South Alabama defeats GA Southern 87-71

South Alabama Edges Out Georgia Southern 87-71 in Conference Showdown

In a tightly contested conference matchup, the home crowd at Mitchell Center saw their South Alabama Jaguars secure a hard-fought 87-71 victory over visiting Georgia Southern Eagles on Monday night.

The game was never truly out of reach, with both teams trading baskets and neither able to gain more than an 8-point lead. However, in the second half, South Alabama's home-court advantage proved to be the difference-maker. The Jaguars' bench played a crucial role in expanding their lead to as many as 19 points.

Adam Olsen led the charge for South Alabama, scoring 22 points on 6-of-10 three-point attempts and 47.1% shooting from the field. Stephen Williams chipped in with nine rebounds and 19 points, while Chaze Harris contributed eight assists and 21 points.

For Georgia Southern, Spudd Webb had a strong outing, scoring 15 points and grabbing six rebounds. However, his team struggled to find its footing on offense, particularly from beyond the arc where they shot just 20%.

The statistics tell the story of a closely contested game. South Alabama's free-throw shooting was nearly flawless at 64%, while Georgia Southern's eFG% dipped below 44%. The Jaguars also outrebounded their opponents 43-30 and forced 23 turnovers.

As the game entered its final minutes, it became clear that South Alabama had outlasted Georgia Southern. The difference in pace was noticeable, with the Jaguars' fast break points far exceeding those of their opponents.

In a testament to the team's resilience, Georgia Southern never gave up, but ultimately fell short of an upset. For South Alabama, the win marks a crucial conference victory and keeps them within striking distance of the top spot in the standings.

Game Stats:

South Alabama (HOME)

* Field Goals: 32/54 (59.0%)

* 2-Point FG: 25/43 (58.1%)

* 3-Point FG: 7/11 (64.0%)

* Free Throws: 16/25 (64.0%)

* Rebounds: 43 (Off: 8, Def: 35)

* Assists: 18

* Turnovers: 14

* Steals: 7

* Blocks: 4

* Total Fouls: 16

* Total Points: 87

Georgia Southern (AWAY)

* Field Goals: 22/64 (34.0%)

* 2-Point FG: 10/19 (52.6%)

* 3-Point FG: 12/45 (27.0%)

* Free Throws: 15/22 (68.0%)

* Rebounds: 30 (Off: 11, Def: 19)

* Assists: 12

* Turnovers: 10

* Steals: 7

* Blocks: 4

* Total Fouls: 23

* Total Points: 71