Jan. 21, 2006

Box Score

Baton Rouge, La. - Southern delivered a message Saturday to the rest of the SWAC and to the league's defending champion, Alabama A&M, that the Jaguars' early quick start in league play is for real. The Jaguars opened double digit leads in each half and outlasted Alabama A&M 72-65. Joe Martin continued his strong play with his fifth double-double of the season scoring 22 points and grabbing 15 rebounds.

Southern opened up a 10-point lead midway through the first half only to have the Bulldogs fight back and cut the lead to two at the intermission, 32-30. A&M actually took the lead briefly late in the first half when Galen Gardenhire scored five straight points to take a 30-29 lead.

With the first basket of the second half, the Bulldogs tied the score. Southern, however, answered with an 18-3 run, and A&M would never get any closer than four points. The Jaguars iced the game with four straight free throws without a miss.

"We allowed them to annihilate us on the boards," head coach Vann Pettaway said. The Jaguars did, grabbing a 55-43 edge with 16 of those coming on the offensive end. "We didn't deserve to win this ball game." Like in other losses this season, post play and rebounding proved fatal for the Bulldogs. Norris Arnold, who averages fewer than 10 minutes a game, gave Pettaway the best effort on this night playing all but two minutes of the second half. "I liked his energy and his physical presence. The problem was we weren't getting it anywhere else on the floor."

Evan Hilton chipped in with 12 points. With an off night scoring, Obie Trotter dished out six assists and nabbed six steals to go along with just nine points. The Bulldogs shot just 32 percent from the field and 12-18 from the free throw line.

"The thing we need to remember is that this is just the first go around in the league," Pettaway said. "Yes, we needed this game tonight, but it's not the end of the world. They still have to come to Huntsville and hopefully we'll be a much improved team when they do."