LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Senior guard Domonic Tilford scored 10 points in less than four minutes in his first action of the season and finished with a team-high 17 as South Alabama beat Florida A&M 93-64 on Saturday in the Billy Minardi Classic.
The win sent the Jaguars into Sunday’s championship game against No. 3 Louisville.
Three other South Alabama players scored in double figures. DeAndré Coleman had 14 points, Brandon Davis added 12 and Daniel Hayles scored 11. Coleman and Charles Tabet each pulled down nine rebounds.
Tilford Sparks Early Lead
Tilford opened the game by hitting two 3-pointers in less than a minute and added two more baskets as South Alabama jumped to a 14-3 lead.
The Jaguars led 22-13 about halfway through the first half and followed with an 8-0 run in less than two minutes. South Alabama’s lead reached 19 points with about six minutes left before halftime, but Florida A&M’s Brandon Bryant hit two 3-pointers in 33 seconds to cut the margin to 13.
Coleman answered with two 3-pointers of his own in the final minute of the half, and South Alabama took a 47-30 lead into the locker room.
19-0 Run Opens Second Half
South Alabama scored the first 19 points of the second half over a six-minute span. The Jaguars led by as many as 39 points before finishing with the 29-point win.
By the Numbers
South Alabama shot 54 percent from the field, made a season-high eight 3-pointers and assisted on 22 of its 36 field goals. Florida A&M shot 34 percent.
The Jaguars outrebounded the Rattlers 57-27.
The victory came after South Alabama lost to Ole Miss last week.
