Game 27 • South Alabama Jaguars (18-8) (8-5) at App State Mountaineers (16-12) (10-5)
February 19, 2022 • 3:30 p.m. (CST) • Holmes Convocation Center • Boone, N.C.
 
THE COACHES

South Alabama        
Richie Riley (Eastern Kentucky, 2005)
Record at USA: 72-47 (4th year)
Overall Record: 107-75 (6th year)
Record vs. App State: 6-3
 
App State                   
Dustin Kerns (Clemson, 2002)
Record at App State: 51-39 (3rd year)
Overall Record: 82-76
Record vs. South Alabama: 3-4

LAST GAME
South Alabama defeated Coastal Carolina 71-68 on Thursday night at the HTC Center.  App State lost at home to Troy 67-61 on Thursday.

NEXT GAME
USA returns home to take on Texas State on Wednesday at 7 p.m. (CST) at the Mitchell Center.
 
ON THE AIR
Radio: Sports Talk 99.5: J.T. Crabtree (pxp), Joe McNulty (color)
Web: http://sportstalk995.iheart.com/listen (audio)
ESPN+ (Internet Streaming):

RANKINGS
USA: #132 Sagarin, NET #122
App State: #182 Sagarin, NET #179

THE SERIES
Overall: USA leads the series 12-4
Longest USA streak: 7
Longest App State streak: 1
Current Streak: App State - 1
First Meeting: 1/8/15, 104-95, W
Last Meeting: 1/6/22, 72-64, L

NOTES
- USA has won three out of the last five matchups against App State and has won six straight meetings at App State.
 
- App State won the first matchup this season 72-64 but South only had six players available due to health and safety protocols and injuries.
- Kayo Goncalves knocked down the game-winning three-pointer as time expired to beat Coastal Carolina 71-68 on Thursday. That was the second game-winner of his career.  
 
- South finished a perfect 12-for-12 from the charity stripe in the second half at Coastal Carolina and had 16 assists on 23 made field goals.
 
- The Jags finished the first half at Coastal Carolina 11-for-22 (50 percent) and have shot over 50 percent in the first half in three straight games.
 
- South is now 11-0 this season when shooting at least 50 percent in the first half.
 
- The Jaguars are 14-1 this season when scoring at least 70 points.
 
- USA is ranked 118th in the NET, the highest-ranking among Sun Belt teams.
 
- With the 70-51 win over Arkansas State, Richie Riley has won at least 17 games in all four years as the head coach at USA.
 
- South is ranked 34th in the NCAA in scoring defense, giving up just 63.2 points per game.
 
- The Jags lead the Sun Belt with 5.0 blocked shots per game and rank 25th nationally in blocks per game.
 
- South is ranked in the top 3 of the Sun Belt in scoring offense (73.3), scoring margin (10.0), turnover margin (2.7), field-goal percentage (46.5), field-goal percentage defense (40.2), blocked shots per game, free throw attempts (481), free throws made (340), three-point field goal defense (29.7) and turnovers forced (15.38) and turnovers per game (12.7).
 
- South Alabama features two of the top five scorers in the Sun Belt. Jay Jay Chandler is fourth, averaging 16.5 points per game and Charles Manning Jr. is fifth, averaging 16.2.
 
- USA is the only team in the Sun Belt to have multiple players win SBC POTW. Chandler and Manning Jr. both have won the weekly award once each this season.
 
- Chandler was named Sun Belt Player of the Week for his efforts in a split against Troy. He has scored 20 or more points in 10 games and has scored at least 10 points in 24 consecutive contests. The 24 straight games with 10 or more points are tied for the fourth-longest streak in the country. Chandler dished out a career-best eight assists at Coastal Carolina on Thursday.
 
- Javon Franklin is averaging 12.3 points per game and 8.9 rebounds in Sun Belt action. Franklin pulled down a game-high 14 rebounds in the 71-68 win at Coastal Carolina.
 
Goncalves ranks third in the Sun Belt with 59 three-pointers this season. Goncalves has eclipsed the 1,000-point mark for his NCAA career. Over 75 percent of his scoring has come from beyond the arc. He has hit at least one three-pointer in 14 straight contests.
 
- Diante Smith set a new career-high with five three-pointers at Coastal Carolina on Thursday night.
 
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 the 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—