MOBILE, Ala. – Before the University of South Alabama women's basketball team departed for a two-game Sun Belt Conference road trip to Texas, senior center Chyna Ellis sat down for this week's edition of "Inside JagNation."

The native of Cordova, Tenn., has posted career-high averages of 15.6 points and 8.5 rebounds per contest — both figures rank third in the league — and is shooting 51 percent from the field, 47.1 percent from three-point range and 77.5 percent at the foul line to go along with a Sun Belt-best 34 blocked shots.  She has recorded five double-doubles, including a 20-point, 12-rebound performance at Ole Miss, and had 23 points and eight rebounds while sinking the game-winning shot in an 85-84 victory at North Carolina in November in helping the Jaguars to a 9-4 record and a 2-0 start in conference action.

Ellis, who has appeared in 101 games during her career to date, is 17 points shy of reaching the 1,000-point plateau, ranks eighth in program history with 799 rebounds and with 265 blocks is 15 shy of becoming the all-time leader in the SBC.  Twice selected third-team all-conference, she was voted the league's Defensive Player of the Year following her sophomore season.

Click here for Episode 73 of "Inside JagNation"

In this week's episode of the weekly podcast of Jaguar Athletics, Ellis explains what she thinks is the key for the team's early success this winter and what trip played a part in that development, the importance of the UNC win both for her and the team, and what she focused on to prepare for her final season at the collegiate level.  In addition, she discusses when she first played basketball and when she started competing in organized events in the sport, at what point in high school she believed she could continue her career in college, why she chose to come to South and what she needed to do to be able to contribute immediately as a freshman.  Other topics include how she responded to last season's performance, how she has attempted to take on a leadership role with this year's squad, and what it will mean to her when she earns her undergraduate degree in May.

Click here for "Inside JagNation" archives

To find previous episodes of "Inside JagNation," Jaguar fans can search for "South Alabama Jaguars" on iTunes to download and listen for free.

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).

Join the Jaguar Athletic Fund (JAF) Priority Fund, the unrestricted giving option of the University of South Alabama Athletics.  Contributions to the Priority Fund directly support all 17 sports in addition to various support programming. For more information on how you can join visit: http://jaguarathleticfund.com/priorityfund

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