‘Our Defensive Effort Was Absolutely Horrendous’: Richie Riley Blasts South Alabama After 86-77 Opening Loss to Ohio
Ohio made 16 3-pointers and overcame a seven-point second-half deficit to beat South Alabama 86-77 in the season opener. Jalen Langsy scored 25, and Peyton Law returned from a knee injury.
MOBILE, Ala. — South Alabama’s season opener looked a little too familiar for coach Richie Riley.
The Jaguars stayed in their zone defense, dared their opponent to shoot from deep and paid for it. Ohio made 16 3-pointers on the way to an 86-77 victory Monday night at the Mitchell Center in the MAC-Sun Belt Challenge.
The result itself bothered Riley less than how it happened.
“Just really disappointed,” he said. “I can take losing, but not losing like that. Our defensive effort was absolutely horrendous. It was awful. It was awful. Our toughness level was awful. Our discipline was even worse than those two things.”
Where it got away
South Alabama led 35-34 at halftime after rallying from nine points down, and it stretched the lead to 49-42 with 14 minutes to play. Ohio controlled the game from there. A 9-0 run put the Bobcats back in front, and five 3-pointers in the final seven minutes kept the Jaguars from coming back.
Ohio finished 16-for-38 from 3-point range, including 11-for-20 in the second half, and won the rebounding battle 36-27. South Alabama went 6-for-22 from long range and missed 11 free throws. The Jaguars were only 4-for-10 at the line in the first half, a stretch that might have cost them a larger halftime lead.
Riley said too many defensive breakdowns created open looks.
“We jumped on a million shot fakes, allowed them to get in the paint and spray it around constantly in scrambles that led to them really being able to make (3-point) shots,” he said. “When you’re in scrambles, it touches paint, it’s out, and you’re getting that one more extra pass. I mean, those are going in. Even mediocre shooters are going to make a lot of those.”
Who stood out
Kolton Mitchell had 21 points for Ohio (1-0), all of them on 3-pointers. Jackson Paveletzke added 20, and Siebe Ledegen scored 15.
Jalen Langsy led South Alabama (0-1) with 25 points, while Diego Roman added 19. Stephen Williams had 14 points and a team-high eight rebounds.
“Obviously very disappointed with the loss,” Langsy said. “I think this team is very, very talented. Ultimately, it just comes down to our defense. I think we’re really high motor, high powered offense. We got a good amount of talent. Just comes down to our defense. I think we’ve got to execute better on the defensive side and just string together some more stops.”
Peyton Law returns
There was at least one welcome sight. Forward Peyton Law, a 6-foot-7 senior working his way back from a knee injury that cost him all but 10 games last season, played 14 minutes off the bench and had two points, three rebounds and two steals.
Riley said Law’s minute restriction limited how much he could help late, when Ohio’s lead grew to around 10.
“I wish we could have played him more,” Riley said. “I think he would have helped some of those (discipline) things. He was on minute restriction, so he hit his peak minute there. When I took him out the last time, I couldn’t put him back in. … But for me … I’m happy to see him out there.”
Up next
South Alabama returns to the Mitchell Center on Thursday, hosting Jacksonville State at 7 p.m.
