MONROE, La. – Jay Jay Chandler and Charles Manning Jr. combined for 41 points on 16-for-24 shooting as the University of South Alabama men's basketball team defeated ULM 68-56 Saturday afternoon at the Fant-Ewing Coliseum.
 
Chandler finished with 21 points, Manning Jr. added 20 and Javon Franklin chipped in 11 to power the Jag (14-5) offense.
 
ULM's Nika Metskhvarishvili and Andre Jones both finished with 13 points each to lead the Warhawks.
 
Date: 1/22
Place: Fant-Ewing Coliseum
Final Score: South Alabama 68, ULM 56
Records: South Alabama 14-5 (4-2), ULM 10-10 (2-6)
 
GAME FACTS
- South opened the game on a 11-3 run, as Marshall Kearing scored five points, including a corner three-pointer during the stretch.
- ULM answered with 11 straight points to take the lead, 15-12, with 12:52 left.
- Jones and Koreem Ozier connected on back-to-back three-pointers to push the ULM lead to 11, 25-14, with just under eight minutes to go in the half.
- The Jags scored 14 of the next 18 points to cut the deficit to one, 29-28, with 2:26 remaining.
- Chandler knocked down a three and scored on a layup to put the Jags back in front, 33-32, with 24 seconds left.
- Metskhvarishvili connected on a three-pointer as time expired to give the Warhawks a 35-33 lead at halftime.
- South Alabama outscored ULM 15-5 over the first six minutes in the second half to retake the lead, 48-41.
- Manning Jr. knocked down a pair of free throws and completed a three-point play to extend the Jag lead to 12, 60-48 with 9:08 left in the game.
- USA finished the game on an 8-6 run to secure the 68-56 victory.
- The Jags converted 18 ULM turnovers into 24 points.
- South outscored the Warhawks 34-18 in the paint.
 
NOTES
-  USA is now 15-14 all-time against ULM.
- South Alabama has won four out of the last five contests against the Warhawks.
- The Jaguars have won four straight Sun Belt games.
- With the win, South Alabama is off to its best start since the 2007-08 team started 14-3.
- South is now 5-0 when holding opponents below 60 points this season.
- The Jags set a season-high with 14 steals.
- South Alabama has had two players score 20 or more points in the same game three times this year.
- Kayo Goncalves dished out a career-best four assists and tied a career-high with three steals.
- Franklin has scored 10 or more points in nine out of the last 10 games.
- Manning Jr. set a career-best with four steals and tied a career-high with six assists. Manning Jr. has scored at least 20 points in nine games this season.
- Chandler has scored 20 or more points in six games and has scored at least 10 in 17 consecutive contests.
 
UP NEXT
- USA returns home to take on Troy on Thursday at 7 p.m. (CST) at the Mitchell Center.
 
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
 
—USA—