Game Notes
Game 15 • South Alabama Jaguars (8-6, 1-0) at Georgia State Panthers (7-6, 0-1)
January 7, 2017 • 2:15 p.m. • GSU Sports Arena (3,854) • Atlanta, Ga.
THE COACHES
South Alabama
Matthew Graves (Butler, 1998)
Record at USA: 45-66 (4th year)
Overall Record: Same
Record vs. Georgia State: 1-5
Georgia State
Ron Hunter (Miami [Ohio], 1986)
Record at GSU: 110-67 (6th year)
Overall Record: 384-277 (23rd year)
LAST GAME
South Alabama scored the final six points of the game Monday to defeat Troy 76-75. Georgia State closed out 2016 with an 88-65 loss at Georgia Southern.
NEXT GAME
The Jaguars continue their road trip through the Peach State Monday at Georgia Southern. The Panthers host Troy Monday.
ON THE AIR
Radio: 99.5 FM The Jag; J.D. Byars (pxp)
On the web: www.iheart.com/live/995-the-jag-mobile-7117/ (audio); http://es.pn/2gzoSvr (video)
RANKINGS (Through Jan. 5)
USA: #218 RPI, #240 Sagarin
GSU: #115 RPI, #155 Sagarin
THE SERIES
USA leads 14-10.
Current winning streak: USA, 1 win
GSU's last win in series: 70-55 (1/9/16)
Last meeting: USA 79, GSU 78 OT (2/11/16)
USA's last win at the GSU Sports Arena: 75-50 (1/29/82)
GSU's last win at the GSU Sports Arena: 70-55 (1/9/16)
USA's record at the GSU Sports Arena: 5-6
USA's road streak: Lost 5
USA's longest winning / losing streak in series: 10 / 6
Notes: Georgia State had a six-game winning streak in the series — its longest vs. South Alabama — snapped last season in Mobile… The 2013-14 meeting in Atlanta was delayed two days due to snow… South Alabama's 10-game win streak in the series lasted from 1979 to 2003, when Georgia State won 88-56 in Atlanta… USA leads the series 8-6 in Sun Belt games… The Jags' 70-66 win in 2009-10 was their closest win vs. GSU since the first meeting (78-77) on Feb. 16, 1976; the next closest win was nine (70-61) on Jan. 7, 1980… The Panthers' last win in Mobile prior to the 2013-14 victory was in 1977.
OPENING TIP
South Alabama is 1-0 in Sun Belt play for the first time under head coach Matthew Graves.
Since losing 10 in a row to the Jaguars from 1979-2002, Georgia State has won seven of the last nine meetings, with all but one of those victories coming by 10 or more points. The Jags snapped a six-game skid to the Panthers in Mobile last season, but haven't won in Atlanta since 1982.
USA is 8-1 when leading or tied at halftime, and 7-1 when posting a positive assist/turnover ratio.
South Alabama has a 1.4 assist/turnover ratio (plus-32) and is forcing an average of 17.8 turnovers per game in its eight wins. Troy's 19 turnovers tie the most by an opponent this year.
Troy shot 57.7 percent in the second half on Monday, marking the sixth time in the last seven games a USA opponent has converted 50 percent or better after halftime. The Jags are 2-5 over that span.
Ken Williams came off the bench Monday to score 18 points, his most since scoring 24 on Nov. 26 at Eastern Illinois. He shot 6 for 10 from the floor and 4 for 5 from the free-throw line. He had scored just eight points total in his previous three games.
Nick Stover totaled 15 points against Troy, making three of his four 3-point attempts and 6 of 10 overall. In his last three games, he is averaging 18.7 points and 3.3 triples per outing while shooting 58.3 percent from the field and 62.5 percent from 3-point land. It is the first time Stover has scored 15 points or more in three straight games in his career.
Josh Ajayi recorded 14 points and a team-best eight rebounds against Troy. He has scored in double-digits four times in his last five games (10.2 ppg) — shooting 50 percent from the field during that time — and the eight rebounds tie his second most this season.
Shaq Calhoun has seven steals in his last three games after his three-steal performance Monday. He has multiple thefts in a game six times this year.
After being held to eight points by Troy, Georgi Boyanov had his seven-game double-digit point streak ended. He still remains the team's leading scorer at 12.1 ppg.
Since starting the season making 15 of his 22 attempts from 3-point land, Boyanov has missed his last six tries from distance. He still ranks second in the league in 3-point percentage (.536) and third in overall field-goal percentage (.582).
Georgia State's Jeremy Hollowell lit up the Jaguars in two games last season, averaging 22.5 points on a 53.1 field-goal percentage. He had 23 in a home win, and had 22 and 11 rebounds in USA's 79-78 overtime victory in Mobile.
For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).
