Game 25-26 • South Alabama Jaguars (14-8) (8-5) at Appalachian State (12-7) (6-4)
February 19-20, 2021 • 6,4 p.m. • Holmes Convocation Center (8,325) • Boone, N.C.

THE COACHES
South Alabama    
Richie Riley (Eastern Kentucky, 2005)
Record at USA: 51-36 (3rd year)
Overall Record: 86-64 (5th year)
Record vs. Appalachian State: 4-2

Appalachian State    
Dustin Kerns (Clemson, 2002)
Record at Appalachian State: 30-22 (2nd year)
Overall Record: 61-59 (4th year)

LAST GAME
South Alabama swept Troy taking the Saturday game 58-51 at Trojan Arena in Troy, Ala. Appalachian State has not played since being swept at Troy with the final game in that series going to Troy by the score of 65-59 on Jan 30. A series with Georgia State and Coastal Carolina were postponed and cancelled since that point.

NEXT GAME
The Jaguars return to Mobile and will play their regular season finale series with Georgia State in the Mitchell Center on Feb. 26-27. Appalachian State will play a COVID-makeup game with Georgia State on Tuesday before wrapping the regular season at Georgia Southern.

ON THE AIR
ESPN+ (Internet Streaming): Kendall Lewis (pxp) John Resiterer (color)

RANKINGS
USA: # 194 Sagarin, NET #201
App: # 196 Sagarin, NET #219

THE SERIES
With the top two teams in the Sun Belt East division facing off and no post-season games between the pair, this will be the most important series of games for the two teams. The Jaguars and Mountaineers split the games in Mobile, Ala., with South winning Friday 73-64 and App winning Saturday 83-77. Historically, the series favors USA 10-3, but the last four games have been split two wins for each team.

NOTES
South Alabama is on a six-game win streak and has taken the top spot in the Sun Belt East division. Appalachian State falls just behind the Jaguars after having four games interrupted by COVID protocols with a pair of postponements and cancellations during rivalry week with Coastal Carolina. The pair of teams both competed against Troy last time out with all four games being decided by nine points or fewer, but with South Alabama surging and the Mountaineers slumping. However, after a two-week break, the games may come down to how quickly the Jaguars recover from their five games in eight days or how quickly Appalachian recovers the proficiency that had them as the first place team in the East division.

USA is on a win streak at the tail end of the season for the second year in a row under head coach Richie Riley. The Jaguars closed out the 19-20 season with an eight-game win streak earning a bye until the semifinals of the Sun Belt Tournament in New Orleans prior to COVID cancellations. This year, the Jaguars have ridden the six-game upswing to the top of the East. USA has not lost in the month of February since a 75-57 defeat to UT-Arlington on Feb. 28, 2019.

The Jaguars have won been winning close over the six-game span. All but the first game of the run has been won by single digits. Four of the games were won by six points or fewer.

Four of South's six wins came at the Mitchell Center with a Saturday win over Georgia Southern followed by a home sweep over Coastal Carolina and Thursday's win over Troy. The Jags have posted a 10-3 record at home this year, with two losses coming in Sun Belt play.

USA 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.

With the completion of the regular season series against Georgia Southern, USA has played the same opponent four times in the same season for the first time in program history. While that will potentially be commonplace at the conclusion of the schedule, the first time was set over the course of 23 days.

Michael Flowers has been one of the most prolific scorers in the nation, floating in the top five of the total points in the NCAA division I, trailing Iowa's Luke Garza, who has maintained a lock on the top position for the Majority of the season.

Flowers was named the Mid-Major Conference Player of the Week for the Sun Belt Conference by College Sports Madness on Feb. 8.

While scoring 32 points against Georgia Southern, the Senior etched his name on a couple South Alabama single-game records. The effort tied the record of three-point attempts with 17, equaling a record held by Michael Gerren set against USF on Feb. 10, 1983. Flowers also put up 29 field goal attempts which tied the second-place position, which was set by Eugene Oliver against Southern Miss on Feb. 14, 1974, however, the record of 30 attempts in a game was set in the previously mentioned USF game in 1983 by Gerren.

In addition to the NCAA rankings and despite the shortened non-conference schedule, Flowers could potentially shake up the single-season record book at USA with a pace to make the top 10 in points, points-per-game and made three-point baskets. While the percentages have a chance to drop, Flowers could also etch his name in the field-goal percentage and three-point field-goal percentage categories.

Sam Iorio led the Jaguars and game in scoring for the first time since donning a South Alabama jersey with 18 points against the Panthers in Atlanta last Tuesday. The transfer from American has become more comfortable and confident within his role according to head coach Richie Riley and has lead the team in rebounds the last three games. Against the Trojans on Thursday, Iorio added six blocks to his season tally. Saturday, Iorio ripped down 15 rebounds setting the team-wide season high in both categories.

Joining Flowers in various three-point offensive categories is Kayo Goncalves. Standing at six feet eight inches, Goncalves has sank over 50 threes on the year, with an accuracy of 53rd in division one NCAA men's basketball. In the defensive game between the Jaguars and Trojans Saturday, Goncalves led the Jags in scoring for the second time this year.

Stepping into a bigger role, Tyreke Locure has become the second option behind Flowers, scoring 14.7 points per game (seventh in the Sun Belt). The sophomore has averaged 17 points-per-game during the Jaguar win streak, including tying his career high of 22 points against Coastal Carolina on Feb. 6.

John Pettway earned his first career double-double in a 10-point 10-rebound effort against the Chanticleers on Feb. 6. As one of the most consistent shooters on the Jaguar squad, Pettway achieved his first time as top scorer for the Jaguars against Troy on Saturday, tying Goncalves with 14 points.

Adding another accolade likened to Josh Ajayi, Jamal West pulled down 13 rebounds in the Jan. 15 contest against the Mountaineers with a total of 23 after both games concluded. The 13 boards equaled the single-game high last year set by Ajayi against Pikeville and equaled in conference play against UT-Arlington. West started the first four games this season, becoming the first freshman to start the first four games since the aforementioned Ajayi. The freshman has also grabbed 10 or more rebounds in four Sun Belt Conference contests; two against Appalachian State in back-to-back days, a 12-rebound performance against Georgia Southern on Jan. 2 and against the Chanticleers last time on the court.

KK Curry has fallen short of a double-double four times this season. The sophomore has fell one rebound shy of a double-double with three of the four efforts coming in Sun Belt Conference play and two of the three resulting in Jaguar wins. Stepping up his production in against SBC competition, Curry is averaging 10.8 points and 5.6 rebounds per game in his first six appearances in conference play. While a presence on the post, the sophomore sank 19 free throws after earning 25 trips to the charity stripe over the same span.

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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