MOBILE, Ala. – Charles Manning Jr. posted a game-high 20 points to help the University of South Alabama men's basketball team defeat Texas A&M-Commerce 69-66 on Monday night at the Mitchell Center
 
He also recorded five assists and five blocks as the Jaguars (6-2) had four individuals finish in double figures. Jay Jay Chandler and Kayo Goncalves both scored 13 points and Diante Smith added 11.
 
Jairus Roberson finished with 19 points for Texas A&M-Commerce, while Alphonso Willis chipped in 13 for the Lions.
 
Date: 11/29
Place: Mitchell Center
Final Score: South Alabama 69, Texas A&M-Commerce 66
Records: South Alabama 6-2, Texas A&M-Commerce 3-0 (exhibition)
 
GAME FACTS
- Texas A&M-Commerce opened the game on a 15-6 run, limiting the Jags to 1-of-12 from the floor in the first 10 minutes and 30 seconds of the half.
- The Lions outscored South 17-11 over the next seven-plus minutes, expanding the lead to 32-17.
- Smith hit a three-pointer to jump start an 8-0 run to cut the deficit to seven, 32-25, at the break.
- USA opened the second half shooting 4-of-5 from the field to trim the lead to four (38-34).
- Texas A&M-Commerce answered with five unanswered points to stretch the lead back to nine, 43-34, with just under 14 minutes remaining.
- Both teams traded buckets over the next 4:41 until Manning Jr. scored on a three-point play to pull the Jaguars within five, 51-46.
- Chandler made a transition layup to tie it up for South Alabama, 53-53, with eight-and-a-half minutes left in regulation.
- Goncalves followed with a three-pointer to give South its first lead, and Chandler connected on another layup to give the Jags a 58-53 advantage.
- The Lions responded with a 5-0 run to tie the game with just over five minutes left in the game.
- Smith hit two free throws to put South in front 65-63 with just under three minutes remaining.
- Alex Anderson and Chandler then followed with back-to-back layups to extend the lead to six with 29 seconds showing on the clock.
- Texas A&M-Commerce's Roberson hit a three-pointer with 13 seconds left to pull within three.
- After a Jaguar missed free throw, Willis missed a potential game-tying three with less than one second remaining as the Jags held on for the victory.
 
NOTES
- This was the first-ever meeting between the two programs.
- USA has won five straight games and is 4-0 at home this season.
- Trailing by 15 in the first half, this was the largest comeback victory of the season for South Alabama.
- After shooting 26.1 percent in the opening 20 minutes, South shot 54.5 percent from the field in the second half.
- USA forced Texas A&M-Commerce to turn it over 19 times, as the Jags have forced 15 or more turnovers in seven of eight games this season.
- Manning Jr. has scored 20 or more points in three straight games while reaching double figures in seven consecutive contests; he also set a career-best in blocks.
- Chandler has scored in double digits in five consecutive outings.
- Smith tied a career-high with three three-pointers.
- Goncalves has hit at least one three-pointer in every contest this season.
 
 
THEY SAID IT
Head Coach Richie Riley
- Opening statement:
"They executed their plan better than us, that's a statement to how well they are coached and the type of kids they have; they were really impressive. As far as my group, we looked like we had been out in Vegas and just got back Saturday evening and we played like that; that's no excuse, that's their schedule. We talked about reasons why they came out so flat and were unfocused, but that's not an excuse. You have 40 minutes to play, we have 32 games that are guaranteed. This isn't the NBA where you play 82 games and can just come out and float through a night. That's what we did tonight, we floated through the whole night and we turned it on a little bit late, just enough to win the game. And I'm thankful we won the game, don't get me wrong, but what our program stands on is a culture of work, competing fiercely every time we go out there, and playing and honoring the game the right way, and we didn't do any of those things tonight. Usually when you don't do those things you don't get to win, and we did tonight so I'm hopeful that we learn from our mistakes in a win rather than a loss because that effort and type of performance is certainly not going to cut it. It was a white knuckler, it was tough. I was really disappointed in our effort and energy, but I'm proud that our kids didn't wilt and they found a way to win a game where we didn't play very well."
 
- On Texas A&M-Commerce:
"Trust me, we preached and we harped and we watched film, we showed them the UTSA game and their personnel. We told them where they had transferred from and that they go to the NCAA Tournament every year, we told them they are a Division I team and are just transitioning. We coach 18- to 22-year-old kids and sometimes they develop a mindset on their own of what they think it is, and that's not always reality. We certainly underestimated them — not as a staff, I knew how good they were and told their coach before the game they do a heck of a job — but our kids won those two games in Vegas and felt good about themselves and we had one day to prepare, it was a light day and when we came out it looked like that. I told our guys before the game this is going to be a fight, it was going to be an absolute dogfight to get out of here because I knew our energy level and where it was at and I knew what we thought they were. They came and did what I thought they would, they hit us in the mouth. It took all we had to come out of there a winner, we were definitely fortunate to do that."
 
- On Charles Manning Jr.:
"He stepped up and made two huge blocks, he hit some big buckets that kept us in the game too. He made some good passes, we didn't pay them all off by making the shots. He has the talent to be one of the best players in our league and one of the best mid-major players in the country to be honest. I felt like we had one last year in Mike Flowers who carried us a lot, I think Manning has those same attributes; he's a different style of player, obviously, than Mike, but he can be one of the better mid-major players if he comes with that from the tip. I think he will and that he is growing into that. He was huge down the stretch for us and he was huge in the second half."
 
UP NEXT
- South Alabama will take on Southern Mississippi Wednesday at 7 p.m. (CST) at the Mitchell Center.
 
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).

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—USA—