Exhibition • South Alabama Jaguars vs. Mississippi State Bulldogs
October 27, 2019 • 3 p.m. • Humphrey Coliseum (10,575) • Starkville, Miss.

THE COACHES
South Alabama
Richie Riley (Eastern Kentucky, 2005)
Record at USA: 17-17 (1st year)
Overall Record: 52-45 (3rd year)
Record vs. Mississippi State: 0-0

Mississippi State
Ben Howland (Weber State, 1979)
Record at MSU: 78-56 (5th year)
Overall Record: 477-264 (24th year)

LAST GAME
South Alabama lost in the quarterfinals of the Sun Belt Tournament, 79-67 to Texas State. Mississippi State fell in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to Liberty, 80-76.

NEXT GAME
The Jaguars officially open the season Nov. 6 against Pikeville. The Bulldogs host Florida International on Nov. 5.

ON THE AIR
Radio: 99.5 FM The Jag; J.T. Crabtree (pxp)
Web: 995thejag.com/listen (audio)

RANKINGS (through end of 18-19)
USA: #236 NET, #212 Sagarin
MSU: #21 NET, #22 Sagarin

THE SERIES
Mississippi State leads 12-1.

Current streak: MSU, 2 wins
Last meeting: Mississippi State 80, South Alabama 65 (11/12/11)
USA's last win at Humphrey Coliseum: None
MSU's last win at Humphrey Coliseum: 80-65 (11/12/11)
USA's record at Humphrey Coliseum: 0-7
USA's record on road: 0-9
USA's road streak: Lost 9
USA's longest winning / losing streak in series: 1 / 11
Notes: The Jaguars lost the first 10 games of the series before winning 71-67 on Dec. 15, 2007 in Mobile behind 39 points from Demetric Bennett (Jags went on to NCAA Tournament)… USA opened its second-ever season in 1969-70 in Starkville (L 93-70)… South Alabama has opened a season in Starkville three times (1969, 1971, 2011)… Mississippi State's 84-46 win in 2006-07 season is tied for the ninth-worst loss in USA history.

OPENING TIP
Last season, South Alabama won 17 games for the first time since 2012-13. The team tied the most wins in the last 11 years with 2009-10, 2011-12 and 2012-13.

The Jaguars' Sun Belt scoring average of 73.3 was their highest since 2007-08.

USA set a new school record last season with 285 3-pointers and put up the second-most 3-point attempts in a single season (761). The team's 3-point percentage (.375) is ninth-best in school history.

The Jags had three players — Rodrick Sikes (80), Kory Holden (63) and Herb McGee (51) — record 50 or more 3s for the second time in USA history (2006-07).

Josh Ajayi will enter the 2019-20 season tied with Henry Williams for 11th in school history with 454 made field goals. He is 21 away from tying Demetric Bennett for 10th.

Ajayi is also 12th at South Alabama in career points with 1,269, and needs 40 to tie Roger Webb in 11th.

Ajayi led the team with 11 20-point games last season, including four in his last six outings. He averaged 18.6 ppg in that span.

Ajayi (2nd) and Trhae Mitchell (3rd) were both named all-Sun Belt last season. They are the first pair of USA teammates to earn all-conference distinction since 2009.

Ajayi led the league in field goal percentage (.560) and was second in double-doubles (10). The 10 double-doubles were the most since Augustine Rubit had 12 in 2013-14.

Ajayi led the team in scoring (16.4 ppg) and was second in rebounding (7.4 rpg).

Mitchell is the first player in school history to lead the team in rebounds, assists, steals and blocks in the same season, and second to have 200 rebounds and 100 assists in one year

Mitchell finished second in the Sun Belt and 31st in the nation in blocks per game (2.1), and his total of 71 was the second most by a junior in school history and fifth most overall. He blocked eight shots in the first round of the Sun Belt Tournament, tied for third in school history and one shy of the record.

Mitchell came up one assist shy of a triple-double last season against Alabama A&M with 11 points, 13 rebounds and 9 assists; it would have been the first by a Jaguar since 1989.

Don Coleman, Chad Lott and Josh Ayeni will be returning to the court for the first time since the 2017-18 season after sitting out last year due to NCAA transfer rules. Coleman led California in scoring at 14.2 ppg, Fox was named All-Big South at High Point, and Ayeni started for a NCAA Tournament team at St. Bonaventure at their previous stops.

Chad Lott, who transferred over the summer from Howard, was an All-MEAC selection in 2018-19 after putting up 14.3 ppg.

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).

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