Game 32 • South Alabama Jaguars (20-11) (9-7) vs USC Upstate Spartans (15-16) (10-6)
March 21, 2022 • 7 p.m. (CST) • Mitchell Center • Mobile, Ala.
 
THE COACHES

South Alabama        
Richie Riley (Eastern Kentucky, 2005)
Record at USA: 74-50 (4th year)
Overall Record: 109-78 (6th year)
Record vs. USC Upstate: 0-0
 
USC Upstate             
Dave Dickerson (Maryland, 1989)
Record at USC Upstate: 39-80 (4th year)
Overall Record: 107-164 (9th year)
Record vs. South Alabama: 0-0

LAST GAME
South Alabama took down Southeastern Louisiana 70-68 in the opening round of The Basketball Classic. USC Upstate knocked off App State 80-74 in the first round of The Basketball Classic.

NEXT GAME
The winner will advance to the next round of The Basketball Classic. The opponent, date and time are TBA.
 
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: #147 Sagarin, NET #146
USC Upstate: #293 Sagarin, NET #274

THE SERIES
This is the first matchup between the two schools.

NOTES
- South Alabama was awarded the Travis Grant trophy following the win over SE Louisiana.
 
- USA's win in the first round was the first postseason win since the 1988-89 season when South came back from down 19 points to knock off Alabama 86-84 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
 
- This is South's first postseason appearance since the 2012-13 team played in the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament.
 
- The Jags have won at least 20 games in two out of four seasons under Richie Riley.
 
- USA improved to 14-2 at home this season. The 14 wins are the second-most in Mitchell Center history, only trailing the 2007-08 team's 17 wins.
 
- South is ranked 31st in the NCAA in scoring defense, giving up 63.3 points per game.
 
- The Jags lead the Sun Belt with 4.9 blocked shots per game and rank 22nd nationally in blocks per game.
 
- South Alabama finished the regular season ranked in the top 3 of the Sun Belt in scoring offense (71.4), scoring margin (8.2), field-goal percentage (45.8), field-goal percentage defense (40.2), blocked shots per game, three-point field goal defense (31.3) and turnover margin (2.1).
 
- USA has had a winning record in the Sun Belt in three straight seasons under Riley. Riley is the first head coach to achieve three straight winning seasons in the Sun Belt since Cliff Ellis did it from 1979-81.
 
- South is 12-2 this season when shooting at least 50 percent in the first half.
 
- The Jaguars are 15-2 this season when scoring at least 70 points.
 
- Charles Manning Jr. and Jay Jay Chandler were named to the NABC all-district team. Manning Jr. was a first-team selection and Chandler received second-team honors.
 
- Manning Jr. and Chandler were both named to the all-Sun Belt second team. Javon Franklin was voted to the third team. This is the first time three South Alabama players were named all-Sun Belt since 2008-09's Brandon Davis, Domonic Tilford and DeAndre Coleman received the honors.
 
- Manning Jr. is fourth in the Sun Belt in scoring, averaging 15.9 points per game. The 6-foot-4 guard tied a career-high with 26 points in the opening round of the Sun Belt Conference Tournament. The Riverhead, N.Y. native has scored over 20 points 11 times this season.
 
- USA is just one of two teams 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.
 
- Franklin posted his seventh double-double of the season against SE Louisiana, with 17 points and 14 rebounds. The Little Rock, Ark. native was named the Travis Grant Game MVP for his performance. Franklin also dished out a career-high four assists and tied a career-best with four blocks in the game.
 
- Tyrell Jones finished with a career-high 17 points against SE Louisiana.
 
- Kayo Goncalves ranks fifth in the Sun Belt with 67 made three-pointers. After knocking down three triples against SE Louisiana, Goncalves has now hit 148 three-pointers in two years. He now ranks eighth all-time at USA for most three-pointers made in a career.
 
- Diante Smith is shooting 24-for-50 (48.0 percent) from beyond the arc over the past 10 games.
 
- Lance Thomas has shot 7-for-14 (50.0 percent) from three-point range over his last four games.

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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—USA—