12/14/05–
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JAGUARS COME-FROM-BEHIND TO DEFEAT LOUISIANA-MONROE
FOR FIFTH CONSECUTIVE VICTORY, 81-71
CONTACT:
Kit Strief
Box
Score
MONROE,
La. - Game-high 20 points by senior Mario Jointer and junior
Carlos Smith sparked the Jaguars to an 81-71 come-from-behind road
victory at Louisiana-Monroe on Wednesday night. With the victory,
USA improves to 6-1 on the year, while ULM falls to 4-6.
USA is off to
its best start since the 1983-84 season. The ’83-84 squad
started 12-1.
The game opened
with each team exchanging buckets for the first four minutes of
the contest for a score of 5-4 in favor of the Indians. After the
first media timeout, ULM went on a 14-4 run through the second four
minutes to take a 19-8 lead with 10:53 to play in the half. The
Jaguars settled down and battled back going on a 10-5 run through
the next 3:14 to cut the deficit to 24-18. 3-pointers by Smith and
sophomore Demetric Bennett keyed the run.
ULM pushed the
lead back to 11 on a 3-pointer by Lance Brasher, but USA a 6-0 run
by the Jaguars courtesy of two 3’s by senior Mario Jointer
cut the deficit to five points with 4:56 left. The Indians built
the lead back to eight points on a jumper by RoShon Jacobs with
1:05 left, but a 6-2 run to end the half by the Jaguars cut the
deficit to four points as time expired on a 3-pointer by Jointer.
For the half,
Jointer led all-scorers with 16 points on 6-of-7 from the floor
and 4-of-5 from beyond the arc. No ULM player was in double figures
at half, but eight players did score. Adrian Harper had a team-high
eight points. USA shot an even 50% from the floor on 15-of-30 and
7-of-14 from beyond the arc.
ULM was a blistering
16-of-27 from the field for 59.3 percent and 6-of-11 from beyond
the arc. USA reached the free throw line once going 0-for-1, while
the Indians were 3-of-4.
ULM had the
advantage in rebounds 16-12 at halftime.
USA got its
first lead of the game at the 14:41 mark from play on both ends
of the court. A Jointer dunk followed by Jointer creating the charging
foul and junior Stephen Cowherd’s lay up gave the Jaguars
a 51-49 lead.
ULM tied the
game at 51 with a jumper by Harper at the 12:19 mark. A 3-pointer
by Bennett started a 17-6 run by the Jaguars over the next 7:37
to provide a 71-57 score.
ULM didn't give
up as it cut the deficit back to four points with 1:48 to play on
a trey by Harper. A pair of free throws by senior Richard Law put
the lead back to seven points with 1:17 left. ULM cut it to five
points twice more before USA made 5-of-6 free throws in the final
36 seconds to seal the 81-71 victory.
For the game,
had three players in double figures, lead by Smith and Jointer with
20 each. Bennett came off the bench for his second double figure
scoring performance in a row. USA shot 50 percent for the game (28-of-56)
and a made a season-high 13 3-pointers (13-of-27) for 48.1 percent.
USA was 0-for-1 from the line in the first half, but followed that
up with a 12-of-15 performance in the second half.
ULM was lead
by Harper with 17 points and Cecil Hood with 12.
USA returns home to face No. 25 Houston in the Seventh Annual Coors
Classic on Saturday at 5 p.m. in the Mitchell Center. Florida State
battles Bowling Green in the nightcap at approximately 7:30 p.m.
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