University of South Alabama Athletics

01/04/06– FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

JAGS DROP AN 87-69 DECISION AT TENNESSEE IN THEIR FINAL NON-CONFERENCE GAME OF THE SEASON

CONTACT: Kit Strief

Box Score

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - The University South Alabama men's basketball team (9-3) dropped an 87-69 decision at Tennessee (9-1) on Wednesday to begin the 2006 portion of the schedule. Senior Mario Jointer paced the Jaguars with a team-high 17 points. Senior Michael Phillips had 16 points all in the second half. Tennessee had 1a team-high 17 points from Major Wingate.

The game began with Tennessee jumping out to an early 6-2 lead before Jointer knocked down his first of two 3-pointers and a jumper moments later by junior Leandro Buboltz, who made is second consecutive start, gave USA its only lead of the game at 7-6. Wingate put the Volunteers up for good at the 16:41 mark.

Tennesse built a five point lead twice in the next three minutes before going on a 12-2 run to build a 2914 lead with 11:09 to play. Back-to-back treys by Buboltz cut the deficit to nine at 32-23 with 8:05 left in the half. Tennessee built it back to 10, but a pair of free throws by Jointer cut the deficit back to eight with 5:39 to play. Tennessee again and the answer as it went on a 7-0 run to built a 15-point half time lead at 48-33.

For the half, USA was 11-of-25 from the floor for 44 percent. Tennessee was a blazing 18-of-31 for 58.1 percent in the half. Jointer had 15 first half points on five-of-10 from the floor and two-of-five from beyond the arc. Tennessee had 14 points for Chris Lofton as he was five-of-nine from the field and four-of-eight from beyond the arc. The Jaguars out rebounded the Vols 17-12 in the opening half.

Tennesse began the second half on a 9-0 run through the first 3:10. A jumper and foul by Phillips at the 16:35 mark gave the Jaguars their first points of the half and cut the deficit to 22 at 57-36.

The Volunteers built the lead to as many as 27 points, but the Jaguars never gave up and cut the deficit to 14 with 4:43 to play, but a key 3-pointer by JaJaun Smith pushed the game back to 17 points with 4:12 to play and the game ended at 87-69.

Along with the 17 points from Jointer and 16 from Phillips, Buboltz also scored in double figures with 10 points on 4-of-5 from the floor and 2-of-3 from beyond the arc. USA shot 45.5 percent for the game on 25-of-55, while Tennessee shot 56.5 for the game on 35-of-62. USA out rebounded the Vols for the game 33-27.

USA returns home to face Troy in its Sun Belt Conference opener on Saturday at the Mitchell Center. Game time is 7:05 p.m.