11/18/05–
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JAGUARS OPEN 2005-06 SEASON WITH 84-46 VICTORY
OVER SPRING HILL
CONTACT:
Kit Strief
Box
Score
MOBILE,
Ala. –
Jaguar senior Richard Law scored 19 points to lead USA to an 84-46
victory over cross-town rival Spring Hill College on Friday to open
the 2005-06 season. Senior newcomer Chey Christie added 13 points
and senior Mario Jointer chipped in 10.
“It was good to
see us play better than we did the last time out,” Jaguar
head coach John Pelphrey said. “We missed some shots in the
first half, but were able to make some baskets in a row in the second
to pull away.”
USA built an 18-8 lead
with 13:33 to play in the first half on a 3-poitner by junior Steven
Cowherd. The Jaguars increased the lead to 14 points with 6:20 to
play at 31-17. Spring Hill continued to hang around and got the
deficit down to single digits twice, but a 7-4 run by the Jaguars
during the final 4:04 gave USA a 40-29 lead at the break.
Law led the team with
12 points in the opening half on four-of-six from the field and
two-of-four from beyond the arc. Junior Jason McGriff and Cowherd
each had six. As a team, USA was 13-of-33 from the field for 39.4%
and nine-of-11 from the line. Spring Hill was 12-of-26 from the
floor for 46.2%, but was just one-of-two from the charity stripe.
USA attempted 20 3-pointers in the opening half, making five.
The Jaguars opened the
second half and took control of the game going on a 23-4 run through
the first 9:32 of the half for a 63-33 lead.
“We had a stretch
where we were able to make some consecutive baskets and that really
helped us pull away,” Pelphrey said.
From the 30-point cushion
at 11:28, the Badgers were not able to get closer than 25 points.
“We wanted to see
how disruptive we could be,” Pelphrey said. “We wanted
to pressure and be aggressive in full court. We wanted to then do
some trapping in half court and try and take them out of their game.”
USA went on another long
run to close out the game. The Jaguars were up 25 points at the
6:03 mark (68-43) and closed the game on a 16-3 run fueled by three
dunks and a three-pointer in the final 1:11 of the game for an 84-46
win.
For the game, USA shot
51.7% from the floor with a 68% performance in the second half (17-of-25)
and 30-of-58 overall. The Jaguars were 10-of-29 from beyond the
arc for 34.5% and 14-of-19 from the line (73.7%). Spring Hill made
just five field goals in the second half (five-of-17) for 29.4 percent.
For the game, SHC was 17-of-43 for 39.5 percent. The Badgers were
four-of-14 from the 3-point and eight-of-11from the line.
This was the
first time the Jaguars have opened the season at home in seven years.
USA last opened at home to begin the 1998-99 campaign when it defeated
Missouri-Kansas City, 74-72. The Jaguars improve to 21-4 all-time
at home in season openers.
USA won the battle of the board 34-24 and 15-10 on the offensive
end. Spring Hill committed 29 turnovers to the Jaguars’ 15.
The Jaguars make their
first road trip of the season as they travel to Big 10 member Purdue
on Tuesday, Nov. 22 at 6:05 p.m. Central time. The game will be
broadcast on WNSP 105.5 FM. USA returns home to face Alabama State
on Nov. 25 at 7:05 p.m. in the Mitchell Center.
“We are where we
want to be in that we are 1-0,” Pelphrey said. “Hopefully
it will be a good environment (at Purdue) and it will be a major
challenge for us, but we will be ready.
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