MONTGOMERY, Ala. - For the second time in nine days, the University of Mobile Men's Basketball team hosted non-division opponent Southeastern Baptist College in Pharr Gymnasium on Wednesday evening, Nov. 10. The Rams and Chargers met back on Nov. 1 which saw Mobile earn a 80-51 victory over Southeastern Baptist. On Wednesday, Mobile once again defeated the Chargers, claiming the win by the score of 94-67. Mobile improves to 6-0 all-time against Southeastern Baptist and advances their overall season record to 3-2 on the young campaign.
In their previous game played, Mobile trailed Southeastern Baptist by four points at halftime before scoring 55 points in the second half to earn the win. On Wednesday, Mobile never trailed on against the Chargers, at one point taking a 20-point lead in the first half. However, Southeastern Baptist managed a offensive surge as the minutes began to wind down in the first half, cutting Mobile's lead to just nine points at the break.
Mobile Head Coach Darnell Archey preached to his team in the locker room about consistent defense during halftime. Archey wanted his team to play more consistent and stay aggressive on the defensive side of the ball throughout the entirety of the second half. Southeastern Baptist managed to expose Mobile's defense in the final minutes of the first half, cutting into the Rams' big lead.
In the second half, Mobile's defense was better, but still showed signs for improvement. Mobile quickly got back out to a 20-point lead on the offensive side, and did not look back from there. Mobile eventually earned the 27-point victory over the Chargers.
Gary Jefferson led the way for Mobile offensively, scoring a season-high 23 points in just his third game played of the season. Jefferson shot 10-19 from the floor while also mixing in five rebounds, three assists and one steal. The senior from Baltimore, Maryland continues to prove his importance as he now leads the team by averaging 18.0 points per game.
In his debut as a Ram, Sage McKenna hit the court and scored 17 points in 27 minutes of playing time. McKenna was one rebound shy of a double-double in Wednesday's win as he grabbed nine boards. The 6'7 sophomore shot 7-10 from the floor and mixed in a couple of made three-point shots.
True Freshman Damariee Jones returned to the court on Wednesday after suffering a minor injury back on Oct. 30 against Louisiana College that has kept him off the court. Jones finished with 15 points from off the bench, shooting 7-9 from the floor. Jones also tallied five rebounds.
As a team, Mobile shot 59% from the floor and 32% from the three-point arch. The Rams committed 11 turnovers in the win and forced 13 Southeastern Baptist turnovers. Both teams shot under 50% from the free-throw line.
With Mobile winning three-straight, the Rams are set to host Louisiana College on Saturday, Nov. 13 at 2:00 p.m. CT in Pharr Gymnasium. The two teams met earlier in the year on Oct. 30 which saw Mobile's Joshua Williams hit a buzzer-beating three-point shot to win the game for the Rams.
About the University of Mobile
The University of Mobile is a Christ-centered liberal arts and sciences institution with a vision of higher education for a higher purpose, founded to honor God by equipping students for their future professions through rigorous academic preparation and spiritual transformation. Core values are: Christ-Centered, Academically-Focused, Student-Devoted and Distinctively-Driven. The university offers on-campus and online bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees in over 75 academic programs. Founded in 1961, the University of Mobile is affiliated with the Alabama Baptist State Convention and is located 10 miles north of Mobile, Alabama on a campus of over 880 acres.
