12/19/05– FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

USA'S WILLIAMS HAS GAME-HIGH 22, BUT LADY JAGS FALL 68-56 TO PORTLAND STATE

CONTACT: Kevin Beasley

Box Score

PORTLAND, Ore. - JoAnna Williams recorded a game-high 22 points Monday night, but it was not enough as the South Alabama women's basketball team dropped a 68-56 decision to Portland State at the Stott Center.

South Alabama (4-5) came out and took a quick lead on an Ashley Gamble jumper 40 seconds into the game, but Portland State (6-4) responded to the Jaguar basket with 14 unanswered points grab a 12-point advantage. PSU gained the 14-2 lead on a DeLaney Conway three-pointer from the left wing with just under 15 minutes to play. Raena Ellis ended the Lady Viking run with a trey of her own at the 14:35 mark. The PSU run was ignited by eight straight points from Brianna Thompson. The Vikings grabbed their biggest lead of the period at 22-7 on another Conway bucket, this time a on a jumper with 12 minutes, 15 seconds remaining in the half. The Lady Jags kept battling and eventually cut the lead to as few as nine (27-18) on a Tiffany Sanders' bucket and bonus shot with two minutes, 42 seconds to go in the half before heading into the intermission trailing by 12 (34-22).

"Our team unfortunately for whatever reason hasn't learned the right gear that we have to function in to be successful," said South Alabama women's basketball head coach Rick Pierti. "Sometimes we are incredibly soft in our movements and actions and it cost us. There were streaks in this game where we showed some toughness but we just have to show it consistantly."

Portland State was a blistering 14-of-32 (.438) from the field in the first stanza, including 5-of-9 from the arc (.556). The Jags rebounded from their early shooting woes to finish at 42 percent (10-24) for the half. The key stat of the first period of play was in the points off turnovers category. PSU capitalized with 17 points off 15 South Alabama turnovers, while USA was only able to get four points off 11 Viking turnovers.

The Lady Vikings pushed their lead out to 17 (41-24) during the first four minutes of the second stanza before USA senior guard JoAnna Williams ignited a 14-4 Jag run with 11 of USA's points during the stretch. The scoring spurt was capped off by a Williams steal and lay up to cut the deficit to 45-38 with just under 12 minutes remaining. PSU however reeled off the next eight points to push the advantage back out to 53-38 on a Kelsey Kahle basket at the 7:12 mark. The seven point margin was as close as USA get the rest of the way as Portland State went on to take the 68-56 victory.

The Lady Jags were led offensively by Williams' 22 points, 16 of which came in the second half. Whitney Wodard also recorded double figures in scoring with 13 points, all in the second half. Woodard also had a team-high 10 rebounds for her second double-double of the season.

JoAnna and Whitney both made efforts in the second half to lead us, but the effort has to begin at the tip," said Pietri. "Unfortunately, we lost this game during the first four minutes and that was where the margin of defeat was gained. Again, right now our team doesn't understand the level of energy they need to function at at the tip and tonight that cost us."

PSU was paced by Thompson's19 points, while Kahle recorded 14 second half points. The Lady Vikings are now 7-2 all-time against Sun Belt Conference teams.

The key stat of the game was the 31 Lady Viking points off a season-high 30 Jag turnovers.

South Alabama will next take off for the holiday break before returning to host the Coca-Cola Classic on Dec. 29-30 at the Mitchell Center. USA will face Georgia Southern (Dec. 29) at 6 p.m. and then take on in-state foe and SEC member Alabama (Dec. 30) at 6 p.m.