Game 15 • South Alabama Jaguars (8-6, 1-2) at ULM Warhawks (5-7, 1-2)
January 4, 2020 • 2 p.m. • Fant-Ewing Coliseum (7,000) • Monroe, La.

THE COACHES
South Alabama
Richie Riley (Eastern Kentucky, 2005)
Record at USA: 25-23 (2nd year)
Overall Record: 60-51 (4th year)
Record vs. ULM: 1-0

ULM
Keith Richard (ULM, 1982)
Record at ULM: 117-181 (10th year)
Overall Record: 267-298 (19th year)

LAST GAME
South Alabama got a late stop to preserve a 60-57 win at Louisiana Thursday. ULM outscored Troy by 18 in the second half in a 79-63 victory.

NEXT GAME
The Jaguars finish their road trip Monday at UT Arlington. The Warhawks to go Coastal Carolina.

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

RANKINGS (ratings through Jan. 2)
USA: #199 NET, #192 Sagarin
ULM: #279 NET, #252 Sagarin

THE SERIES
ULM leads 13-12.

Current winning streak: USA, 1 win
ULM's last win in series: 66-62 (2/22/18)
Last meeting: South Alabama 78, ULM 72 (1/26/19)
USA's last win at Fant-Ewing Coliseum: 78-72 (1/26/19)
ULM's last win at Fant-Ewing Coliseum: 66-62 (2/22/18)
USA's record at Fant-Ewing Coliseum: 7-7
USA's road streak: Won 1
USA's longest winning / losing streak in series: 3 / 7

Notes: ULM's seven-game win streak from 2014-2016 was the program's longest against South Alabama… The Warhawks' 100-68 win in 2015-16 in Monroe was their biggest in the series, one point shy of the Jaguars' 90-57 win in 2008-09… ULM leads the series 9-2 in the last 11 meetings… Four consecutive meetings from 2009-10 to 2012-13 were decided by a combined 12 points… ULM broke a seven-game losing streak to South Alabama during the 2009-10 season in Monroe 61-58, and won again in Mobile the next season 67-65… USA's average margin of victory in its seven-game win streak was 15.3 points… Freddie Goldstein tied his own school record with nine 3-pointers in USA's 88-86 win in Monroe in the 2011-12 season, to end a two-game skid to the Warhawks… The two schools played four times in 1975 and 1976 but didn't resume the series until 2005.

OPENING TIP
South Alabama's win last year in Monroe was just its second in the last 11 meetings between the two schools. Both of those wins have come on the road.

A win Saturday would even USA's record in true road games this season at 2-2.

Thursday's 60-57 win at Louisiana was the Jaguars' first in 2019-20 when scoring fewer than 70 points. Under head coach Richie Riley, the Jags are 3-15 when scoring 69 or fewer and 22-8 when hitting the 70-point mark.

South Alabama has held consecutive opponents to fewer than 60 points for the first time since on Nov. 18-19, 2017.

The Jaguars are 7-0 in 2019-20 when outshooting their opponents, and 6-0 when shooting 50% or better.

USA shot 15 for 17 (87.5%) from the free-throw line at Louisiana, marking the third time this season the team had converted 87.5% or better (min. 15 FTM) at the line. The last time the Jags had three such games in a season was 1980-81. The team leads the Sun Belt and is 42nd in Division I in free-throw percentage at .755.

South Alabama allowed just 12 points in the paint Thursday and is giving up 10.0 ppg in its last two games. In the three games before that, USA gave up an average of 45.3 points in the paint.

The Jags have committed just 10 turnovers in each of their last three games. They are averaging 10.5 miscues in the previous four games since committing a season-high 20 vs. Alabama A&M on Dec. 17. The team ranks 39th in the nation in fewest turnovers per game (11.8).

Andre Fox scored 12 of his team-high 14 points in the second half at Louisiana. He had seven points total in his previous two games. The 12 second-half points marked the sixth time this season he reached double-digits after halftime. That is second on the team behind Josh Ajayi (7).

Ajayi recorded his fourth double-double of the year Thursday with 13 points and a game-best 12 rebounds. The four double-doubles are tied for second in the Sun Belt, and the Jaguars are 4-0 this year when he achieves a double-double.

Ajayi moved past Ed Rains into fourth all-time at South Alabama with 724 career rebounds, and is 13 shy of Rory White in third.

Ajayi is averaging 12.5 points and 10.5 rebounds in four career games vs. ULM. He had 19 and eight last year in Monroe.

Ajayi and Lott continue to rank first and second, respectively, in the Sun Belt in field-goal percentage. Ajayi is 28th in the nation at 60.2% and Lott is 32nd at 59.1%. Lott went 4 for 6 for eight points Thursday.

Trhae Mitchell was credited with one block against the Cajuns, bringing his season average to 2.1 per game, best in the conference and 41st in Division I.

Mitchell scored a game-high 23 points in last year's game in Monroe. In the previous three games against ULM, Mitchell tallied 21 points total.

The Jaguar defense that is allowing just 52.0 points in its last two games will be going up against the league's lowest-ranked offense, scoring 64.0 ppg. However, the Warhawks are second in the conference in scoring defense, giving up 63.9 ppg, including a league-best 66.0 in Sun Belt games.

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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