Game 22 • South Alabama Jaguars (11-8) (5-5) at Georgia State (8-4) (2-3)
February 9, 2021 • 2 p.m. (EST) • GSU Sports Arena (3,854) • Atlanta, Ga.

THE COACHES
South Alabama    
Richie Riley (Eastern Kentucky, 2005)
Record at USA: 48-36 (3rd year)
Overall Record: 83-64 (5th year)
Record vs. Georgia Southern: 3-3

Georgia State    
Rob Lanier (St. Bonaventure, 1990)
Record at Georgia State: 27-17 (2nd year)
Overall Record: 85-87 (6th year)

LAST GAME
South Alabama completed a sweep of the home series against Coastal Carolina, winning 70-66 Saturday evening. Georgia State fell to Appalachian State 74-61 on Jan. 23. The Panthers have had their last four games postponed.

NEXT GAME
Both teams play in the rivalry pair of meetings. USA is at home on Thursday before
traveling to Troy Saturday. GSU will meet Georgia Southern in Atlanta on Thursday before the return game in Statesboro, Ga., Saturday.

ON THE AIR
Radio: Sports Talk 99.5: J.T. Crabtree (pxp)
Web: http://sportstalk995.iheart.com/listen (audio)
ESPN+ (Internet Streaming): Dave Cohen (pxp) Lamont McIntosh (color)

RANKINGS
USA: # 199 Sagarin, NET #205
Georgia State:  #139 Sagarin, NET #129

THE SERIES
Coastal Carolina has been the only Sun Belt team to sweep the Jaguars in a Friday-Saturday series this season. It was the 11th and 12th meeting between the squads in the series, which leans eight wins to the Chanticleers, four wins to the Jaguars. USA most recently defeated Coastal in the final meeting during the 2019-20 season as a part of South's eight-win streak to close the season.

NOTES
While the lifetime series between South Alabama and Georgia State is near even, 15 wins for the Jaguars and 17 for the Panthers, recent history has favored GSU. The Panthers have won the last five meetings and 13 of the last 16. USA has not won at Georgia State since 1982, but there was a 20-year gap when the two squads did not play between February 1982 and December 2002. The squads met three times between the game in 2002 and 2014. After that when GSU rejoined the Sun Belt, the pair resumed playing twice a season.

The Jaguars travel to Atlanta with a three-game win streak in conference play accompanying them, but have a COVID-makeup game putting the Jaguars in the middle of five games in eight days. South will be squeezing two road trips into that span, with a trip to Atlanta for this game and the rivalry pair of games awaiting them later in the week.

The Panthers have had basketball operations paused for multiple COVID positives of tier 1 personnel within the Georgia State program, so while the home side will be rested for the meeting, but the downside is the timing and cohesion will need to be reestablished.

South is on the bounce with wins over Coastal Carolina, successfully defending home court against the only team to sweep the Jaguars in Sun Belt Conference play this season. The pair of wins, coupled with taking a Saturday contest over Georgia Southern gives USA three wins from three, but the combined margin of victory for the weekend games was 10 points.

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 scored 424 points on the season taking the second-place position in points-per-game and third in total points, trailing Iowa's Luke Garza who is the leader in both categories. Over the last four games, Flowers has dropped 90 points including a season-high 32 points on Georgia Southern in the Friday game. The following game, Flowers became the focal point of the Eagles' defensive scheme, and the Southfield, Mich., native recorded his first double-double in a Jaguar uniform with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

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.

Joining Flowers in various three-point offensive categories is Kayo Goncalves. Standing at six feet eight inches, Goncalves has sank 50 threes on the year, with an accuracy in the top 50 of division one NCAA men's basketball. The 50 made threes is third in the Sun Belt to Flowers' 58 and UL's Cedric Russell. The pair are top 12 in the Sun Belt for accuracy with Flowers connecting with 43.3 percent of his attempts and Goncalves trailing with 41.8 of his attempts going in.

Stepping into a bigger role, Tyreke Locure has become the second option behind Flowers, scoring 14.8 points per game (sixth in the Sun Belt). Scoring 20 on Friday, Locure equaled his career high with 22 points on Saturday in the four-point win over the Chanticleers. Locure led the game in scoring for the fourth time in his career with the 22-point effort. The sophomore has eclipsed 250 points on the season following the 42-point performance over the weekend.

John Pettway earned his first career double-double in a 10-point 10-rebound effort on Saturday against the Chanticleers. Entering the contest, Pettway was one of the most accurate shooters from the floor connecting on almost 55 percent of his attempts, the senior set a new career high with the 10 rebounds.

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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