MOBILE, Ala. – With the help of 20 points from Savannah Jones and 16 points from Chyna Ellis, the University of South Alabama women's basketball team (7-3) dominated the Central Arkansas Sugar Bears, 64-43, at the Mitchell Center on Saturday.
 
Jones collected her second 20-point effort of the season shooting 7-of-9 from the field, including a perfect 5-for-5 on three-point buckets. The redshirt freshman guard scored 18 of her 20 points in the second-half going 6-of-6 from the field. Jones also collected a team-high six rebounds and recorded an assist.
 
Ellis shot 6-of-9 from the field, making both of her three-point attempts and free-throws, for 16 points. The senior center dished out a season-high six rejections, brought down four boards and recorded a pair of assists and a pair of steals in the victory.
 
Genesis Perrymond dished out a career-high nine assists, while collecting four rebounds, two points, two steals and a block. LaNeetra Guillory tied a season-high with eight points and recorded a pair of rebounds, a block and an assist.
 
GAME FACTS
- Central Arkansas scored the opening basket, but South Alabama went on 9-0 run, holding UCA without a point for 4:34 after their initial basket.
- The Jags outscored the Sugar Bears 20-4 in the opening quarter.
- The second quarter was a rough spot for both squads, seeing each shoot below 27 percent from the field and only scoring a combined 15 points as USA lead at the half, 25-14.
- South Alabama got it going in the third quarter scoring 25 points on 8-of-10 shooting from the field, including 5-for-7 from the three-point arc.
- The Jags capped it off in the fourth shooting 50 percent from the field and collecting 14 points.
- USA held UCA to 27.9 percent shooting from the field. UCA came into the contest shooting 47.2 percent.
- Central Arkansas came into the matchup only giving up 49.6 points per game, which was third in the country.
- The Jags shot a season-best 51.1 percent from the field on 23-of-45 shooting.
- South Alabama went 9-for-17 on three-point attempts, a season-best from beyond the arc.
- Despite the Sugar Bears outrebounding the Jag 19-4 on the offensive glass, UCA only outscored USA 9-6 on second-chance points.
- South Alabama tied a season-high with nine blocks as it didn't have a single attempt get rejected by Central Arkansas.
 
NOTES
- Ellis has had more than 10 points in nine of 10 games this season and is on a five-game streak with double-digit points.
- Ellis' six blocks were the most by a Jag this season and she needs 22 more to become the all-time leader in Sun Belt Conference history.
- Jones has had three-straight games with 10 or more points, including four of the last five games.
- Jones led the Jags in rebounds for the first time this season.
- South Alabama assisted on 20 out of 23 made baskets.
- This is the first game USA won when being outrebounded.
- The Jags are 6-0 when they score more than 60 points in a game this season.
 
THEY SAID IT
Head Coach Terry Fowler
Opening statement: "Coming into this game we knew we were playing a very good Central Arkansas team. They have been in the postseason the last two seasons. They are well-coached. I thought in the first quarter we really came out and played really good basketball. We moved it and were able to get some easy baskets. We made some three-pointers and got it going. Unfortunately, we got stagnate in the second quarter, but that was mainly because they were rebounding the basketball. In the second-half, we did a better job of keeping them off boards at the offensive end of the floor. We were able to run and push it out ourselves. Savannah and Chyna put us on their backs and we did a great job on the defensive end of the floor."
 
On having the lead and not giving it up like the last game against Southern: "It was big. The second quarter was bad for us, but we held them to 10 points in the second quarter. We still had a comfortable lead and then we were able to stretch it out one possession at a time in the third quarter. Then we were able to finish the game off with great ball movement and we shared the ball. The biggest stat I'm pleased with is that we had 20 assists on 23 made baskets. That's what we talk about sharing the juice and I think we are doing a great job of that."
 
Chyna Ellis
On building from the last game against Southern and not allowing Central Arkansas to comeback today: "The constant reiteration that we have to play for 40 minutes. When you get a lead, you can't relax and get content. Most teams are going to fight back. We don't want to be put into a situation where we have to fight to keep or regain the lead. "
 
On what it was like to keep and maintain the lead today: "It was big because it shows our consistency, will to win and our trusting of the process to do what it takes to win."
 
Savannah Jones
On what went right today and what they were doing well: "I thought we came out ready to play. We knew they were a good team. We knew we had to come out ready to play and we did."
 
On what it's like to go out dominate an entire game they like did today: "It felt great. Before the game, Coach Fowler told us to share the juice, which means share the ball, and that's what we did."
 
On she would assess her game today: "I felt relaxed. My teammates found me and hit me with a ton of good assists."
 
UP NEXT
The Jaguars close out the non-conference and pre-Christmas schedule with a home matchup against UAB on Thursday at 1:05 p.m.
 
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).

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