STEPHENVILLE, Texas – Despite Jay Jay Chandler scoring a career-best 23 points, the University of South Alabama men's basketball team fell to Tarleton 65-52 on Friday night at Wisdom Gym.
 
Alex Anderson was the other Jag in double figures, scoring 12 points on 6-of-10 shooting.
 
Tarleton's Montre Gipson led all scorers with 27 points, including 17 in the second half. Tahj Small finished with 16 and hit four of the team's six three-pointers.
 
Date: 12/17
Place: Wisdom Gym
Final Score: South Alabama 52, Tarleton 65
Records: South Alabama 9-3, Tarleton 4-8
 
GAME FACTS
- South jumped out to an early 9-6 lead as Chandler had five points over the first five minutes.
- Tarleton went on a 7-3 run to take the lead, 13-12 with 11:16 in the half.
- USA scored seven straight points to go up six, 19-13, highlighted by a Lance Thomas transition three-pointer.
- The Texans closed the half on a 14-6 run as Gipson and Small combined for 11 points to retake the lead, 27-25.
- Shakur Daniel hit back-to-back jumpers and Small hit a three-pointer to extend the Tarleton lead to six, 34-28 with just over 17 minutes left.
- The Jags scored 15 of the next 24 points to tie the game at 43-43, after Thomas hit his second three-pointer and Chandler completed a three-point play with 11:45 left in the contest.
- Freddy Hicks answered with a three-pointer to put the Texans back on top, 48-45 with 9:29 on the clock.
- The Texans finished the game on a 17-7 run over the final nine minutes to win 65-52.
 
NOTES
- South Alabama split the two games against Tarleton. The back-to-back matchups between the two teams was the first time South has played a non-conference opponent in back-to-back games since the Jags faced off against Georgia Southern in 1979-80.
- The loss snaps an eight-game winning streak for South.
- Despite the loss, USA is off to its best start through 12 games since the 2005-06 team started 9-3.
- South fell to 4-1 this season when trailing at the break.
- Chandler has scored in double figures in nine straight games and set a career-high in points on Friday.
- Anderson has scored 10 or more points in four consecutive contests.
- Kayo Goncalves pulled down a season-best eight rebounds.
- Thomas tied a season-high with two three-pointers.
- Javon Franklin finished with three blocks, tying a career-best.
 
UP NEXT
- USA will return home to take on SIU-Edwardsville in the final non-conference game of the season on Tuesday at 7 p.m. (CST).
 
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—