MOBILE, Ala. – Tyreke Locure scored 19 points and Michael Flowers recorded his first double-double of the season as the University of South Alabama men's basketball team topped Georgia Southern, 62-48, Saturday evening in the Mitchell Center. With the win, the teams split both meetings.

Locure gathered eight rebounds with a pair of assists and steals in addition to a new single game high in points during conference play. Flowers registered 10 points, 10 rebounds for the double-double in addition to three assists and a steal. Kayo Goncalves snagged 11 rebounds, all on the defensive end, with nine points, a block and two steals.

Elijah McCadden lead the Eagles with 16 points with Zack Bryant also making it to double figures with 13 points, but no other made more than two field goals or higher than five points.

GAME FACTS
- Scoring was at a premium early as both defenses were keeping the offenses in check. The teams combined for 2-of-9 from the floor, both three pointers, that had the game tied 3-3 at the first media break (15:43).
- After sputtering to start the game, South scored the next nine of 12 points to get a six-point advantage, 12-6. John Pettway drove for a pair of layups and Locure sank a three with a pair of free throws.
- The Jaguar offense continued humming as South went up 24-12 with 9:01 left in the first half. South had connected on nine field goals to that point, while holding GS to 4-of-15 from the field.
- South carried a 13-point lead into the locker room, 36-23. Locure (13) and Pettway (11) each notched double digits in the first 20 minutes.
- USA pushed the lead to 18, 51-33, with 14:13 left after back-to-back threes from Sam Iorio and Goncalves.
- The Jaguars held off the Eagles, maintaining a double-digit lead (58-45) to the game's final media break at 3:50. Locure led all scorers with 19 and South's defense had held GS to 28.1 percent from the field.
- The Eagles were held to three points off one field goal in to close out the contest as USA picked up the 62-48 victory.
- Both defenses affected the offenses as USA was held to 35.7 FG percentage but limited GS to 17-of-60 from the floor for 28.3 percent.
- The Jaguars outrebounded the Eagles 45-38.

NOTES
- This was the first time in South Alabama men's basketball history the Jaguars played the same opponent four times in a season, with four Georgia Southern games happening over a 23-day span.
- This was South's first win Sun Belt Conference win on Saturday in the new format, resulting in USA splitting three of its four conference series.
- Flowers recorded his first double-double in a Jaguars uniform.
- Pettway reached double figures (15) for the third time in conference play, with all three times against Georgia Southern.
- Iorio set a new season high of six rebounds.
- Locure set a new game-high in conference play (19 points).

THEY SAID IT
Head Coach Richie Riley
Opening Statement: "I usually write down things that are schematically in the game and those things are knowing, understanding and being passionate about your job. The most important thing is doing your job. Tonight, it was that simple. We didn't do our job last night and there's been a lot of nights where we couldn't afford to do that. We can go out there and do some crazy things and we have some nights where we struggle. Tonight, the balls went in for us, and things looked nice offensively and we played well. I'm so proud of our team for winning a game like that. We defended like a team and rebounded the ball. Two of our players had double figure in rebounds. We played good tonight against a good team."
On other players stepping up: "It's been a challenge throughout the week. I really challenged them to step up and play with some confidence and be aggressive and Pettway and Locure did today. They were aggressive and by them just them being aggressive helps us, because everything is geared to take charge on the court. Everyone is really conscious of where Pettway is at all times on the floor."
On Kayo Goncalves: "[Kayo] Goncalves is a good rebounder. He's not the most athletic human being out there, but he's a good rebounder. We coach him hard to rebound the ball and tonight it showed. He had 11 defensive rebounds and seven of those were really tough."

Up next: South Alabama will face Georgia State in Atlanta at the GSU Sports Arena in a pair of games on Friday and Saturday. Friday's game will tipoff at 7:30 (CST) and be nationally televised on ESPN2 with Saturday's tipping at 5:30 on ESPN+.

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).