Game 20: at Arkansas State Game Notes (.pdf)MOBILE, Ala. – Riding a three-game win streak, the University of South Alabama women's basketball team will head back out on the road to face Sun Belt leading Arkansas State in a game that will be aired on ESPN3. Tip-off versus the Red Wolves is set for 5:05 p.m. on Thursday at the Convocation Center.
The game versus ASU will be the first of two in the state of Arkansas this week for the Jaguar women as they will also take on Little Rock on Saturday.
Live stats and both audio and web streaming for the contest versus the Red Wolves can be accessed at www.USAJaguars.com. Fans can also keep up with in-game updates by following action on the program's twitter account @SouthALWBB.
South Alabama (9-10, 5-5 SBC) comes into the game against Arkansas State tied with Troy for fifth in the Sun Belt standings. USA won its third-straight game and fourth in its last five outings on Saturday with a 71-55 victory over Appalachian State in Mobile. The Jags have also won three of their last four road games.
South Alabama head coach Terry Fowler attributes this strong recent play to a few things.
"It starts in practice," Fowler stated. "Our practice habits have been a lot better as we have had better focus and attention. Our players have just let the game come to them. Our senior leadership has also really stepped up, not only in the locker room but out on the court as they have made big plays for us when we've needed them to. The recent play of Colby Davis has also helped. Marquita Daniels is also just letting the game come to her, where in the past; she might have tried to force things a little bit. She's just taking what is there. The better practices, togetherness of our team and just their want to do the right thing have really been the biggest reasons for the strides that we've made."
The Jaguars shot over 40 percent from the field for the third-straight game against the Mountaineers and were 13-for-23 for 56.5 percent in the second half. USA also held the Mountaineers to 30 percent shooting in the second half, including 2-for-11 from beyond the three-point line.
The duo of Marquita Daniels and Colby Davis combined for 43 of the Jaguars' 71 points. Daniels recorded a season-high 22 points in the win, while Davis posted a career-best 21 points in the win.
On Monday, Daniels was named the Sun Belt Student-Athlete of the Week by both the league office and CollegeSportsMadness.com after leading USA to a pair of wins. The sophomore guard averaged 19.5 ppg and shot 47.8 percent from the floor.
Daniels also hit 15 of her 18 free-throw attempts (.833), including nine of 10 in the final two minutes of each game. She now ranks 15th in the SBC at the foul line and leads the club with a 10.8 ppg average.
During South Alabama's recent three-game win streak, Daniels is averaging 18.0 ppg and shooting 46.2 percent from the floor, while Davis is averaging 13.7 ppg and shooting 53.8 percent. Davis is also averaging 5.7 rpg and has a 2:1 assists-turnover ratio. Davis and sophomore center Chyna Ellis are tied for second on the club with 7.7 ppg.
Ellis has been a defensive force in the middle for the Jaguars this season as she is first in the Sun Belt and ranks 16th in the NCAA in blocks with 2.95 per game. Her 56 blocks this season are tied with for fifth on South Alabama's single-season blocks chart, matching her tally from her freshman season.
Ellis has recorded five or more blocks five times this season and in her nine conference games this season, and is averaging 3.80 bpg. She has had two or more blocks in 16 of her 19 games, including each of the last 12.
South Alabama currently leads the Sun Belt and is ranked fifth in the NCAA in blocks, averaging 6.4 per game. The Jaguars are also 27th nationally in field-goal percentage defense (.352) and 38th in three-point field-goal defense (.273). USA leads the league in field-goal percentage defense, three-point field-goal defense and on the defensive glass (27.7). The Jaguars have 121 blocks on the season, which are 13th in the NCAA.
Arkansas State enters play this week with a 16-3 overall record and a 10-0 record in the Sun Belt. The Red Wolves currently hold a two-game lead over second-place UL Lafayette. The 16-3 start is the best record for the program through 19 games since the '92-93 campaign.
ASU picked up its 10th-straight win over the weekend with a 77-54 victory at home over Georgia Southern. The Red Wolves hold a 9-0 record on their home floor and dating back to last season, they have won a school-record 20 consecutive home games. ASU has also won its last 22 conference home game dating back to the '13-14 season.
"Arkansas State is team that has the ability to score with multiple players," Fowler said. "Where they have really improved since the start of conference play is at the defensive end of the floor. They are really focused on making it difficult for you to score. That is where they have made the biggest improvement since they played us. They are an outstanding, senior-led program that presents multiple problems at both ends of the floor for their opponents."
Since picking up a 66-53 win over the Jags in Mobile in its second SBC game of the year, Arkansas State has allowed just one opponent (UT Arlington – 71) to record more than 60 points. In those same nine games, ASU has scored 66 points or more. ASU is holding its opponents to 58.7 ppg this season.
In their last outing, the Red Wolves tied a Convocation Center record for fewest turnovers in a game with five, and took control of the game for good when they outscored the Eagles, 23-7 in the second, after opening on an 18-2 run.
Reigning SBC Player of the Year, Aundrea Gamble scored a game-high 20 points – the 44th 20-point outing of her career at ASU – while fellow senior Khadija Brown-Haywood posted her eighth double-double of the season with 17 points and a team-high 10 rebounds. Both Gamble and Brown-Haywood have twice been selected as the Sun Belt's Student-Athlete of the Week.
Arkansas State also tied a Convocation Center record for fewest turnovers in a game with five, the Red Wolves took control of the game for good when they outscored the Eagles, 23-7 in the second, after opening on an 18-2 run.
Gamble leads the SBC in both minutes played (36.3) and assists-turnover ratio (1.6) and is scoring (17.7 ppg) and assists (4.5), third in free-throw percentage (.813), tied for fourth with Brown-Haywood in steals (2.2) and sixth in shooting (.513).
Brown-Haywood also ranks among the Sun Belt leaders in several categories. The 5-11 senior forward is fourth in the conference in scoring with 16.1 ppg and leads the league on the glass with 9.4 per game. Brown-Haywood is also knocking down 46.8 percent of her shot attempts, but is versatile in the offense as she is averaging 2.7 assists per game as well.
Brown-Haywood is strong on the glass at both ends of the floor. Her 7.1 defensive rebounds lead the SBC and are 24th-best in the NCAA. She is also pulling down 2.4 offensive rebounds per game, which is tied for seventh in the conference.
Senior guard Amanda Lawson averaging just under double figures with 9.9 ppg. Lawson is knocking down 46.0 percent from the field, which is 11th-best in the Sun Belt.
The Red Wolves also have three of the top outside shooters in the league. Brittany Fowler is second in the conference in three-point shooting (.435), while Brown-Haywood is 12th (.330) in that category and tied for ninth with 1.5 treys per game, while Jessica Flanery's .324 long-range percentage is 13th-best and her 1.8 three's per game are sixth.
As a team, ASU leads the SBC in scoring margin (+14.7), field-goal percentage (.448) and is tied with Troy in free-throw percentage (.732), while ranking second in the league in scoring offense (73.5), assists (14.5), steals (10.0) and turnover margin (+6.6).
Arkansas State ranks among the NCAA leaders in turnover margin (eighth), fewest turnovers (13th), scoring margin (19th), field-goal percentage (27th) and turnovers forced (29th). ASU is turning the ball over just 13.5 times per game and forcing 20.1.
For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).
—USA—
