Jan. 21, 2006
Box Score
Southern used clutch free throw shooting during a cold field
goal shooting streak, while watching a 15 point second half lead dwindle down
to three points, before holding on for a critical 72-65 win over Alabama A&M
in the FG Clark Activity Center Saturday afternoon.
The win moves Southern to 7-10 overall and 6-1 in the SWAC.
Alabama A&M falls to 5-7 overall, 3-3 in the SWAC.
"We played tonight with a lot of effort. We did a decent
job at the end of the second half. Alabama A&M is a good ball club and they
do what they do well and that is cause havoc. This was an important win for
us," said first year SU head coach, Rob Spivery.
Southern had three players score in double-figures, with Deforrest
Riley-Smith leading the way with a career-high 21 points. Chris Alexander and
Jerrid Campbell chipped in 14 apiece. Jerrid Campbell led the Jags in rebounding
with 13, while Peter Cipriano had 12.
It was Riley-Smith's second straight game leading the
Jags in scoring, and last week, he was named SWAC Newcomer of the Week.
"Coach told us with the way (A&M) play, there will
be open shots. I need to be a scoring threat. My teammates have confidence in
my shot and I have confidence in my shot, too", Riley-Smith. We wanted
to come off the loss to Valley and show what we can do."
Riley-Smith came to Southern after transferring from Penn
State and Xavier (OH). He watched anxiously from the sidelines a year ago, and
is now starting to hit his stride, while trying to get back into playing shape
and back into the flow of being out on the court again.
After starting the season coming off of the bench, Riley-Smith
was inserted into the starting lineup in the last game in December against Xavier
(OH). He has now started the last seven games, and pulled down a career-high
14 rebounds versus Prairie View on January 2nd.
Jerrid Campbell, who struggled last season coming back from
a hampering foot injury, was focused and explosive against AAMU, playing his
best game since his sophomore season, when he earned honorable mention All-SWAC
honors. It was also his first double-double of the season (14 points --
13 rebounds). He ignited the largest crowd of the season (3,997) on a couple
of occasions with thunderous dunks, with one of significant importance in the
game. Campbell's put-back monstrous slam at the 11:51 mark started a field
goal scoring drought that lasted 7:06.
"This was his best game that I've seen him play.
I am glad he was able to come through today", said Spivery on Jerrid's
breakout night.
Joe Martin led Alabama A&M with a game-high 22 points and
a game-high 15 rebounds. Evan Hilton had 12 points for the only other Bulldog
in double-figure scoring. Preseason Player of the Year, Obie Trotter, was held
to only nine points, but finished with six assists and six steals.
Joe Martin kept AAMU in the game in the first half. Martin
was a terror down low for Alabama A&M with 8 points and six rebounds at
the half. Southern was able to keep Obie Trotter under wraps all night with
a rotating of smothering defense from Brandon Wardlow, Javaris Bradford and
Steffon Wiley.
"That was definitely part of our focus tonight. We kept
someone close to him the whole game", said Spivery.
Alabama A&M raced out to an early seven point lead, before
back-to-back three pointers from SU's Riley-Smith, quickly erased that
lead, before a put-back by Cipriano gave SU the lead at 17-15.
But the defending SWAC Champs battled back, and after a put
back dunk by Jerrrid Campbell gave Southern a 10 point lead with 3:35 left in
the first half, the Bulldogs ran off 10 straight points of their own to retake
the lead at 27-28, before Riley-Smith's hot shooting from behind the 3-pt.
Arc, combined with good free throw shooting by Chris Alexander gave Southern
a 32-30 lead at the half.
Next up for Southern is a 6:00 pm tip-off versus Alabama State,
Coach Spivery's old team, Monday night on ESPNU, "Live".
