PENSACOLA, Fla. | South Alabama's comeback effort in the final five minutes came up just short against Louisiana, falling 71-66 in the Sun Belt Men's Basketball Championship Game at the Pensacola Bay Center.
 
Isaiah Moore led the Jaguars (19-16) in scoring for the 24^th game this season, recording a season-high 33 points and going 12-of-15 from the free throw line.
 
Themus Fulks led the Ragin' Cajuns (26-7) with 23 points of his own, while the tournament's Most Outstanding Player Jordan Brown added 13 points and 16 rebounds.
 
Moore and Owen White were named to the All-Tournament team for their strong play over the past five days.
 
GAME FACTS (HOW IT HAPPENED)

• The Jaguars opened up a 5-0 lead in the first 90 seconds with two layups from Moore and a free throw from Kevin Samuel.
• South Alabama led 14-9 at the first media timeout with 14:26 to play. Moore had seven points on 3-of-4 shooting, and Samuel added five points.
• The Jags made eight of their first 11 shots and had six rebounds with 11:23 to play, leading 20-16.
• Louisiana took the lead, 21-20, on a Jordan Brown jumper from the elbow at the 10:20 mark.
• South Alabama followed that with a 7-0 run in 1:07, forcing Louisiana to take their first timeout.
• After Louisiana made a run, South went on an 8-0 run, capped by a 3-pointer from Tyrell Jones to take a 35-28 lead with four minutes to play in the first half.
• The Cajuns did not score for the final 2:57 of the first half, and the Jags took a 37-33 lead into halftime.
• South committed four fouls in the first 2:33 of the second half, but still held a 40-36 lead.
• Louisiana tied the game at 45 with a three-pointer from Jalen Dalcourt at the 13:48 mark.
• The Cajuns forced a South Alabama timeout with 12:04 left after taking a 49-46 lead.
• The Jags trailed, 58-54, with eight minutes to play.
• The deficit stayed the same over the next three minutes, as the Cajuns led 63-59 at the 5:00 mark.
• Down two, South Alabama forced Louisiana into a travel with 1:36 left and a chance to tie, but Moore's layup bounced off the rim.
• Jones stole the ball, then made one of two free throws with 53 seconds left.
• Dalcourt made a jumper in the lane with 27 seconds to put the Cajuns back up by three, 67-64.
• Moore made two free throws with 17 seconds left to cut the lead back to one.
• After Louisiana made two free throws, White's 3-point attempt with five seconds left hit the rim twice before bouncing out.

 
NOTES

• Moore scored 16 points and Jones added six rebounds before the break.
• Jones set a new career-high with 10 rebounds.
• Samuel set a new school record with 86 blocks in a single season.
• Moore made his first three-pointer since 2/18 against ULM and his 15^th game this season of 20+ points.
• South Alabama did not make a field goal in the final six minutes of the game.

 
QUOTABLE
Head Coach Richie Riley:
"I know one thing – I'm a better coach and a better human being for getting to coach these dudes this year. I just thanked them in the locker room. It's big to make it to a title game. In our league it's huge because it's so hard. It was great for our university and our basketball program. We haven't been here for a long time. But, what these guys did for me, as a coach, I can't explain it. It's so enjoyable coaching these guys every single day. Being around them on road trips, in practice, it's a special group of people that you can't wrap your mind around unless you're a part of it.
 
I wish it would have turned out differently. We battled and played them tough. Credit goes to them…they have a heck of a team. They have a chance to go beat somebody in the first round. But we had some chances. We got a little bit tired, playing our fourth game in five days."
 
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