Box Score MOBILE, Ala. ? South Alabama (11-7, 5-2 Sun Belt) overcame a 10-point halftime deficit by shooting a blistering 71.4 percent from the field in the second half en route to a 68-54 victory over UALR (8-11, 3-5) at the Mitchell Center.
The Jaguars took their first lead since it was a 3-0 contest when a three pointer from Demetric Bennett gave the team a 47-46 edge with 8:51 left to play. After UALR reclaimed the lead, 48-47, off a jumper by sophomore Brandon Nichols, the Jaguars closed out the game on a 21-6 run to pick up their fourth-straight win. UALR followed up Nichols' jumper by going just 1-for-10 from the field over the next 7:30 minutes.
Bennett scored a game-high 21 points, 14 of which came in the second half, to lead the way for South Alabama. Leandro Buboltz and Ernest Little added 13 points a piece, with Little grabbing a team-high seven rebounds.
The Trojans led 33-23 at the half after committing just one turnover and holding South Alabama to a 7-of-25 shooting effort over the first 20 minutes. The second half was a completely different story, as the Jaguars went 15-of-21 from the floor (6-of-11 beyond the arc) and forced the Trojans into 12 turnovers.
“We knew coming in that they were really fast in transition and were an extremely efficient offensive team. They've got a number of guys that can shoot it. When you talk about their two guards, Smith and Merritt, they are guys that can really fly with it,” said UALR head coach Steve Shields. “Our guys did a good job in the first half of taking opportunities on the offensive end when they presented themselves, but being very patient at the same time and keeping the tempo where we had to have it.
“The bottom line in the second half, I just felt like we weren't as crisp defensively and committed too many turnovers.”
Junior Terrance Akins led the way for UALR with a team-high 15 points, but scored just two points in the second half. Nichols, making his first start of the season, followed Akins' lead with a career-high nine points off a 4-for-6 shooting night. Sophomore De'Andre Eggins made his first start since Nov. 18, and responded with eight points and five rebounds.
The Trojans three-point shooting carried them through the early goings, as UALR connected on four of its first six shots from beyond the arc on its way to a 24-9 lead with 8:57 to go. Akins set the tone for the Trojans at the onset of the game, as a three pointer and a bank shot by the Little Rock native helped the team run out to an early 7-3 lead. Three pointers from sophomore De'Andre Eggins, Akins and Corey Johnson followed as the Trojans built a 15-point lead. Johnson's trey capped off the opening 24-9 run at the 8:57 mark.
Bennett scored five-unanswered points to pull the Jaguars within 10, 24-14, with 7:09 on the clock, but Akins responded with a jumper and his third three pointer of the half to help UALR push its lead back to 15 points, 31-16.
The Trojan defense kept South Alabama under wraps in the first half, limiting the Jaguars to just 28.0 percent from the floor (7-of-25). USA attempted 13 three pointers in the first half, but made good on only two attempts (15.4 percent). The Trojans, meanwhile, shot 42.9 percent from the floor (50.0 percent from three-point range) and committed just one turnover while racked up nine assists.
After committing just one turnover in the first half, the Trojans opened the second half by turning the ball over four times in the first 3:58. South Alabama took advantage of UALR's carelessness and used a 12-0 run to cut its deficit all the way down to one point, 38-37, with 12:40 remaining. Three pointers by sophomore Lekheythan Malone and Johnson extended the Trojans' lead back to seven points, 44-37, but a three pointer by Daon Merritt sparked a quick 7-0 burst by the Jaguars to tie the game at 44-all. Merritt finished with a game-high nine assist in the win.
Bennett gave the Jaguars a 47-46 lead with a three pointer, then put South Alabama ahead for good, 49-48, with a jumper. The Trojans trailed by just six, 57-51, with 4:28 remaining, but would make just one field goal the rest of the way.
UALR returns to action on Wednesday, when it hosts East Division-leader Western Kentucky at 7 p.m.
