South Alabama continued its basketball hot streak Wednesday night, winning 76-67 at Texas State.
The Jaguars (16-14, 9-8 Sun Belt Conference) never won their fifth straight game and eighth in nine. South Alabama is two games over .500 overall and has a winning tally in conference play for the first time this season.
More importantly, South Alabama earned a top-10 seed for next week’s Sun Belt tournament and will avoid the play-in round. The Jaguars end the regular season in Louisiana on Friday night.
On Wednesday, South Alabama led almost the entirety, taking a 10-4 lead in the first four minutes of the game after Judah Brown and Owen White shot three points in a row. Texas State (13-17, 6-11) cut the Jaguars’ lead to one point several times, most recently at 38-36 with an 18-29 play.
- Advertisement -
South Alabama scored 13 of the next 15 points — including 3 points from Brown and Tyrell Jones — and never faced serious threats again. The Jaguars led by as much as 15 points in the second half, missing just their fifth straight double-digit win when Texas State’s Mason Harrell scored eight seconds from time.
South Alabama point guard Isaiah Moore led all scorers with 22 points and also added seven assists. Kevin Samuel hit a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds and also blocked four shots.
White had 11 points and Greg Parham had 10, while Jones and Brown each added nine. The Jaguars went 10-to-18 with 3-pointers and gave them 36 made 3s in their last three games.
Brandon Love led Texas State with 18 points off the bench while Harrell had 11 and Drue Drinnon had 10. Harrell was averaging 16.2 points per game but didn’t record a field goal until the final two minutes.
South Alabama’s season finale in Louisiana ends at 8 p.m. and will be broadcast live on ESPN2. The Sun Belt tournament begins Tuesday at the Pensacola (Fla.) Bay Center.
- Advertisement -
Source
