Game 28 • South Alabama Jaguars (18-9) (8-6) vs. Texas State Bobcats (19-6) (10-3)
February 23, 2022 • 7 p.m. (CST) • Mitchell Center • Mobile, Ala.
 
THE COACHES

South Alabama        
Richie Riley (Eastern Kentucky, 2005)
Record at USA: 72-48 (4th year)
Overall Record: 107-76 (6th year)
Record vs. Texas State: 2-1
 
 
Texas State               
Terrence Johnson (Southern, 2001)
Record at Texas State: 37-13 (2nd year)
Overall Record: Same
Record vs. South Alabama: 0-1

LAST GAME
South Alabama lost at App State 69-51 on Saturday. Texas State took down Little Rock 68-50 at home on Saturday.

NEXT GAME
USA will host UTA on Friday at 7 p.m. (CST) at the Mitchell Center in the regular-season finale.
 
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): J.D. Byars (pxp), Pat Greenwood (color)

RANKINGS
USA: #136 Sagarin, NET #134
Texas State: #147 Sagarin, NET #129

THE SERIES
Overall: Texas State leads the series 8-4
Longest USA streak: 1
Longest Texas State streak: 4
Current Streak: USA - 1
First Meeting: 2/20/14, 67-66 (OT), L
Last Meeting: 3/3/20, 58-54, W

NOTES
- USA has won two out of the last three matchups against Texas State, with both wins coming at home at the Mitchell Center.
 
- The first matchup between South Alabama and Texas State was canceled on Jan. 1 due to health and safety protocols. 

- South Alabama is currently fifth in the Sun Belt, with an 8-6 record. The top four teams at the end of the regular season receive a bye in the Sun Belt Tournament.
 
- The Bobcats come in leading the Sun Belt, with a 10-3 record in the conference.
 
- Both teams are ranked as the top two teams in the Sun Belt, according to the NET.
 
- South Alabama and Texas State are both ranked in the top three in the Sun Belt in scoring defense. USA gives up just 63.4 points per game and the Bobcats hold their opponents to 63.0 points per game.
 
- The Jags are 12-1 at the Mitchell Center this season. The 12-1 record at home is the best start since the 2007-08 team finished the season 17-1 at home.
 
- Marshall Kearing tied a career-high with 14 points at App State on Saturday.
 
- Jay Jay Chandler has scored 20 or more points in 10 games and has scored at least 10 points in 25 consecutive contests, the fifth-longest streak in the country. Chandler also dished out a career-high eight assists at Coastal Carolina on Thursday.
 
- Diante Smith topped his previous career-best with five three-pointers at Coastal Carolina. Smith is shooting 12-for-21 (57.1 percent) from beyond the arc over the past four games.
 
- Kayo Goncalves knocked down the game-winning three-pointer as time expired to beat Coastal Carolina 71-68 on Thursday. The game-winning shot as time expired was Goncalves' second of his career.
 
- Goncalves ranks third in the Sun Belt with 59 three-pointers this season and eclipsed the 1,000-point mark for his NCAA career earlier this season. Over 75 percent of his scoring has come from beyond the arc.
 
- South is 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.
 
- South Alabama is 11-1 this season when leading at halftime.
 
- USA is ranked 34th in the NCAA in scoring defense.
 
- The Jags lead the Sun Belt with 4.8 blocked shots per game and rank 33rd nationally in blocks per game.
 
- South is ranked in the top 3 of the Sun Belt in scoring offense (72.4), scoring margin (9.0), turnover margin (2.5), field-goal percentage (46.2), field-goal percentage defense (40.2), blocked shots per game, free throw attempts (492), free throws made (346), three-point field goal defense (30.2) and turnovers per game (12.6).
 
- South Alabama features two of the top five scorers in the Sun Belt. Chandler is fourth, averaging 16.3 points per game and Charles Manning Jr. is fifth, averaging 15.9.
 
- South Alabama is the only team in the Sun Belt to have multiple players win SBC POTW. Chandler and Manning Jr. each have won the weekly award once each this season.
 
- Javon Franklin is averaging 11.8 points per game and 8.7 rebounds in Sun Belt action. Franklin posted his sixth double-double of the season at Troy.
 
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—