Hot Shooting by South Alabama Too Much for FAU

Saturday, February 14

Mobile, Ala.

8:00 PM

Florida Atlantic

South Alabama

2/14/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball

Feb. 14, 2009

Final Stats

MOBILE, AL - South Alabama approached a school record by shooting 67% from the field en route to beating Florida Atlantic 91-70.

Brandon Davis scored 23 for the Jaguars, making 9 of his 10 shots and Dominic Tilford added 17. South Alabama (15-11; 8-7 Sun Belt) has won four straight home games.

Florida Atlantic (6-21; 2-13 Sun Belt) lost for the 13th time in 15 league games and still hasn't won on a true road game this season.

Paul Graham III scored 27 points and Shavar Richardson had 24 points and four assists for FAU. Graham continued his stellar play, making 10 field goals, including three from beyond the arc. The senior from Philadelphia is the Sun Belt Conference leading scorer (18.3).

A Tilford trey made it 14-8 in the early going and three more of his 15 first half points put the Jags up 25-18 with 8:10 left before halftime.

Graham, who scored 18 first half points in FAU's 67-61 win over Denver on Thursday night, had 15 before the intermission against the Jaguars.

South Alabama used an up-tempo attack to score 21 fast-break points in the opening 20 minutes. A transition layup by Ronald Douglas extended USA's lead to 38-23 with just over four minutes left in the first half.

The Owls were down by 15 at halftime, 46-31.

USA made 17-of-23 shots (73%) in the first half and opened the second half by connecting on their next six. A break-away dunk by Davis pushed the USA lead to 19, with 14:40 left. USA would lead by as many as 22.

The Owls, who came in shooting a league-best 74% from the line, did not attempt a free throw until eight minutes into the second half.

Richardson's 24 points for Florida Atlantic was a career-high. A series of Richardson jumpers came midway through the second half allowing FAU to cut the lead to 10, 64-54.

Florida Atlantic trailed by 13 at the six-minute mark when Graham drove the lane and was fouled. Graham made both free throws to make it 74-63, but South Alabama's Bryan Sherrer answered with baseline 3 on the other end to extend the advantage back to 14.

USA made 33 of its 49 shots on the night and went 19-of-24 from the line.

Richardson again got the Owls to within 10 with 4:48 left, but USA used its hot shooting to keep FAU at a double-digit deficit down the stretch.

Florida Atlantic returns to action Wednesday night, playing a non-conference game at Savannah State at 7 p.m. ET.