MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama's women's basketball team (9-16, 4-10) topped Appalachian State (10-16, 5-10) 54-41 to win its first Sun Belt Conference home game of the season at the Mitchell Center on Saturday evening.  Chyna Ellis became the schools' all-time leader in career blocks after recording a game-high and season-high six rejections that gave her 212 career rejections, passing LaSandra Jenkins' (1982-85) 210 blocks.
 
"We got off to a slow start and it was headed in the direction it had been going," said South Alabama head coach Terry Fowler.  "Then we got some shots to fall.  We were really aggressive; that was the biggest thing for us. We were attacking and getting shots at the basket or we were able to pitch it out and find open shooters who knocked down some threes tonight.  Defensively we were really solid.  I think it was a really good game other than the 22 offensive boards that we gave up tonight."
 
Colby Davis scored 15 of her 17 points in the fourth quarter, including 11 of the first 13 points scored in the quarter, to help the Jags get the lead and preserve it for the last eight minutes of the game.  Entering the fourth quarter trailing 32-27, the Jaguars got their first lead since scoring the first basket of the game after Davis made five layups in the first seven possessions.  Davis' fourth layup gave South Alabama the lead for good, and she converted a three-point play after getting fouled on her fifth layup to cap an 11-2 run in the first four minutes of the quarter.
 
"We saw some things they were doing and decided to put it in Colby's hands and set a ball screen for her," said Fowler.  "She was really aggressive and went strong to the basket, played through contact and was able to put it in."
 
Davis hit a three-pointer with 4:28 left in regulation to give South Alabama a 41-36 lead, and the Jags lead by at least two-possessions for the rest of the game.  Kennedi Centers added another layup in the next possession.  After a Mountaineers' layup with 3:18 remaining, the Jags ended the game on an 11-3 run.  Genesis Perrymond hit a corner three-pointer, and Chyna Ellis made a layup off a dish by Davis in back-to-back possessions.
 
The rest of the points were scored at the free throw line.  Davis split a pair of free throws, and then the Jags went a combined 5-6 at the charity stripe in the last 49 seconds.  Ellis and Perrymond both made a pair of free throws, and Centers made the front end her two attempts.
 
The Jags outscored the Mountaineers 27-9 in the fourth quarter.  South Alabama went 9-13 (69.2%) from the field, 2-3 (66.7%) from three and 7-10 (70.0%) from the free throw line in the quarter and held Appalachian State to 3-18 (16.7%) from the field, 0-4 from three and 3-9 (33.3%) at the line.
 
"We just needed to make some shots and get some kids to get some confidence going," said Fowler.  "Hopefully we can carry this on as we move into [Sun Belt] conference tournament play in the next two weeks."
 
Candice Williams made a jumper eight seconds into the game, but Appalachian State held South Alabama scoreless for over four minutes as it went on a 9-0 run.  The two teams traded baskets for the rest of the quarter as the Mountaineers entered the second quarter with a 16-10 lead.
 
South Alabama held Appalachian State to just five points in the second quarter with each point coming at the free throw line.  The Mountaineers were 0-18 from the field and 0-5 from three in the quarter. The Jags had a 7-3 run in the first eight and a half minutes of the quarter.  Williams hit a three-pointer off a pass by Perrymond with 1:14 left in the first half, and the Jags entered halftime trailing 21-20.  Ellis had three blocks in the first three minutes of the quarter.
 
"Chyna anchors the defense," said Fowler.  "She is the reason we can play good defense because her teammates know they can trust her back there.  She allows them to be a little bit more aggressive, and she does a great job defending in the paint.  She takes pride in it so it is exciting for her to get the record, especially this early in her career."
 
Appalachian State held South Alabama scoreless for over six minutes into the third quarter, but it was only able to score six points for a 27-20 lead.  The Jags responded with a 7-2 run.  India Hall hit a jumper in the lane after a pass fake, Davis scored her first two points of the game on a layup and Perrymond hit a three.
 
The Jaguars' defense forced the Mountaineers into 13 turnovers and held them to 20.9% (14-67) shooting from the field and 8.3% (1-12) from three, both season-lows for Jags' opponents.  South Alabama tied a season-high with nine blocks.
 
The Mountaineers had a 53-45 edge on the glass, but they only converted 22 offensive rebounds into eight second chance points.  The Jags outscored the Mountaineers 30-20 in the paint.
 
Davis finished the game 7-12 from the field, 1-4 from three and 2-3 at the free throw line.  She made all six field goal attempts in the fourth quarter and also had two of her three assists in the quarter.  Davis also tied her career-high in rebounding, pulling down seven boards.
 
Ellis scored 12 points and grabbed eight rebounds.  Perrymond also finished with double-digits in scoring with 10 points in addition to five rebounds, three assists and one steal.
 
South Alabama heads to the Lone Star State for a pair of road games next week, starting with Texas State on Thursday at 7:00 p.m.
 
The 2017 Sun Belt Conference Men's and Women's Basketball Championships are scheduled for a week of March Madness in the Big Easy.  New Orleans will once again be home to the two championships that will take place at Lakefront Arena from March 7-12 and ticket books can now be purchased from your our ticket office.  For more information, visit the Sun Belt Conference's championship central websites - Men's Championship – Women's Championship – and be sure to follow the @FunBelt on social media - @SunBelt.
 
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).