Game 13 • South Alabama Jaguars (9-3) vs. SIUE Cougars (6-6)
December 21, 2021 • 7 p.m. (CST) • Mitchell Center • Mobile, Ala.
 
THE COACHES
South Alabama
Richie Riley (Eastern Kentucky, 2005)
Record at USA: 63-42 (4th year)
Overall Record: 98-70 (6th year)
Record vs. SIUE: 0-0
 
SIUE          
Brian Barone (Marquette, 2000)
Record at SIUE: 23-46 (3rd year)
Overall Record: Same
Record vs. South Alabama: 0-0

LAST GAME
South Alabama fell at Tarleton 65-52 on Friday night. SIUE defeated William Woods 84-29 on Sunday.

NEXT GAME
USA will open up Sun Belt play at UTA on Dec. 30 at 7 p.m. (CST)
 
ON THE AIR
Radio: Sports Talk 99.5: J.T. Crabtree (pxp) Joe McNulty (color)
Web: http://sportstalk995.iheart.com/listen (audio)
ESPN+ (Internet Streaming): J.D. Byars (pxp), Pat Greenwood (color)

RANKINGS
USA: #137 Sagarin, NET #113
SIUE: #280 Sagarin, NET #239

THE SERIES
The series is tied 1-1 all-time

NOTES
- South is off to its best start through 12 games since the 2007-08 team started 9-3 that finished 26-7 and made the NCAA Tournament.
 
- USA's winning streak ended at eight games. Dating back to the 2019-20 season, South Alabama has had an eight-game winning streak in each year under Richie Riley.

- South Alabama is 6-0 this season at the Mitchell Center.
 
- The Jaguars are among the lowest percentage of minutes returning in the country for the 2021-22 season. USA brings back just 28.6 percent of minutes played from last season, which ranks as the eighth fewest in the NCAA. Only UT-Martin, Creighton, Missouri, Duquesne, Iowa State, Robert Morris and Boston College return fewer. Newcomers accounted for 86.8 percent of the scoring in South Alabama's first 12 games. The top five scorers are newcomers.
 
- The Jags have forced at least 10 turnovers in every game this season.
 
- South Alabama is ranked 37th in the NCAA in scoring defense, giving up just 60.3 points per game. The Jaguars have held teams under 70 points in 11 out of 12 games this season.
 
- USA is ranked in the top 3 of the Sun Belt in scoring defense, scoring margin (13.9), blocked shots per game (4.8), total rebounds (445) and free throws made (150).
 
- Jay Jay Chandler posted a career-high 23 points on 9-of-15 shooting, including 4-for-6 from three in the loss at Tarleton. Chandler has scored in double figures in nine consecutive games.
 
- After scoring 12 points at Tarleton, Alex Anderson has scored 10 or more points in four straight contests.
 
- Charles Manning Jr. is the leading scorer in the Sun Belt, averaging 17.1 points a game.  
 
- Javon Franklin is shooting 24-of-30 (80 percent) over his last four games.
 
- Kayo Goncalves is third in the Sun Belt with 24 three-pointers
 
- SIU's Ray'Sean Taylor is averaging 17.5 points a game, the third highest mark in the OVC.
 
- The Cougars lead the OVC in field-goal percentage defense, limiting teams to 41 percent from the field.
 
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 the 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—