MOBILE, Ala. ? Jessica Starling’s career-high 25 points Wednesday evening helped the South Alabama women’s basketball pick up 66-59 victory over Western Kentucky at the Mitchell Center and snapped a nine-game skid to the Lady Toppers in the series. 

“This game is important for us to show ourselves and the rest of the league that we are a contender,” South Alabama head coach Rick Pietri said. “I think that is something we were able to do tonight. Western Kentucky is a great program and team. It was important for us to show that we can contend against the best in the league.”

USA (9-2, 1-0 SBC) will continue Sun Belt Conference action this weekend when the Lady Jags head to Miami, Fla., to take on Florida International.  Tip-off is set for 4 p.m. (CT).  WKU falls to 6-3 overall and 0-1 in the league with the loss.

Starling was 8-of-13 from the floor, including 4-of-8 from the three-point line.  Ra’Shawna Sippio chipped in with 10 points of her own and added eight rebounds and three blocks.    USA tied a season-high with 11 blocks against the Lady Toppers. 

Western Kentucky’s Arnika Brown led all players with a career-high 28 points, while also posting a game-high 14 rebounds.  Brown was 10-of-20 from the field and pulled down eight offensive rebounds for the Toppers.  Kenzie Rich also finished in double digits with 13, 10 of which coming in the second half.

Both clubs did a good job of going to the offensive glass as WKU finished the game with 25, while the Jags pulled down 19 of their own.

With the Lady Jags holding a seven-point advantage at the intermission, Brown’s jumper less than a minute into the final period cut USA’s lead to 29-24.  On South Alabama’s next trip down the floor though, Brittney Rutledge rolled in a jumper that ignited an 11-0 run for the Jags.  Starling’s fourth trey of the night from the left corner at the 16:21 mark capped off the scoring for the Lady Jags and gave them their largest lead to that point at 41-25.

Western Kentucky ended the scoreless drought on Jessica Magley’s turnaround jumper at the 14:45 minute mark.  Over the next several minutes, the Lady Toppers began to crash the boards again and after back-to-back put backs from Brown and Teranie Thomas, trimmed the Jaguar lead to 10 at 41-31 with 12, minutes, 24 seconds remaining.  Throughout most of the game, USA had done a good job of protecting the ball, but on its next two possessions, got sloppy and turned the ball over.  Rich made the Jags pay for their miscues and drove the lane for a layup to pull within eight with just over 12 minutes to go. 

After keeping the game around the nine-point mark for the next few minutes, USA knocked down three-straight buckets and stretched its lead back out to 52-37 on a Karina Sproal jumper at the 7:32 mark. Western Kentucky kept battling and trimmed the deficit to eight (62-55) when Rich was fouled on a three-pointer with under a minute to play.  Rich hit the shot and converted the bonus shot on the play.  WKU could only get as close as the final margin as USA went on to take the seven-point victory.

Brown led the way early on for Western Kentucky, recording eight of the Lady Toppers’ first 14 points.  Brown’s put back with just under nine minutes remaining in the first half put WKU out in front by two (14-12).   With under eight minutes to go in the half, Starling found the shooting touch for the Lady Jags and led a 10-2 run over the next four minutes to help USA retake the lead and stretch it out to eight (22-16) with three minutes, 50 seconds left to play in the opening period.  During the run, Starling recorded all but two of South Alabama’s points.

Western Kentucky answered right back and pulled to within three (22-19) a minute and a half later on Brown’s fifth field goal of the night.  USA closed the half strong though and   

Starling led the Lady Jags in the first half with 11 points, while Brown led the Lady Toppers with 10 points.  Brown was 5-of-12 from the field and pulled down six of her rebounds in the opening 20 minutes of play. 

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com.  Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

-- USA --