South Alabama vs. San Diego Game Notes
Looking to extend a furious late-game rally from last night, South Alabama returns to the court Friday to face San Diego. The loser’s bracket game of the Anaheim Classic tips off at 7 p.m. (PST).
The Jaguars (2-2) fell behind by as many as 15 points against Miami in their opening game, only to close to within four in the final 30 seasons. They couldn’t finish the task, though, losing 64-59. Brandon Davis led USA with 13 points.
San Diego hung tough with Southern Cal before falling 60-50. The Torreros trailed by just four with 2:10 remaining. Brandon Johnson was the only player from USD to reach double figures, scoring 19 points.
Other storylines for tonight’s game:
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The 59 points scored against the Redhawks Thursday were a season-low by far. The previous mark was 73 points vs. West Florida.
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Demetric Bennett fell below double digits in scoring for the first time this year.
The Series
South Alabama and San Diego have faced each other only one other time in their histories. The Jaguars posted a 77-72 victory on Dec. 3, 1989 at the Joe Lapchick Tournament hosted by St. John’s in New York.
Arrow Against the Toreros
Head Coach Ronnie Arrow was in his first term leading the Jaguars when these schools last met, so he holds a 1-0 record vs. USD.
Arrow is 1-1 all-time against schools in the West Coast Conference as St. Mary’s defeated Texas A&M-Corpus Christi during his tenure there.
Against the West Coast Conference
South Alabama has had limited competition against the West Coast Conference in the past, posting a 4-5 record. The most recent meeting was the back end of a straight home-and-home series with Loyola-Marymount, a game won by USA 81-80 in overtime on Nov. 25, 2005.
The school breakdowns are as follows: Gonzaga 0-2, San Diego 1-0, Pepperdine 2-2 and Loyola-Marymount 1-1.
At Neutral Sites
South Alabama posted a 2-1 record at neutral sites last year, winning both games during the regular season before an upset loss in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament. A year previous, the Jaguars were 3-1 on neutral floors, with all four games coming in the postseason.
Tournament Time
South Alabama has traditionally not played in a lot of in-season tournaments. Last year’s trip to the Fresno Classic in November was the first appearance was the first since the 2003-04 season.
South Alabama stands 54-33 all-time during in-season holiday tournaments. The Jaguars have won 14 tournaments, including eight played in Mobile (Senior Bowl and Colonial Classic).
The last time USA finished undefeated in a tournament was during the 1991-92 season when it defeated Middle Tennessee State and Auburn at the Blue Angels Classic in Pensacola, Fla.
Slow Starts
South Alabama has made a habit of slow starts this season, trailing before the clock starts after the first media timeout four times in five games.
Last night, the Jaguars went to the bench at 15:47 tied at 4-4, but a pair of free throws on the ensuing restart left them behind 6-4.
The other scores this season at the first media timeout:
Game Clock Score
Spring Hill (ex). 15:33 0-4
W. Florida 15:47 5-4
Ole Miss 15:17 0-11
Grambling 15:36 8-11
Miami 15:47 4-6*
*teams went into the break before free throws that broke a 4-4 tie
Davis Leads the Way
Brandon Davis led the Jaguars with 13 points in last night’s loss to Miami. The total of 13 may be lucky for the junior from Birmingham, Ala., as that was also his mark the only other time he led South Alabama in scoring.
Davis tallied 13 points in a 64-57 victory over Louisiana-Monroe last Jan. 25.
The 13 points were a season high, marking his second time in double figures this season, and just one short of a career best.
Another Sizzlin’ Half
South Alabama connect on 52.2 percent from the field (12 of 23) in the second half last night, the second time this season it made at least half its shots in a period.
The Jaguars made 19 of 32 shot attempts (59.4 percent) after intermission against Mississippi on Nov. 13.
As a whole, South Alabama is shooting 45.0 percent for the season.
Crashed on the Boards
Miami held a 40-29 rebounding advantage over South Alabama last night, the biggest difference of the season for the Jaguars. They were also outrebounded at Ole Miss, but only by a 35-31 count.
Last year’s biggest deficit was 21, 43-22, against Middle Tennessee on Jan. 2. The Jaguars faced a negative margin of 10 or more eight times during the campaign.
Nothing is Free
South Alabama’s free-throw effort was by far its worst of the young season. The Jaguars connected on only 38.1 percent (eight of 21) from the line, including just three of 10 by Ronald Douglas.
The Jaguars entered the contest hitting 70.5 percent for the season and were coming off a high of 77.4 percent (24 of 31) against Grambling.
Double-Double News
Senior Demetric Bennett posted the team’s second double-double of the season Saturday. He tallied 19 points and a career-high 12 rebounds vs. Grambling, marking the fourth time in three years he has topped double figures in both categories.
DeAndre Coleman registered 12 points and 10 rebounds at Ole Miss.
Up and Down "D"
South Alabama’s defensive field-goal percentage stands at 40.5 percent, third best in the Sun Belt Conference. The Jaguars held West Florida (29.5 percent) and Grambling (37.5 percent)to percentages under 40, but allowed Mississippi to shoot an even 50 percent.
Miami connected on only 42.6 percent from the field last night.
In all of last year, USA held 10 opponents under 40 percent, while allowing only six to reach 50 percent.
Same Five
South Alabama used the same starting five last night for the first time this season. Coach Ronnie Arrow repeated the group of DeAndre Coleman, Brandon Davis, Domonic Tilford, Daon Merritt and Demetric Bennett from the Grambling game. That is expect to change tonight, though, as B.J. Ford is pencilled into the probables list for the first time in his career.
Seven different players have at least one start in the first three games, while only Merritt, Coleman and Davis have opened all three.
Hayles Sidelined until December
Junior Daniel Hayles has been forced to the sidelines until the end of the fall semester after personal issues forced him to drop two classes. His resulting "part-time" status makes him ineligible to participate in any athletic activity.
Hayles will return to full-time status on Dec. 12, the day after the close of South Alabama’s fall semester.
Bennett, Merritt Earn Honors
Senior guards Demetric Bennett and Daon Merritt were named to the preseason All-Sun Belt Conference team during the league’s annual media day.
The pair of Jaguars repeated the honors they received at the end of last year -- Bennett on the first team and Merritt on the third team.
Preseason Picks
South Alabama, winners of its Sun Belt Conference division two straight years, was tabbed second by the league coaches in the annual preseason poll.
The Jaguars were behind a unanimous selection of Western Kentucky in the East Division.
Louisiana-Monroe was the preferred choice of the coaches to win the West Division.
