Game 26 • Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns (10-15, 5-9) vs. South Alabama Jaguars (14-11, 7-7)
February 13, 2020 • 7 p.m. • Mitchell Center (5,520) • Mobile, Ala.

THE COACHES
South Alabama    
Richie Riley (Eastern Kentucky, 2005)
Record at USA: 31-28 (2nd year)
Overall Record: 66-56 (4th year)
Record vs. Louisiana: 2-3

Louisiana    
Bob Marlin (Mississippi State, 1981)
Record at LA: 183-139 (10th year)
Overall Record: 532-305 (27th year)

LAST GAME
South Alabama won its second straight road game, picking up a 70-66 victory at Troy last Friday night, while Louisiana fell 80-78 at home to Georgia Southern.

NEXT GAME
The Jaguars will host ULM at the Mitchell Center on Saturday night. Louisiana will travel to Troy.

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

RANKINGS (ratings through Feb. 11)
USA: #170 NET, #146 Sagarin
LA: #252 NET, #224 Sagarin

THE SERIES
USA leads 29-27

Current streak: South Alabama, 2 wins
Last meeting: South Alabama 680, Louisiana 57 (1/2/20)
USA's last win at the Mitchell Center: 83-70 (2/27/16)
LA's last win at the Mitchell Center: 88-71 (2/24/18)
USA's record at the Mitchell Center: 8-7
USA's home streak: Lost 1
USA's longest winning / losing streak in series: 4 / 5

Notes: South Alabama had a four-game win streak in the series ended in 2013-14 with the largest loss ever to LA (102-74)… The two teams traded wins in the 2008-09 (LA) and 2009-10 (USA) seasons by the same 67-65 score… LA has four wins vs. USA (three regular season, one SBC tournament) that were vacated due to NCAA penalties… The Ragin' Cajuns won the 2008-09 contest in Lafayette on a half-court shot by Randell Daigle… South Alabama's 88-64 win in 2012-13 broke a string of seven games in the series decided by six points or less, including two in overtime… Neither team has dominated the other for an extended period—the longest win streak by either school is five.

OPENING TIP
South Alabama holds a slim 29-27 lead in the all-time series and has won the last two, including a 60-57 win in Lafayette back in January.

South returns home for a pair of games beginning with Louisiana Thursday night after winning its fifth true road game of the season – all of which have come in Sun Belt Conference play – with a 70-66 win at Troy last Friday.

Josh Ajayi was one of four players to finish in double figures in the win, posting 20 points and 10 rebounds for his eighth double-double of the season.

With the double-double, Ajayi moved into a tie for third with former Jag Virgil Stanescu in career double-doubles as he now has 27.

The 20-point outing for Ajayi was his ninth of the season. He enters the game against the Ragin' Cajuns  having finished in double figures in 10-straight contests. Since being held to 2 points at Chattanooga on Nov. 15, he has finished in double figures 17 times.

The 6-foot-6 forward leads the Sun Belt in field-goal percentage (.579), is sixth in scoring (15.9) and ranks second in rebounding (7.8).

South once again held a dominant 38-24 advantage in the points in the paint category against Troy. Since its game versus Mobile (Dec. 28), the Jaguars have outscored opponents a combined total of 412-230 and over that 13-game stretch South is averaging 31.7 ppg and holding opponents to 17.7 ppg in the paint.  

Freshman guard Tyreke Locure has started the last three games in place of John Pettway (injury). Over that stretch he is averaging just under 10 points a game and has recorded double figures twice, including 12 points on 4-of-5 shooting at Troy. Locure also sank all three of his 3-point attempts against the Trojans.

Chad Lott and Andre Fox also come into the game having recorded double digits in four of their last five. Lott is tied for 15th in the SBC in scoring (13.0) and second in field-goal percentage (.553).

With his 12 points off the bench against Troy, Fox has now scored double figures in each of his last three.

Louisiana fell 86-79 at home against Georgia Southern in its last outing and were led by Cedric Russell's 23 points.

The game versus the Jaguars is the start of a three-game road stretch for the Ragin' Cajuns.

Four players are averaging double figures led by Jalen Johnson's 15.2 ppg, which ranks seventh in the league.

As a team, Louisiana ranks 11th in the SBC in scoring defense (74.5), field-goal percentage (.411), field-goal percentage defense (.447), and 12th in assists (10.7).

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—