South Alabama Jaguars
Sun Belt Conference (20-11, 13-5)
Seed: #7
South Region
Big Wins:
1/6 Florida Atlantic (69-52), 2/8 Western Kentucky (73-71), 2/14 at Houston
(66-61)
Bad Losses:
11/25 at Bowling Green (64-65), 2/18 at Florida International (67-69),
2/24 Troy (88-92)
Coach:
John Pelphrey
Probable
Starters:
Daon Merritt,
Junior, Guard, 13.0 ppg, 5.3 apg
Carlos Smith,
Senior, Guard, 9.2 ppg, 2.8 apg
Demetric
Bennett, Junior, Guard, 15.3 ppg, 2.2 apg, 5.5 rpg
Leandro Buboltz,
Senior, Forward, 7.4 ppg, 3.4 rpg
Ernest Little,
Junior, Forward, 12.8 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 1.2 bpg
Key
Roleplayers:
Stephen
Cowherd, Senior, Guard, 5.6 ppg, 2.0 apg
Brandon Davis,
Sophomore, Forward, 6.0 ppg, 4.2 rpg
Kenny Hooks,
Junior, Forward, 2.7 ppg, 1.8 rpg
Why They Can
Surprise:
In college
basketball, three-point shooting is the great equalizer when you are
outmatched physically and South Alabama has a bevy of dangerous long range
shooters. And none are more dangerous than junior Demetric Bennett. Bennett
hits 42.3% of his shots from downtown and will hit two to three a game. He
is a streaky shooter, but has exploded for 20-plus points on eight occasions
this season.
Fellow guards
Carlos Smith and Stephen Cowherd are not shy about hoisting up a three ball
or two either. Smith has nailed six three-pointers in one game on multiple
occasions and will occasionally be aggressive and get to the basket if the
outside shot is not falling. Forward Leandro Buboltz hit four shots from
behind the arc against Florida in the first round of the NCAA Tournament
last year and the Brazilian hopes to continue his postseason success as a
junior.
Why They Can
Disappoint:
The Jaguars get
outrebounded by an average of nearly one per contest. Outside of 6-9 forward
Ernest Little, who was eligible mid-season after transferring from UAB,
there is not much of a post presence in Mobile. Little is a good scorer and
a double-double waiting to happen. On the defensive end, he will get a few
blocks and use his big wing span to at least alter some shots. However,
Buboltz is a better outside shooter than rebounder and Little is prone to
foul trouble. Part-time starter Brandon Davis, a transfer from
Birmingham-Southern, via Jacksonville State, will get on the glass but foul
trouble plagues him early and often.
Who To
Watch:
Keeping the
transfer theme going, Daon Merritt is the most important player on the team.
The former Richmond Spider point guard dishes off 5.3 assists per contest
and keeps the Jaguar offense purring. Merritt is a good scorer from anywhere
on the floor and will beat just about anybody off the dribble. As a team,
USA commits just over 12 turnovers a game and, as the floor leader, Merritt
deserves most of the credit. In four consecutive losses heading into the
NIT, Merritt had an even assist-to-turnover ratio compared to his nearly
2-to-1 ratio he had coming into those games and he will have to get back to
his mid-season form before the Jaguars lose five in a row.
By the
Numbers:
Scoring
Offense: 71.2 (128th in nation, 8th in conference)
Scoring
Defense: 67.0 (127, 2)
Field-Goal
Percentage: 44.1 (174, 7)
Field-Goal
Defense: 43.4 (142, 4)
Free-Throw
Percentage: 65.4 (269, 13)
Rebound Margin:
-1.2 (229, 10)
Assists Per
Game: 13.8 (141, 3)
Turnovers Per
Game: 12.1 (26, 2)
Joel’s
Bracket Says: First Round loss to Syracuse
▪
NIT
Capsules and Coverage
