TROY, Ala. – Four Jaguars score in double figures as the University of South Alabama men's basketball team defeated Troy, 58-51, Saturday evening in the Trojan Arena.

South Alabama (14-8) (8-5) was paced by Kayo Goncalves and John Pettway with 14 points each. Sam Iorio notched his first double-double in a Jaguars' uniform with 11 points and 15 rebounds. Tyreke Locure rounded out the double-digit scoring with 11 and six assists with a pair of steals.

Troy's (10-12) (4-8) Zay Williams equaled the game-high with 14 points of his own and 18 rebounds. Duke Miles was the only other Trojan in double-digits with 10 points.

GAME FACTS
- USA clinged to a small lead early as South led 13-8 at the game's first media break. Four Jaguars had scored to that point with Pettway notching two buckets for four points.
- The Trojans tied it up at 17, but Locure notched a three going into the under-eight media break (7:50) to put the Jags back in front. All five of South's starters had contributed to the scoring.
- South stretched the lead to 12 at the break, 31-19, after the Jaguars had locked up the defensive end, holding the home team scoreless for 7:19 going into halftime.
- Troy surged back in the second half, scoring 10 of the first 12 points in the second frame cutting the Jag advantage to four, 33-29. The run prompted a timeout at 16:39 for USA to regroup.
- Kayo Goncalves nailed a three from the wing to put South ahead by eight with 8:51 to go as the teams alternated scoring streaks.
- The lead was never trimmed below five points down the stretch as USA claimed victory, 58-51.
- South registered 11 assists on 20 made baskets.
- USA won the rebounding (43-42) and turnover (16-12) battle.
- South held the Trojans to six made threes, one more than the season low of six against Georgia State. Both occurred during the six-game win streak.

NOTES
- With the win, South Alabama moves into sole possession of first place in the Sun Belt East division
- The overall win streak was extended to six games including road wins at Atlanta over Georgia State and Troy.
- South Alabama has now won 27 in the series with the Trojans including the last six in a row for the longest streak in the series for either squad.
- USA had 4 Jaguars score double digits for the second game in a row.
- It was the first time Pettway or Goncalves led the game in scoring this season.
- Locure has led the team in assists the past three games.
- Iorio set a new single-game team high in rebounds with 15 rebounds. Jamal West had the previous number with 13 against Appalachian State on Jan. 15
-Iorio accomplished this one game following a career-high tying six blocks against the Trojans in the Mitchell Center Thursday.
- Pettway has achieved in double-figures in four of the six games in the win streak.

THEY SAID IT
Head Coach Richie Riley
Opening Statement: "That was really ugly, that was a team that has played four games in eight days and three in the last six days. We played tired, but with a grit and resiliency to win the game. I told our kids it doesn't matter what it looks like, you have to win the 40 [minutes] and we did. I am so proud of this group because of the fight that we showed. We had players play awfully offensively that we've never seen play bad offensively, but we did it on the defensive end. We did all the gritty stuff that goes into winning."
On Flowers: "It was probably one of the worst offensive games he's ever played but it was probably one of the best defensive games he's ever played, and that's called growth. He didn't get influenced by not making the shots that he normally makes and with how frustrated he was offensively. He just concerned himself with winning. He had some rebounds and was just tough. He won't shoot like that again; he is probably the best shooter I have ever coached. Our guys stepped around him."

Up next: South Alabama will make the journey to Boone, N.C., for the Jaguars final road trip of the season, playing against the Appalachian State Mountaineers. Tipoff for the first game is scheduled for Friday for 5 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).

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