MOBILE, Ala. — Tim Williams scored 11 of his game-high 22 points in the final three minutes, including a bank shot in the closing seconds, as South Alabama erased a 22-point second-half deficit to beat Denver 54-52 on Thursday night at the Mitchell Center in the Jaguars’ regular-season finale.
The win on Senior Night moved South Alabama to 16-14 overall and 8-10 in the Sun Belt Conference. Denver fell to 16-12 overall and 9-8 in league play.
Denver Controls the First Half
Denver opened the game with a 3-pointer and kept shooting well from outside, going 9-for-13 from beyond the arc in the first half. The Pioneers held South Alabama to its lowest first-half point total of the season and led 33-19 at halftime.
Denver extended the margin coming out of the break, using a 12-4 run and forcing three Jaguar turnovers to build a 45-23 lead with 15:11 remaining.
The Comeback
South Alabama answered with a 14-0 run that cut the deficit to eight. During a span of six possessions, Denver turned the ball over five times. After the Pioneers ended their scoring drought with a layup, the Jaguars followed with a 6-0 run, with freshman Jayson Guerrier scoring four of those points.
Denver pushed its lead back to six with a layup at the 6:38 mark. Williams then made two free throws with 2:55 left and hit a 3-pointer with 1:30 remaining to pull South Alabama within 49-48.
Denver made one of two free throws and grabbed the offensive rebound on the miss but then turned the ball over. On the next possession, Williams hit another 3-pointer with 31 seconds left, giving South Alabama its first lead since the 7:06 mark of the first half.
Denver committed its 21st turnover on its following possession, and Williams went to the line, making the first of two free throws for a 52-50 lead. The Pioneers tied the game at 52 on a baseline jumper.
Williams brought the ball up the court and, driving to the basket, banked in a shot high off the glass with seconds remaining to put the Jaguars ahead 54-52. Denver had two chances to tie in the final seconds but could not convert.
Denver did not make a 3-pointer in the second half.
Arrow Credits Effort, Press
“This was a game of nothing but pride and heart,” South Alabama coach Ronnie Arrow said. “In the second half, I thought we played our style. The press was the difference in the game. It caused more turnovers for them, and I really think they got tired. They didn’t make a three in the second half. I think their legs got a little tired.”
Arrow said sending the seniors out with a win was a priority.
“We wanted to send our seniors out as winners and we did that. I think that was really important,” he said. “But the bottom line is we as coaches can’t make players play. They have to go out there and do their thing. It’s a war out there and they decided in the second half that it was a war and they were going to show up for it and do something about it. I couldn’t be more proud of them.”
Seniors Honored
Javier Carter was the only other South Alabama player in double figures, scoring 13 points off the bench.
Three seniors were recognized before the game: brothers Charles and Philip Tabet and Bryan Sherrer. Both Tabets started, while Sherrer, who has a knee injury, was on the bench.
Up Next
South Alabama will play next in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament in Hot Springs, Ark., which runs March 6-9. The Jaguars’ first-round opponent is scheduled to be announced Sunday, and a rematch with Denver is possible.
