Outside Shooting Cold in Loss

Saturday, January 14

Troy, Ala.

8:00 p.m.

Troy University

University of South Alabama

Photo by: Edward Fieder

1/14/2012 10:37:00 PM | Basketball (M)

By: Matt Mays

Box Score

TROY, Ala. – Below average outside shooting and a South Alabama school record were too much for Troy to overcome as the Trojans fell to the Jaguars, 75-60, at home on Saturday.

The Trojans (6-10, 1-4) shot just 16.2 percent (6-of-37) from deep while South Alabama's Freddie Goldstein hit a school-record nine three-pointers and led all scorers with 30 on the night.

The 16.2 percent outside shooting was a season-low for Troy despite a season-high 37 attempts. South Alabama (10-6, 2-3) shot 47.4 percent (9-of-19) from deep with Goldstein hitting all nine.

R.J. Scott was the only Trojan in double figures with 10 as three others had nine. Troy shot just 30.6 percent (22-of-72) from the field overall. Tim Owens posted five points, eight rebounds and four blocks in another good game for the Trojans big man.

The missed shots added up to South Alabama out-rebounding Troy 54-38 but the Trojans won the battle on the offensive glass, 17-16.

Augustine Rubit (17) and Antione Lundy (10) were also in double-figures for South Alabama.

Troy shot just 25.6 percent (10-of-39) from the floor in the first half as they fell into a seven-point halftime hole that they couldn't get out of.

Troy returns to the floor on Thursday when Florida Atlantic visits Sartain Hall. The Trojans and Owls are set to tip at 7:30 p.m. in the second of three straight at home for Troy.

For more info on Troy Athletics, be sure to visit TroyTrojans.com. Fans can also find Troy on Twitter at @TroyAthletics or become fans on Facebook.

SOUTH ALABAMA 75, TROY 60

After South Alabama started the second half on a 7-1 run to take a 40-27 lead, the Trojans came back with an 8-2 run of their own to get it back to seven at 42-35 with 15:26 to go.

Troy cut the lead the lead to as few as five at 48-43, but Goldstein hit three of his triples over a three minute span to give South Alabama a 58-50 lead a the 7:45 mark. The junior then hit two straight triples to pull the Jags ahead by 12 at 64-52, with the second being his school-record ninth of the game.

The Trojans couldn't get any closer than 10 after that point as the game finished with a final score of 75-60.

Troy got out to a quick start as Daronte Clark scored the first six and put Troy up 6-2 just two minutes in, forcing a South Alabama timeout. The Jags would close in and tie the game at 6-6, setting the tone for a tightly contested first half early.

A six-minute cold stretch by the Trojans midway through the first allowed the Jags to build a 22-13 lead as they scored 11 straight after being down 13-11. R.J. Scott ended the run with a triple at the 7:40 mark that snapped the scoreless streak and pulled the Trojans to within six at 22-16.

However, the trey by Scott was only a temporary stop to the run as South Alabama scored nine straight after the triple to build their lead to 31-16 at the 2:07 mark. The Trojans, who shot just 25.6 percent (10-of-39) in the first half, didn't let the cold shooting keep them down as they stormed back over the final two minutes of the half to cut the lead.

An Alan Jones free throw at the 1:48 mark started the late flurry as the Trojans cut the Jags halftime lead to seven, 33-26. Justin Wright hit a three-pointer at the 1:18 mark to cut the lead to 31-20 before Steven Cunningham scored the next four to cut it to 31-24.

Three of Cunningham's four points came on a dunk off an inbounds pass in which he was fouled and finished the three-point play. With the score at 33-24, the Trojans came away with the last possession and didn't waste it.

Cunningham threw up a three-pointer that caught all air, but Alan Jones flashed across the rim just in time to grab the rebound and put the bucket in with two seconds left for a 33-26 halftime score.