Game 21 • Arkansas State Red Wolves (13-7, 5-4) vs. South Alabama Jaguars (12-7, 5-4)
January 23, 2020 • 7 p.m. • First National Bank Arena (10,563) • Jonesboro, Ark.

THE COACHES
South Alabama    
Richie Riley (Eastern Kentucky, 2005)
Record at USA: 29-25 (2nd year)
Overall Record: 64-53 (4th year)
Record vs. A-State: 3-1

Arkansas State    
Mike Balado (St. Thomas, 1998)
Record at A-State: 36-47 (3rd year)
Overall Record: Same

LAST GAME
South Alabama rallied back from a 10-point deficit to pick up a 74-68 win over SBC co-leader Georgia Southern Saturday night at the Mitchell Center. Arkansas State also erased a double-digit deficit and won 80-75 win at Coastal Carolina.

NEXT GAME
The Jaguars will return home to take on Little Rock on Saturday. Arkansas State will travel to Troy.

ON THE AIR
Radio: 99.5 FM The Jag; J.T. Crabtree (pxp)

RANKINGS (ratings through Jan. 21)
USA: #181 NET, #150 Sagarin
A-State: #200 NET, #194 Sagarin

THE SERIES
Arkansas State leads 26-23.

Current streak: South Alabama, 3 wins
A-State's last win in the series: 66-65 (1/10/19)
Last meeting: South Alabama 75, Arkansas State 59 (1/9/20)
USA's last win at the First National Bank Arena: 81-76 (3/5/15)
A-State's last win the First National Bank Arena: 66-65 (1/10/19)
USA's record at the First National Bank Arena: 5-17
USA's record in Jonesboro: 5-17
USA's longest winning / losing streak in series: 5 / 5

Notes: South Alabama had a five-game win streak over A-State snapped in 2009-10 in Mobile, then ended a five-game Arkansas State streak in 2014-15 in Jonesboro… The Red Wolves had won the previous four meetings prior to USA's five-game streak… The Red Wolves have won six of the last seven meetings at FNB Arena in the series with South's lone win during that stretch coming on 3/5/15… Arkansas State is 5-0 in games decided in overtime… The series dates back to the 1970-71 season… The Jags have scored more than 90 points just once in 44 games (91-78, 12/28/06).

OPENING TIP
South Alabama comes into Thursday night's contest at Arkansas State following a 74-68 win over Georgia Southern last weekend. The game marked the third-straight versus a team either leading or tied for first place in the Sun Belt. USA won two of those three contests.

The Jaguars have won four of their last five SBC games and included in that stretch was a 75-59 win over the Red Wolves in Mobile.

The win over A-State was the third-straight in the series by South fifth out of the last six, while the Red Wolves hold a narrow 26-23 lead overall.

Arkansas State has won six of the last seven series meetings on its home court.

The Jaguars rallied back from a 10-point second-half deficit and outscored the Eagles 43-29 over the final 20 minutes of the game to pick up the six-point win. GS had nine 3-pointers in the first half, but was only able to convert four of its 17 attempts from behind the arc in the second half.

The win also marked the first time this season that South has defeated an opponent when being outshot. USA had been 0-7 in that category previously.

For the second time this season and third for his career, Josh Ajayi earned Sun Belt Player of the Week honors on Monday after nearly averaging a double-double with 21.5 ppg and 9.0 rpg.

Ajayi comes into the game versus the Red Wolves one double-double shy of third (Virgil Stanescu, 27) as he has 26 for his career and seven this season.

The seven double-doubles rank second in the league and top 40 nationally. He has four double-doubles in his last seven outings.

Ajayi leads the Sun Belt in field-goal percentage (.587), is sixth in scoring (15.5) and ranks second in rebounding (8.1).

South continued its stretch of dominating the paint outscoring the Eagles 34-16. Since the Mobile (Dec. 28), the Jaguars have outscored their opponents that area in eight straight games for a combined total of 260-126. Over that stretch South is averaging 32.5 ppg and holding opponents to 15.8 ppg in the paint.  USA has won five of those games over that stretch.

John Pettway posted his third double-digit scoring game with 14 points against GS on 5 of 8 shooting from the field and hit  all four of his attempts at the foul line.
He also had two more steals and has recorded 17 in his last five games.

Prior to this recent stretch, Pettway had posted just three steals in his first 10 games. Since moving into the starting lineup against Mobile, Pettway has averaged 8.5 ppg and is shooting 53.1 percent from the field.

Arkansas State comes into Thursday's game ranked 11th in the league in field-goal percentage defense (.461) and does not have a single player listed in the Sun Belt's top 20 in scoring. Four players are averaging double figures led by Marquis Eaton at 11.7 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

—USA—