Game 19 • Georgia Southern Eagles (11-7, 3-2) at South Alabama Jaguars (9-9, 2-3)
January 19, 2019 • 3 p.m. • Mitchell Center (5,520) • Mobile, Ala.

THE COACHES
South Alabama
Richie Riley (Eastern Kentucky, 2005)
Record at USA: 9-9 (1st year)
Overall Record: 44-37 (3rd year)
Record vs. Georgia Southern: 0-0

Ga. Southern
Mark Byington (UNC Wilmington, 1998)
Record at GS: 101-79 (6th year)
Overall Record: 108-83 (7th year)

LAST GAME
South Alabama allowed a late rally to Georgia State in a 69-66 loss on Thursday. Georgia Southern shot 61 percent from the floor in a 90-82 road win at Troy.

NEXT GAME
The Jaguars go to Louisiana on Thursday. The Eagles host UT Arlington.

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

RANKINGS (through Jan. 17)
USA: #292 NET, #246 Sagarin
GS: #133 NET, #129 Sagarin

THE SERIES
South Alabama leads 11-5.

Current streak: Georgia Southern, 1 win
Last meeting: Georgia Southern 81, South Alabama 74 (3/1/18)
USA's last win in series: 69-67 (12/31/17) in Mobile
USA's last win in the Mitchell Center: 69-67 (12/31/17)
GS's last win in the Mitchell Center: 81-73 (1/10/15)
USA's record in the Mitchell Center: 4-1
USA's record at home: 6-2
USA's longest winning / losing streak in series: 4 / 2

Notes: The two schools met in a home-and-home series in 2010-11 and 2011-12, both Jaguar victories… The 2010-11 game was the first between the two schools since 1980… The first three games in Mobile took place in Jag Gym… USA won the first three games in Statesboro, taking all three games by an average of 13.3 points, putting up 81.0 points per game… The first five games in the series took place between Jan. 12, 1978 and Feb. 12, 1980… The Eagles swept the season series in 2014-15, earning their first-ever victory in Statesboro, then the Jags took all three in 2015-16, including a 67-61 win in the first round of the Sun Belt Tournament.

OPENING TIP
South Alabama lost the first two Sun Belt games with Georgia Southern in 2014-15 but has won five of the seven meetings since, including a three-game sweep in 2015-16.

The team leading at halftime in USA's games this season is 16-2.

The Jaguars had 18 assists and 10 turnovers Thursday, giving the team its best assist/turnover ratio since Dec. 20 against Mobile (+13), and best against a Division I opponent since Nov. 19 vs. Southeast Missouri (+11). The Jags had a six-game streak with a positive assist/turnover ratio in December and January but was even or worse in its previous two games.

Kory Holden had a season-high seven turnovers against no turnovers vs. Georgia State for his best assist/turnover ratio this season.

Since putting up 79 points or more over a six-game stretch, USA is averaging 64.3 points in the three games since. The Jaguars are 1-8 when scoring 69 points or fewer in a game this season.

South Alabama shot under 50 percent from the free-throw line Thursday for the second time this season.

Josh Ajayi is coming off a 24-point, 11-rebound performance Thursday night for his sixth double-double of the season and 15th of his career. The 15 double-doubles ranks 10th in USA history.

All six of Ajayi's double-doubles this season and 11 of his last 12 in the last two years have come in the Mitchell Center.

With the loss Thursday, South Alabama fell to 8-1 in 2018-19 when a player records a double-double.

Ajayi moved into the school's top 20 in career rebounds Thursday, giving him 512 to rank 18th.

Ajayi needs 16 points to become the school's 16th player to score 1,000 in a career.

Ajayi scored 20 points or more for the fourth time this season and has scored in double-figures in 13 consecutive games.

Ajayi averaged 16.0 points in his first two games vs. Georgia Southern but has scored just 10 points total in the two games since. He was limited to 14 minutes in Statesboro last season due to injury.

Ajayi has shot 20 of 28 (71.4%) from the floor in his last three games, including a 9-for-13 outing Thursday. He leads the Sun Belt and ranks 47th in Division I in field-goal percentage (.563).

Rodrick Sikes scored 27 and 25 points in two games vs. the Eagles last year. He shot 50.0 percent from the floor, 57.1 percent from long range and 84.2 percent from the stripe.

Trhae Mitchell blocked two shots Thursday, giving him 109 in his career, the sixth-best total in USA history and two away from fifth. He is second in the Sun Belt and 21st in the nation in blocks (2.3 bpg).

Georgia Southern leads the conference in scoring (85.3 ppg), field-goal percentage (.505) and turnover margin (+3.39), and is second in scoring margin (+7.6) and steals (8.3 spg). The Eagles shot 61.0 percent from the field vs. Troy Thursday, their highest against a DI opponent since November 2005.

GS's Tookie Brown is averaging 18.1 points in seven career games vs. USA but is shooting just 36.3 percent from the floor and 33.3 percent from 3-point land.

PREVIEWING SATURDAY
Head coach Richie Riley on Georgia Southern
On the short turnaround: "It's hard when you play Thursday-Saturday – a lot of leagues are like that – and when you have an absolute battle like we did against Georgia State and you have guys playing high minutes, the most important thing is we get our guys some rest and be able to compete against Georgia Southern. It's going to be an up-and-down game. We have to use Friday to prepare mentally more than physically. We're not going to do a lot on the court; it's going to be mostly film to correct some mistakes from Thursday and move quickly to Georgia Southern and get familiar with them from a personnel standpoint. They're a really talented offensive team. We have to do everything we can to put ourselves in a position to win."

On the team fighting back: "There's an improvement in our competitive nature right now. We've battled back for the most part, outside of a game or two, and that's an improvement. What I'd like to see us do is take that next step where we throw punches first and force someone else to battle back, where we go on some 10- to 12-0 runs and build a lead. I feel like we're always having to battle back. Some of our guys are growing, and as a head coach, that's what you want to see. We had some guys last night that were really hurt because we lost the game and that's the first time I've seen that. I like our ability to fight back, but I'd love to see us be able to build some leads and force someone to catch us."

On Georgia Southern: "They are elite offensively. They've had some games where they've been down by 25 and came back and won. They've had games where they've put up 60 points in a half – they can really score. Tookie Brown is a kid that has had a phenomenal career there. They get you in a lot of ball screens, play fast in transition and have multiple guys that can shoot it. The thing they have that's similar to Georgia State is experience. Those guys have played a lot of games together so they know each other very well and know what it takes to win in this league. We have to limit them in transition, do a better job of ball screen coverage defensively and it's going to be hard for us to score 95 so we have to get some stops and keep that score down."

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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