01/13/06–
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JAGUARS LOOK FOR WEEKEND SWEEP AT NEW ORLEANS
AT 7 P.M. SATURDAY
CONTACT:
Kit Strief
Game
Notes in PDF Format
THE SETTING
The South Alabama men’s basketball team continues on the road
in Sun Belt play at New Orleans on Saturday at 7 p.m. The Jaguars
won their 11th game of the season this season on Thursday defeating
Louisiana-Lafayette 61-51, snapping a four game skid against the
Ragin Cajuns. USA won its fourth road game of the season for the
first time since 2000-01 and eclipsed last year’s win total
of 10 games.
New Orleans enters the game with a 5-9 record and
a 2-1 mark in conference play after a 79-75 victory over Troy on
Thursday.
THE SOUTH ALABAMA JAGUARS
The South Alabama Jaguar men’s basketball
team goes for the weekend sweep at New Orleans on Saturday. USA
posted a 61-51 victory at Louisiana-Lafayette on Thursday. It was
the fourth road win of the season for the Jaguars and the 11th win
overall.
This season, the Jaguars are led by senior Mario
Jointer who has posted 195 points in 14 games for a 13.9 points
per game average. Senior Richard Law is second on the team with
a 12.0 average. Law leads the team with 73 rebounds for a 5.2 average.
Jointer leads the team with 21 steals and junior Carlos Smith leads
the team with 48 assists.
As a team, the Jaguars are shooting .453 percent
(360-795). From beyond the arc, USA is 121-339 (.357) and from the
line, the Jags are 207-of-298 for .695 percent.
In conference play, Law leads the team, averaging
19.5 points a game and Jointer is second with 17.5. Smith is third
with 13.0. Law leads the team with 12 rebounds for a 6.0 average.
Smith leads the team with 10 assists.
As a team in conference play, the Jaguars are shooting
.445 percent on 53-of-119 from the field. They are 21-of-57 from
beyond the arc for .368 and 22-of-32 from the line for .688.
John Pelphrey, the ninth head coach in South Alabama
basketball history, enters his fourth season as leader of the Jaguars.
In his inaugural season in 2002-03, Pelphrey led the Jags to a 14-14
record and a 7-8 finish in the Sun Belt Conference, a tie for third
in the West Division. Year two saw the Jaguars compile a 12-16 record
and a 6-9 mark in league play. The Jags won their final three regular
season games to qualify for the eighth and final spot in the Sun
Belt Conference Tournament.
The Jaguars return three starters and five letterwinners
from last year’s team that recorded an overall record of 10-18
and finished tied for fourth in the Sun Belt Conference West Division
at 6-9. The 2005-06 squad has 14 players on the roster including
one freshman and five transfers.
Pelphrey, a former star player at the University
of Kentucky, has compiled quite a resume as an assistant coach at
Oklahoma State, Marshall and Florida. Pelphrey learned many aspects
of coaching under such greats as Eddie Sutton and Billy Donovan
during his nine years as an assistant. Pelphrey has a 37-48 overall
record at USA. In three seasons of Sun Belt action, Pelphrey is
19-26. He has a 18-22 in non-conference competition.
GAME TIME CHANGE
The Jan. 14 game at New Orleans has been changed
from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. It will be at the Human Performance Center
on New Orleans’ campus and not at Lakefront Arena.
NEW ORLEANS PRIVATEERS
New Orleans enters the game with a 5-9 record and
a 2-1 mark in Sun Belt Conference play after a 79-75 victory over
Troy on Thursday. Wayne Williams had a game-high 26 points on 10-of-16
from the floor against the Trojans, who shot 52.6 percent from the
game as a team.
This season the Privateers’ have two players
averaging double-figures with Williams leading the way with 16.0
points a game and James Parlow averaging 12.6. Nathanial Parker
leads the team averaging 6.7 rebounds a game. Jamie McNeilly has
a team-high 82 assists and Parlow has a team-high 26 steals.
In conference play, the Williams is averaging 21.3
points in three games. Parker is averaging 10.3 a game and Parlow
is at 10.0 Parker leads the team with 9.0 rebounds a game. As a
team, UNO is shooting .476 percent from the floor on 78-of-164.
From beyond the arc, UNO is 17-of-45 for .378 and from the line
they are 26-of-49 for .531.
RECAPPING THE LAST TIME OUT - UL-LAFAYETTE
LAFAYETTE, La. (AP) - Richard Law scored 16 points
to lead South Alabama to a 61-51 Sun Belt Conference victory over
Louisiana-Lafayette Thursday night.
Mario Jointer added 12 points for the Jaguars (11-3,
2-0 Sun Belt) and Carlos Smith had 10.
Dwayne Mitchell, Ed Turner and Maurice Barksdale
scored 10 points each for the Ragin' Cajuns (4-10, 0-3). Mitchell
also pulled down 12 rebounds.
It was the Ragin' Cajuns worst first-half shooting
performance of the season, and South Alabama led 36-22 at the half.
The Ragin' Cajuns were playing on their home court
at the Cajundome for the first time this season. The Cajundome was
closed for cleaning and repairing after being used as an evacuee
center during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and Louisiana-Lafayette
was forced to move its first four home games to its old home arena
Blackham Coliseum.
JAGUARS ECLIPSE LAST YEAR’S RECORD
With a 61-51 victory at Louisiana-Lafayette on Thursday,
USA won its 11th game of the season surpassing last year’s
win total of 10. USA won 12 games in coach Pelphrey’s second
season and 14 during his first year.
WINNING ON THE ROAD
With the victory at Louisiana-Lafayette on Thursday,
USA won its fourth road game of the year, marking the first time
that the Jaguars have had more than three road wins in a season
since they went 9-7 on the road during the 2000-01 season.
BLAZING START
USA opened a 61-51 victory at Louisiana-Lafayette on Thursday shooting
15-of-27 from the field in the opening half for 55.6 percent. It
was one of the highest shooting halves for the Jaguars this season.
ULL shot a dismal 9-of-32 in the opening stanza, including making
just three of its final 22 shots.
SNAPPIN’ A SKID
With a 61-51 win at Louisana-Lafayette on Thursday,
USA snapped a four-game skid against the Cajuns.
LAWFUL
Jaguar senior Richard Law scored a team-high 16
points on 5-of-9 from the floor, including 3-of-5 from beyond the
arc and 3-of-4 from the line at Louisiana-Lafayette. Two of his
longballs came late in the second half to keep the Jaguars up double-digits
on the Cajuns. One was off an offensive rebound by him.
CONFERENCE OPENERS
The Jaguars moved to 4-6 in the past 10 years in
conference openers. USA is 3-3 at home in openers and 1-3 on the
road after an 88-84 home win over Troy on Saturday.
BUBOLTZ STARTS THIRD STRAIGHT GAME
Junior Leandro Buboltz made his third consecutive
start against Troy on Jan. 7. Against Tennessee on Jan. 4, which
was his second career start, Buboltz was a career-best 4-of-5 from
the field, including 2-of-3 from beyond the arc for 10 points in
a career-high 25 minutes of action. Buboltz also started the Western
Michigan game on Dec. 30 as USA won 81-59.
EIGHTH STRAIGHT VICTORY AT HOME
With an 88-84 victory over Troy on Saturday, the
Jaguars moved their home record to a perfect 7-0 this season and
eight straight dating back to last year. It is the best home start
since USA won 11 straight at home to conclude the 1999-2000 season
which was the inaugural season of the Mitchell Center and 16 straight
overall.
USA BEATS RANKED TEAM
With a 66-62 victory over No. 25 Houston marked
the first time that the Jaguars have defeated a ranked team since
a 69-52 victory over Washington on Dec. 22, 1997 in Jag Gym. USA
has never defeated a ranked team in the Mitchell Center until Saturday.
USA lost to then-No. 8 Mississippi State on Dec. 30, 2002, 85-74
in the Mitchell Center.
USA FIRST SUN BELT TEAM IN THREE YEARS TO DEFEAT
RANKED FOE
USA became the first Sun Belt Conference team since
Louisiana-Lafayette defeated No. 12 Mississippi State 79-76 on Nov.
23, 2002 to beat a ranked team. USA defeated No. 25 Houston on Saturday,
Dec. 17, in the seventh annual Coors Classic, 66-62.
KNOCKING DOWN THE TREY
USA has hit a three-pointer in 190 consecutive games.
The last time the Jaguars were held without a trey was Feb. 6, 1999
in a 44-43 win over Arkansas-Little Rock. USA is averaging 8.8 three-pointers
a game this season and averaged 7.4 last year. USA hit a season-high
15 treys in an 88-84 victory over Troy this past Saturday.
JAGUARS COMPLETE BEST START SINCE 1983-84
With an 83-64 victory over Louisiana-Monroe on Dec.
20, the Jaguars started 8-1 which is the best start since the 1983-84
team that started 12-1 and finished 22-8 and a berth in the NIT.
WINS ON THE ROAD
Winning at Louisiana-Monroe on Dec. 14 gave USA
its third road win of the year, matching the road wins from all
of last year. With one more road victory this season, USA will have
its most road wins since the 2000-01 team went 9-7 on the road.
COORS CLASSIC RECORDS FALL
USA broke a couple of Coors Classic records on Dec.
17 in a 66-62 victory over No. 25 Houston. USA set the record with
the most made free throws (24), eclipsing its own record of 22 set
in a 72-65 victory over Louisville in 2000. USA tied the record
for rebounds with 47 against Houston. Auburn held the previous best
in a 78-64 victory over Bradley in 1999.
PRODUCTION FROM EVERYONE
Through 13 games this season, seven of 11 Jags are
averaging more than six points per game. Senior Mario Jointer leads
the team with 13.9, followed by senior Richard Law at 12.0 and senior
Chey Christie is third at 8.5.
BENNETT OFF THE BENCH X4
Sophomore Demetric Bennett came off the bench to
score in double figures in four of five games in December. Bennett
scored a game-high 13 points in a 75-51 victory at Southern Miss
on Dec. 10. He followed that with 11 points at Louisiana-Monroe
on Dec. 14 , scored 10 points, all in the second half, in a 66-62
victory over No. 25 Houston on Saturday. Bennett earned Coors Classic
Most Valuable Player honors for his efforts against Houston and
followed that with 12 points against Louisiana-Monroe on Dec. 20.
He came off the bench and scored 10 points against Western Michigan
on Dec. 30
INCHING UP THE CHARTS
Jag coach John Pelphrey, the ninth head coach hired
in Jaguar history, is sixth on the all-time wins list at USA with
45. Former USA and Auburn coach Cliff Ellis is the all-time winningest
coach in Jag history with 171 victories. With one more victory,
Pelphrey moves into fifth place all-time in victories. Here’s
the breakdown.
No. Name Record Pct.
1. Cliff Ellis 171-84 .671
2. Ronnie Arrow 114-93 .551
3. Bob Weltlich 81-65 .555
4. Jimmy Taylor 76-53 .589
5. John Pelphrey 47-51 .489
6. Mike Hanks 45-43 .511
7. Bill Musselman 35-22 .614
8. Rex Fredrick 19-29 .396
9. Judas T. Prada 8-15 .348
PELPHREY MOVES INTO FIFTH ON WINS LIST
Jaguar head coach John Pelphrey moved into fifth place on the school’s
all-time win list with an 88-84 victory over Troy on Saturday. Pelphrey
is 46-51 in four seasons at the helm of the Jaguars. He was tied
for fifth with Mike Hanks with 45 victories. Hanks coached the Jaguars
fro three seasons from 1985-87 and compiled a 45-43 record.
30TH YEAR TEAM ANNOUNCED
With the Sun Belt Conference celebrating its 30th
Anniversary this year, each sport is unveiling its 30 Year Team.
USA had four members named to the men’s basketball team including:
Terry Catledge (1983-85), Jeff Hodge (1986-89), Ed Rains (1978-81)
and Rory White (1978-82).
UP NEXT
USA returns home to face Middle Tennessee and Western
Kentucky on Jan. 19 and 21, respectively.
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