Game 12,13 • South Alabama (7-4) at Coastal Carolina (7-2)
January 8-9, 2021 • 6,3 p.m. (local) • The HTC Center (3,212) • Conway, S.C.

THE COACHES
South Alabama    
Richie Riley (Eastern Kentucky, 2005)
Record at USA: 44-32 (3rd year)
Overall Record: 79-60 (5th year)
Record vs. Coastal Carolina: 2-2

Coastal Carolina    
Cliff Ellis (Florida State, 1968)
Record at Coastal Carolina: 253-183 (14th year)
Overall Record: 787-520 (43rd year)

LAST GAME
USA opened conference play with a 29-point win against Georgia Southern, 88-59, in Statesboro, Ga., but fell in the rematch the next day 62-49 to the same team. Coastal Carolina also opened conference play with a comfortable victory over Georgia State, 81-69, at Conway, S.C., but lost the day two match against the Panthers, 70-62.

NEXT GAME
South returns to Mobile for the Sun Belt home opener with Appalachian State making the trek to the Mitchell Center for a pair of games on Jan. 15 and 16 respectively. The Chanticleers will make the journey to Atlanta for their return games with Georgia State next weekend on Friday and Saturday.

ON THE AIR
Radio: Sports Talk 99.5: J.T. Crabtree (pxp)
Web: http://sportstalk995.iheart.com/listen (audio)
ESPN+ (Internet Streaming): Jeff McCarragher (pxp) Nathan Ross (color)

RANKINGS
USA: #273 Sagarin, NET #175
Coastal Carolina: #157 Sagarin, NET #138

THE SERIES
Coastal has the advantage in the series with South Alabama six wins to four, but the four most recent have been split with USA winning one at home and on the road, and CCU matching that. The last game played was decided in the final seconds as South made free throws for a three-point win, 74-71 in the HTC Center. The win was a part of the Jagaurs' eight game win streak to close out the 2019-20 season.

NOTES
The Jaguars continue the four-game road trip to open conference play with a pair of games at Conway, S.C., against Coastal Carolina. Both USA and the Chanticleers opened up Sun Belt Conference games by splitting the first two games, notably with each team winning the opening game and falling in the follow-up contest. South played at Georgia Southern, while Coastal hosted Georgia State.

South has played one home game in its last five games, Flagler (Fla.) on Dec. 16, with the pair of games this weekend concluding a month of away games with the Jaguars returning to Mobile to face Appalachian State on Jan. 15-16.

Coastal Carolina has exercised its offensive prowess thus far and ranks seventh in the NCAA in scoring offense with an average of 90.7. South ranks 50th with 80.8. The teams are separated by five points in scoring defense as Coastal allows an average of 67.0 points over nine games and South allowing 72.0 points over its 11 contests.

All six Sun Belt Conference East teams split their opening series with all members taking a win and loss on the first weekend of conference play. With the ties in conference records, the standings were divided by overall records with Coastal Carolina and Georgia State tied for the top position. South Alabama, Georgia Southern and Appalachian State are in a three-way tie for third with Troy trailing the three by one game.

South ranks first in the Sun Belt making 39.9 percent of three-pointers with CCU number two with 38.9 percent. Both rank in the top 30 nationally with USA at 17 and the Chanticleers at 30.

USA also completed its non-conference slate without any changes. The nine games without changes is the most in the nation, but in a four-way tie with Louisiana Tech, Toledo and UNC Wilmington. No other Sun Belt team has more than six, and one opponent, Auburn, also made the list with eight games.

Michael Flowers continues to be the Jaguar leading scorer with 231 points on the year for an average of 21.0 points per game. The mark registers as fourth in the NCAA. The senior scored 44 points total over the first pair of conference games against Georgia Southern. Flowers has scored 20 points in back-to-back games three times this season.

KK Curry recorded his first pair of starts on the year replacing Tyreke Locure in the starting five. Four of the last five games, Curry has scored in double figures including a career-high 20 points against Alabama A&M in the final non-conference game for the Jaguars. The Cleveland, Tenn., native has already surpassed his freshman total of rebounds with 42 on the year in 27 fewer minutes.

Kayo Goncalves notched the first double-double on the season for South in game one against Georgia Southern. The 15-point, 10-rebound performance matched his season high in rebounds while falling three below his season-high 18 points at Southern Miss.

Jamal West set a single-game team-high with 12 rebounds in the second game against Georgia Southern. West has been coming off the bench for the Jaguars after starting the first five contests, but playing an average of 23.5 minutes per game. The freshman has pulled down 63 rebounds, 5.7 per game, which is second in both categories on the club.

John Pettway is fourth in the Sun Belt in field goal percentage. With 53 makes on 83 attempts (.639), Pettway is the most accurate shooter from the field on the Jaguar squad. The redshirt senior is consistent in the midrange jumper and is capable of using his six-foot-three frame to effectively drive toward the basket. The 63.9 percent would rank 21st in the NCAA, but falls short of the requirements for rankings. Only one player on the Sun Belt ratings qualifies for NCAA rankings, Georgia State's Eliel Nsoseme.

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