HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Samuel Tabe poured in 29 points as the South Alabama men's basketball team got ahead early and never looked back, defeating Southern Mississippi 83-64 Thursday evening in Reed Green Coliseum. With the win, the Jags improved to 14-14 and 6-9 in Sun Belt play, while Southern Miss fell to 15-13 overall and 8-7 in conference play. 

South led by as many as 23 points and had an explosive night on both ends of the floor. They shot a season-high 61.5 percent from three-point range and 52.0 percent from the field while limiting the Golden Eagles to 35.0 percent from the floor and 14.2 percent from behind the arc. 

Tabe shot 10-of-14 from the field and 9-of-11 from the free-throw line with five rebounds and a steal. Isiah Gaiter got back on track, finishing with 17 points, two assists, and a steal, while Tyrell Jones contributed 12 points and a team-high eight rebounds. 

Marcus Millender and Julian Margrave also turned in stellar performances. Millender scored nine points and dished a team-high three assists, while Margrave added nine points of his own on 3-of-5 shooting from downtown with four rebounds. 

Game Facts (How it Happened) 

• South had things rolling from the start, jumping out on a 7-0 run after Jones splashed a three-pointer, and Tabe and Marcus Millender rattled in layups near the rim at the 15:31 mark. 
• Southern Miss pulled back within five points, 14-9, with 12:53 left in the first half. 
• South Alabama launched back on a 10-4 spurt as Tabe scored six quick points, and Gaiter and Howell knocked down mid-range jumpers to give South a 24-13 lead with 7:29 remaining in the first half. 
• The Golden Eagles found a response with a 7-1 run to trim the Jags lead to 25-20 at the five-minute mark in the half. 
• Margrave took control down the stretch, draining three triples on three possessions to help the Jags take a 36-28 advantage heading into the halftime break. 
• The Jaguars came out of the first half on with fire, exploding on a 7-1 run off of an Elijah Ormiston layup in the paint, a turnaround jumper, and an And-One finish from Tabe to put South in front 43-29 right out of halftime. 
• Southern Miss brought the score back to single digits, 45-37, with 14:20 on the clock. 
• South pushed the lead back out to double digits after Jones and Tabe knocked mid-range jumpers, giving the Jags a 54-40 lead at the 10-minute mark. 
• The Eagles found a response, bolting out a 9-3 spurt to make the score 57-49 with 7:02 left in the game. 
• Following a Millender three-pointer and two trips to the free-throw line for the Jags, Southern Miss committed three technical fouls in a row, giving the South five straight trips to the free throw, securing a 70-50 lead with 5:08 left in regulation. 
• Down the stretch, Gaiter connected on two three-balls in a row, and Tabe made a fastbreak layup, earning a 78-56 advantage for South Alabama with 2:44 left. 
• South Alabama would walk away with an 83-64 victory over the Eagles. 

Notes

• South Alabama has held its opponents to under 30 percent from three-point range in the last five games. 
• Marcus Millender has led the Jags in assists in the last five games in a row, recording 27 total in that stretch. 
• After going scoreless a week ago, Gaiter logged his 21st double-figure scoring game of the season. 
• South tied their season high in free throws attempted with 37 total in tonight's game. 
• Margrave has shot 15-of-26 from downtown in the last five games. 
• The Jags have won four of their last five games. In Richie Riley's six seasons, South Alabama has a 32-15 record in the month of February.
• Tabe's 64 points in the last two games is the best two-game stretch in his career. 
• South Alabama is 4-1 with Millender and Margrave back in the starting lineup. 
• The Jags are 9-3 when Margrave has made more than two three-pointers in a game. 

Up Next

South Alabama will take on Arkansas State in their final road regular season game of the season on Saturday, Feb.24 at 2:30 p.m. 

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