MOBILE, Ala. — South Alabama erased a double-digit first-half deficit and pulled away behind a 20-0 second-half run to beat crosstown opponent Spring Hill College by 32 points in men’s basketball.
The game was the Jaguars’ first after their longest break since the season opened in mid-November. South Alabama outscored the Badgers 57-23 after halftime.
Spring Hill Builds Early Lead
Spring Hill guard Marcus Coleman hit six 3-pointers in the first half, the sixth of them with 7:30 left before the break to give the Badgers their final double-digit lead of the game.
South Alabama’s defense allowed only two more field goals the rest of the half, and the Jaguars trailed by two points at the intermission.
Jaguars Take Control
DeAndre Coleman put South Alabama in front for the first time, 34-33, a little more than a minute into the second half, and the Jaguars stretched the margin to 39-35.
Spring Hill stayed close and trailed only 41-40 early in the half. South Alabama then scored the next 20 points over a span of about five and a half minutes. Domonic Tilford capped the run with two 3-pointers, making it 61-40 with under 11 minutes to play.
Individual Leaders
Tilford led South Alabama with 19 points on 8-of-17 shooting, including 2 of 8 from 3-point range. Brandon Davis scored 13 points, LaShun Watson added 12 and C.J. Garner had 11. DeAndre Coleman finished one point shy of a double-double with nine points and 11 rebounds.
Marcus Coleman led all scorers with 30 points, going 10 of 18, all on 3-point attempts. Jeremy Price was the only other Badger in double figures with 10 points.
By the Numbers
South Alabama shot 50 percent from the field to Spring Hill’s 29 percent and made 80 percent of its free throws compared with 55 percent for the Badgers. Spring Hill shot 35 percent from 3-point range to the Jaguars’ 25 percent.
- Rebounds: South Alabama 48, Spring Hill 29
- Points in the paint: South Alabama 56, Spring Hill 12
- Points off turnovers: South Alabama 15, Spring Hill 6
- Second-chance points: South Alabama 20, Spring Hill 5
- Fast-break points: South Alabama 16, Spring Hill 10
- Bench points: South Alabama 40, Spring Hill 12
Up Next
South Alabama returns to Sun Belt Conference play on New Year’s Day at Florida Atlantic, with tipoff scheduled for 1 p.m.
