Game 6 • Northeastern Huskies (3-2) at South Alabama Jaguars (3-2)
November 25, 2019 • 10 a.m. • Hertz Arena (7,181) • Estero, Fla.

THE COACHES
South Alabama
Richie Riley (Eastern Kentucky, 2005)
Record at USA: 20-19 (2nd year)
Overall Record: 55-47 (4th year)
Record vs. Northeastern: 0-0

Northeastern
Bill Coen (Hamilton, 1983)
Record at NU: 227-199 (14th year)
Overall Record: Same

LAST GAME
South Alabama never trailed in a 98-72 victory over Spring Hill on Tuesday. Northeastern blitzed Holy Cross 101-44.

NEXT GAME
The Jaguars will face either Drake or Miami (Ohio) tomorrow.

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

RANKINGS (RPI ratings through Nov. 23)
USA: #300 RPI, #173 Sagarin
NU: #113 RPI, #115 Sagarin

THE SERIES
USA 1-0.

Current streak: USA, 1 win
Last meeting: USA 87, Northeastern 61 (12/28/82) in Mobile
USA's last win at a neutral site: N/A
NU's last win at a neutral site: N/A
USA's longest winning / losing streak in series: 1 / 0
Notes: The only meeting took place in the 1982-83 season the Senior Bowl, a game the Jaguars won 87-61.

OPENING TIP
Monday will be the first meeting between the two schools since 1982, an 87-61 South Alabama victory in Mobile. Northeastern is just the fourth CAA opponent in USA history, and first since Hofstra in 1993. The Jaguars own a 5-3 record against current CAA schools.

The Jags scored 49 points in the second half vs. Spring Hill, marking the third time this season the team recorded 49 points after halftime. South Alabama is averaging 34.6 points on 43.8% shooting (23.1% from 3) in the first half, and 44.6 points on 51.1% shooting (40.7% from 3) in the second.

USA's 13 3-pointers Tuesday were more than double its previous season high of six, and the most overall since converting 14 on Feb. 15 at Georgia State.

South Alabama posted an assist/turnover ratio of plus-9 or better with 20 assists on Tuesday for the first time since Jan. 9, 2018 and just the second time in the last eight seasons. The Jags had a season-best 20 assists and 11 turnovers. The team has had a positive assist/turnover ratio four times in five games this year.

Josh Ajayi led the Jaguars vs. Spring Hill with 21 points and 10 rebounds. It was the 21st double-double in his career to move into a tie for fourth in school history with Dave Davis. Ajayi is six double-doubles from Virgil Stanescu in third.

Ajayi recorded the ninth double-double with at least 20 points in his career, which also ranks tied for fourth in the school record books. He shares that spot with Stanescu and Rory White. His next will tie Rick Sinclair for third.

Ajayi also hit the 20-point plateau for the 19th time in his career, which moved him into 10th place by himself.

Ajayi tied Demetrice Williams for 10th at USA in career points (1,350), and his third point will surpass Andy Denny in ninth.

Tyreke Locure, who earned his first career start Tuesday, responded with 20 points and five assists, and became the first USA freshman to post those totals with no more than one assist since Calodeis Canion on Jan. 4, 1984. The last Jaguar of any class to achieve that was Augustine Rubit on Feb. 22, 2014.

Locure entered the night with just 11 career points in his first three appearances, and became the first South Alabama freshman to have 20 points since Ajayi in 2016-17.

Andre Fox continued his double-digit scoring streak with 16 points on four 3-pointers vs. Spring Hill. He is the only Jaguar this season to have 10 points or more in every game.

Trhae Mitchell had his 69-game start streak snapped Tuesday, but came off the bench to record 11 points and a team-high-tying five assists to move into 14th place in school history with 245. He needs three to tie Lonnie Legette for 13th.

Northeastern's Jordan Roland leads the nation in scoring at 30.4 ppg. He has scored at least 28 points four times in five games with a season high of 42 against Harvard.

Roland ranks fifth in Division I in 3-pointers per game (4.2) and 19th in 3-point percentage (.553).

Head coach Richie Riley on Northeastern
On the tournament: "It's a tremendous tournament. Eight really good mid-major programs, and based on what you look at, four or five are picked to win their conference. The field is extremely competitive and eight teams could win the tournament, which is unique. All three games, no matter how it shakes out, will be very challenging. There are no games going into it that you can bank on winning. That's going to make our team better. I'm excited about the challenge of playing three really good games on a neutral court in a tournament atmosphere where you have to win three games in three days to win the whole thing, so it's similar to what you'll see in March."

On defending Jordan Roland: "You have to limit his touches. He hits more tough shots than anybody I've seen in a long time. I've watched all five of their games and a lot of the shots that Roland is making are extremely difficult. You have to find a way to limit his production. They have other really good players on their team; I think that gets lost sometimes. They went to the NCAA Tournament last year and a lot of people are picking them to go again. They beat Harvard already, who was receiving votes early in the top 25. He's averaging 30 points per game, so you have to find a way to minimize his production and force those other guys to beat you, but at the same time you have to respect those guys as well because they're really good players in their own right."

On Northeastern: "Their ultimate glue guy is Bolden Brace. He does everything; he rebounds at a high level, he's a big-time shot maker, craft, can put it on the deck and really knows how to play. Another guy that's jumped off the page to me is their true freshman point guard Tyson Walker. The poise and pace he plays with is tremendous. His feel for the game for a freshman is outstanding. He makes them go and runs their offense. He's a capable scorer; he had 16 in their last game, but he also can distribute. He's very mature for a true freshman. They have some inside presence. Tomas Murphy and Maxime Boursiquot are extremely physical, and they have versatility across the board. Pretty much their entire lineup can shoot the '3' ball. It's a hard prep with the leading scorer in the country running around and he's got great complementary players to go with it."

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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