MOBILE, Ala. – Michael Flowers and Tyreke Locure each scored above 20 as the University of South Alabama defeated Coastal Carolina, 70-66, Saturday evening in the Mitchell Center.

Locure dropped a game-high 22 points with two rebounds, two assists and a steal. Flowers scored 20 with four rebounds, a game-high four assists and a steal. John Pettway recorded his first double-double with 10 points, 10 rebounds with three steals and a pair of assists. Jamal West also ripped down 10 rebounds, sharing the game-high in that category with Pettway.

Tim Ceaser paced the Chants with 22 points, which tied Locure for the game high, on 8-of-12 shooting with four made threes. Tyrik Dixon contributed for the guests with 14 points, but no other Chanticleer broke into double digits.

GAME FACTS
- South's defense smothered CCU to open the game not allowing the Chanticleers an open look from the floor resulting in Coastal going 0-for-7 from the floor as the Jags opened with a 9-0 run over the first 4:49 second of the game.
- CCU responded with an 11-2 run to take the lead, 12-11, with 10 minutes 19 seconds left in the first half. Ceaser connected on a three and a jump shot to finish the run for Coastal.
- The game remained tight through the under-four media break with USA posting a one-point lead (24-23). Locure led the Jaguars with seven points, Ceaser led the game with 10.
- South outscored the Chants 9-5 and took a five-point lead into the locker room (33-28). The teams had close stats as field goal percentages were at 39 and 38 respectively with the visitors leading. Both teams made four three-pointers with CCU leading in rebounds by eight but the Jaguars forcing the Chanticleers into 12 turnovers.
- The Chanticleers tied the game at 33 after in the first 99 seconds of the second half as each team took a lead with the Jaguars in front by three at the first media break, 41-38. Locure, Flowers and Kayo Goncalves each contributed to USA's scoring over the span.
- South pushed the lead to five going into the final media break, 67-62, Flowers and Locure both had eclipsed the 20-point mark for the Jaguars.
- The Jaguars held off the to claim a 70-66 victory as only field goal made in the final two minutes was a three-pointer by Goncalves with one minute, 50 seconds to go.
- USA turned over the Chanticleers 14 times for 15 points. The Jaguars committed eight turnovers.
- CCU won the rebound battle 45-38, but South edged Coastal in the second half with 23 rebounds to 22.
- South scored 26 points in the paint to the visitor's 22.
- The home team topped CCU 18-7 in fast-break scoring.

NOTES
- With the win, South Alabama has won three consecutive games.
- In the series with Coastal Carolina this season, USA earned a split by winning both games at home. CCU won both games at the HTC Center earlier this season in the Jaguars' second Sun Belt series.
- For the second game in a row, the Jaguar defense held DeVante' Jones to his lowest point total of the year, nine points. The effort was spearheaded by Locure, who played Jones in man-to-man defense while he was on the court.
- Pettway recorded his first career double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
- Flowers and Locure have scored 20 or more points in consecutive games, and are the only two to score above 20 in the same game during regulation this season.
- Flowers recorded his 12th 20-point game of the season.
- Locure led USA in scoring for the fourth time and all scorers for the third time this season.

THEY SAID IT
Head Coach Richie Riley
Opening Statement: "I can't describe how big it is for us to get the sweep this weekend against the league leader, it's huge not only because they're the league leader but they're a really good team.  To be able to win two games in a row against a really good team helps our confidence, and it also helps back up all the things that we've been talking about all season.  When you play with grit and toughness and the defensive end is a priority for you, being selfless and not caring about anything other than the outcome is a win leads you to play pretty well.  That's what we did this weekend and last weekend too.  Carryover and consistency is a big part of what we do here and who we want to be, and for the last two weekends we've been pretty consistent.  We have to go right back to work, we have a tough stretch with a curveball that's been thrown at us — we have to play on Tuesday — but it is what it is; if they schedule one for Monday we'll play that one too.  We need to do the things that have led to us winning this weekend, we have to keep carrying those things over."
On the team's progress throughout the season: "We have a long way to go to get to where we were last year at this time, but that is the point of what we are trying to do.  We are trying to get to where we are not just playing at a high level but understanding and appreciating what goes into winning.  Last year's group understood that and appreciated what went into winning once we got down the stretch, that's why I thought we had a great chance to win the tournament.  This year's team is starting to figure some things out, and that's the goal when you coach your team; you want them to be playing their best basketball at the end of the season.  We're still not there yet, but the last two weeks have been a step in a positive direction so we need to keep going.  We're about halfway there, we need to keep going and make it a full trip."
On adjusting his coaching in the second game of a conference weekend this year: "We attack every 40 [minutes] wide open with everything we've got.  I coach that way and I want my teams to play like that.  We attack ever 40 with the purpose of winning, you saw it tonight when we had three guys play 40 minutes, another playing 36 and another playing 34.  A lot of coaches will take their guys out early to give them a rest because it's the second game of a doubleheader in less than 24 hours, but I don't do that because I don't feel like that gives us the best chance to win.  Our kids know that coming in, Michael Flowers, Tyreke Locure and John Pettway know that they are probably going to go the whole 40.  Ideally you would have a lot of depth, and I think we would've if we had the team that we had at the start of the year; we probably had more talent and depth than we've had since I've been here.  But that's not who we have, so these guys know they have to be out there and go out and play hard and compete for that long.  They condition themselves that way, they put in a lot of extra time, they take care of their bodies, they get rest because they know they have to perform at a peak level for 40 minutes to be able to win."

Up next: South Alabama will make a midweek trip to Atlanta, Ga., for a Tuesday game against Georgia State. The make-up game is scheduled to start at 1 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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