Jan. 28, 2006
Final Stats
Southern University raced out to a 40-18 halftime lead, and
then cruised in the second half, in route to a 72-55 win over Alcorn State on
Saturday night.
The win, couple with Mississippi Valley loss against Jackson
State, gives Southern (9-10, 8-1 SWAC) a 1½ game lead at the halfway
point of the SWAC season. Alcorn (4-14, 4-5 SWAC) lost for the fifth time in
the last six games.
SU had four players score in double-figures, led by Deforrest
Riley-Smith with 22 points, while Alvin Mott chipped in 14. Peter Cipriano scored
11 points and Chris Alexander added 10.
The Jags got going early, as Chris Alexander three
to open the game, started a streak of four consecutive three's and SU
raced out to a 12-9 lead with 13:58 in the first half.
Then what is quickly becoming a common place for fans in the
Mini-Dome, the Jags clamped down on defense, sending Alcorn State on one of
its worst shooting slumps of the season in the first half, going 10:32 without
a field goal. SU used that slump combined with stifling defense, to lead by
as many as 24 points in the first half (40-16, 1:17 remaining in first half).
Riley-Smith was on fire in the first half, going five for seven,
including four for four from behind the three point arc. His hot hand continued
in the second half as he went two for three in the second half from the three-point
line. Alvin Mott came off the bench to hit two for three from behind the arc.
Southern had its best game of the season shooting, going 28
for 50 (56%), including a red-hot 11 of 19 (58%) from the three point line.
"That was a fun first half", said Rob Spivery of
his SWAC leading Jaguars. "I though we competed just about as well as
we can. I was extremely pleased at the way we played during that stretch in
the first half. The kids looked like they were having a great time out there."
"I thought we got a little lackadaisical and sloppy in
the second half, and we lost some focus. If we want to be a championship team,
we cannot afford those kids of lapses", added Spivery.
Southern is off until next Saturday, when they travel north,
to Grambling State, and then to Jackson State on Monday night.
