Box Score
    
JONESBORO, Ark. – The University of South Alabama men's basketball team fell at Arkansas State 75-71 Thursday in Sun Belt Conference action at First National Bank Arena.

Josh Ajayi finished one rebound shy of his seventh double-double of the season after posting a game-high 23 points along with nine rebounds, one assist and three steals. Herb McGee tied his season-high with 15 points, and also added four rebounds, two assists and two steals.

USA (12-9, 5-5 Sun Belt) will return to action Sat., Jan. 25, when it hosts Little Rock in a Sun Belt contest at 7 p.m. at the Mitchell Center.

 GAME FACTS
- Arkansas State jumped out to a 5-0 lead early in the first half, and held the Jaguars scoreless until Chad Lott knocked down a baseline jumper at the 15:37 mark.
- The Jags cut the ASU lead to 24-22 at the 4:19 mark on a floating jumper by John Pettway. But Marquis Eaton answered with a three for a 27-22 ASU lead. A jumper at the buzzer by Andre Fox cut the ASU lead to 31-27 at halftime.
- A pair of free throws by Pettway cut the ASU lead to 42-40 with 12:59 left in the second half, but a 6-0 ASU scoring run, capped by a three pointer from Jerry Johnson, gave the Red Wolves a 48-40 advantage with 11:46 left in the second half.
- A three from the left wing by Eaton with 9:41 left in the second half pushed the ASU lead to 55-45.
- ASU took a 62-51 lead at the 6:38 mark of the second half, but consecutive threes from Andre Fox capped a 7-0 Jaguar scoring run and cut the ASU lead to 62-58 with 5:05 left in regulation. A pair of Ajayi free throws cut the ASU lead to 63-60 with 4:00 left in the second half, and two free throws from Lott later cut the Red Wolves' lead to 65-62 with 3:35 left.
- Christian Willis made a pair of free throws for a 67-65 ASU lead at the 2:18 mark, but McGee converted a fast-break layup to tie the score 67-67 with 2:12 left. A three by Willis gave the Red Wolves a 70-67 lead with 1:46 left, but McGee converted a second straight layup which cut the Arkansas State lead to one point at 70-69.
- The Jaguars trailed by just one point with 15 seconds remaining in regulation after a layup by Josh Ajayi with 54 seconds left cut the ASU lead to 72-71. South Alabama trailed by three points with 10 seconds left in the game, but a missed layup by Pettway with five seconds left in the game, followed by an ASU free throw, sealed the victory for the Red Wolves.

NOTES
- Ajayi recorded his sixth consecutive game with double figures in scoring with a game-high 23 points, which also marked his seventh game of the year with 20 or more.
- McGee matched his season high in points with 15, which he set against Georgia Southern last Saturday.
- Lott and Fox finished with 11 points apiece. It marked Fox's first game in double figures since scoring 14 points at Louisiana on Jan. 2.
- USA finished 3-for-8 from the arc while ASU converted on 10-of-25 three-point attempts. The Red Wolves shot 81 percent from the free throw line, while USA shot 63 percent.
- The loss snapped a three-game Jaguar win streak in the series, marking the Red Wolves' first win over USA since Jan. 10, 2019.
- The loss also marked the first this season when Ajayi scores 20 or more points. USA entered the game 6-0 when Ajayi scored 20-plus points.

QUOTES
Head Coach Richie Riley
- On the loss:
"Our energy level was not good enough. We missed easy opportunities early on and we gave them (ASU) easy opportunities. Our energy level and urgency just were not what it has been, and it shows up in all areas. We had zero assists at halftime and ended up with five. We missed 14 free throws after just coming off of a win against Georgia Southern where we were 25-of-28, and tonight we didn't have that focus. And we had too many breakdowns defensively of our plan. It's disappointing we didn't have that. This was a big game and we needed it and need to find a way to win on the road again, but we came up short. We didn't come out with that chip on our shoulder and that urgency; we came out very pedestrian. We just didn't come out the right way."

UP NEXT
South Alabama will return to action Sat., Jan. 25, when it hosts Little Rock in a Sun Belt contest at 7 p.m. at the Mitchell Center.

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with USAJaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at Twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

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