 for 5 at the stripe. He has scored 13 or more in four of his last five games and is averaging 15.6 points over that span.

In his last six games, Ajayi is shooting 87.5 percent (28-32) from the charity stripe.

Rodrick Sikes shot just 3 for 17 at Troy, but still managed to pour in 12 points. He ranks sixth in the league in scoring (18.3 ppg), second in 3-pointers per game (2.7) and third in 3-point percentage (.377). In league games, Sikes leads the conference in scoring (20.7 ppg).

Little Rock's leading scorer, Andre Jones, was dismissed from the team on Monday. He was averaging 12.3 points per game.

Anthony Black is currently leading the team in scoring at 7.9 ppg. He is second on the team in field-goal percentage (.433), steals (18) and 3-pointers (28).

PREVIEWING THURSDAY
Head coach Matthew Graves on Little Rock
On returning home Thursday: "I'm excited to be back at the Mitchell Center. I know our guys are ready to get back playing, and to do that at the Mitchell Center is an added bonus."

On improving the team's defensive fortunes: "Defensively, it's a mindset. Unfortunately, with our offense struggling at different times, our mindset defensively has faltered somewhat, which is human nature. We addressed through film and meetings that we can do better defensively to help us be more successful, but we also have to execute better offensively. The better we play offensively, the more that will help us defensively."

On Little Rock: "They're a team that plays extremely hard. They do a great job with their ball-screening actions, and defensively, they've got two rim protectors, so we're going to have to concentrate and make plays around the rim."

On preparing for the Trojans: "We know that Little Rock is very capable because they have beaten some teams in this league, and have had some close losses with last-second shots and one-possession games. When you get into conference play, anybody can beat anybody on any given night. We have to prepare with the mindset of controlling the things we can control."

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).

Join the Jaguar Athletic Fund (JAF) Priority Fund, the unrestricted giving option of the University of South Alabama Athletics. Contributions to the Priority Fund directly support all 17 sports in addition to various support programming. For more information on how you can join visit: http://jaguarathleticfund.com/give

—USA—