MIAMI ? The South Alabama women’s basketball team remained perfect in Sun Belt Conference play Saturday evening as it cruised to a 65-47 road victory over Florida International at US Century Bank Arena on the FIU campus.  The win marks the third straight for the Lady Jags against the Golden Panthers in Miami and is also the first time South Alabama has begun league play 2-0 since doing so during the 2004-05 season.

USA (10-2, 2-0 SBC) will now take a nine-day break for the holidays before returning to action against Ohio on Monday, Dec. 29 at the Mitchell Center.  Tip-off is set for 7:05 p.m.  With the loss, Florida International drops to 2-8 on the year and 1-1 in league play.

The Jaguar women were paced offensively by Jessica Starling’s 12 points and Brittney Rutledge’s season-high 11.  Both Starling finished the night 6-of-13 from the field, while Rutledge was nearly perfect, knocking down five of her six shots.  Siedah Banks also posted a strong performance for South Alabama, finishing with seven points, three assists, eight rebounds and four steals.  Ra’Shawna Sippio led USA on the glass with 11 boards.  All 13 players for South Alabama got into the scoring column, the second time this season that every player has scored in a game for the Jags.

“We have been able to be more aggressive this year because of our depth and because of that we are able to do some things that we haven’t been able to do in the past,” South Alabama head coach Rick Pietri said.  “Even with two of our main scorers having off nights, I think it says something to our depth that we can have different players step up and help us, especially in a conference game against a quality opponent.”

The 47 points also mark the sixth straight game South Alabama has held an opponent under the 60 point mark and the fourth time this year that the Lady Jag defense has prevented their opponent from eclipsing the 50-point mark.

Florida International was paced by Michelle Gonzalez’s 11 points, while Elisa Carey chipped in with nine points and 11 rebounds.  Liene Jekabsone also added nine points.  USA did an excellent job defending Monika Bosilj, FIU’s leading scorer entering the game.  Bosilj was held scoreless in the opening 20 minutes of play and was held to just eight points, nine below her average and most coming in the final minutes of action.

Banks and Starling got the Lady Jags going in the opening minutes of the game, combining for all 10 of USA’s first points to help build a 13-point lead, one it would not relinquish the rest of the game.  Florida native Sarda Peterson capped off the run and put the Jags out in front, 24-7 when the freshman drained back-to-back treys.  Peterson’s first three-pointer coming deep behind the line at the 8:31 mark and the second coming on South Alabama’s next trip down the floor from the right wing.

South Alabama’s defense held FIU in check during the first 13 minutes of play, holding the Golden Panthers to just  3-of-19 shooting from the floor, while also turning the ball over five times.

Jasmine Jenkins and Gonzalez ended the drought for the Panthers as the duo combined to score Florida International’s next 11 points.  The Golden Panthers kept battling and cut the deficit to single digits (29-20) on a Jekabsone layup with one minute, 14 seconds left before the intermission.  With under a minute to play in the half, Starling again had the answer for the Jags.  Her layup with 15 seconds remaining sent USA into the locker room with a 31-20 advantage.

Early on in the second half, Rutledge provided the scoring draining nine of the Jags first 11 points of the period to push USA’s advantage back out to 42-26 with 13 minutes, 41 seconds left on the clock.  Two and a half minutes later, Banks pushed the Jaguar lead out to 19 when the sophomore point guard drove the lane and converted the old fashioned three-point play.   

FIU got as close as 47-35 with a 9-2 run over the next couple of minutes, but South Alabama regained the momentum and outscored the Golden Panthers 14-5 to take its largest lead of the game at 63-41.  Morriah Smith gave USA the 22-point lead when the junior guard hit a running one-hander in the lane with just over two minutes left.  South Alabama didn’t allow much down the stretch and went on to pick up the 18-point victory.

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 --