MOBILE, Ala. ? The South Alabama women’s basketball team returns home Wednesday evening to host Sun Belt Conference West Division front runner UALR at the Mitchell Center.

“UALR really has a well constructed team,” South Alabama head coach Rick Pietri said.  “They have a solid point guard position and tremendous perimeter players at the two, three and four spots, as well as a solid player in the post.  They are also very well coached.  Their record reflects how good of a team they are, as they hold wins over Ole Miss and Oklahoma State.  We know that we have a stern task in front of us and we will definitely bring everything we can to the party and see what happens.”

Tip-off is set for 7:05 p.m.  Admission is $5 for all seats.  USA students, faculty and staff will also be admitted free with a valid ID.  Student guests can also purchase a ticket for $3.  Children under 2 will be admitted free.  Live stats and the internet audio broadcast can be accessed at www.usajaguars.com.  As with all home games, the web cast can be purchased by subscribing to Jaguar Nation for just $9.95 per month. 

The Lady Jags come into the mid-week game against UALR with a 13-5 overall mark and a 4-3 record in the Sun Belt.  USA picked up its second-straight victory on Sunday with a dramatic 69-68 win at Arkansas State.

Against the Red Wolves, South Alabama led by as many as 18 in the second half only to see ASU come back and grab a one-point advantage.  With Arkansas State holding a one-point lead with 3.6 seconds remaining, senior guard Jessica Starling was fouled on an inbounds play and calmly sank both her attempts.  ASU’s desperation three-pointer at the buzzer was then off the mark, giving USA the win.  Shakira Nettles led the way for the Lady Jags in the win with a career-best 27 points on 11-of-17 shooting. 

Starling and Nettles continue to pace South Alabama offensively as the duo is averaging 15.9 (seventh in the SBC) and 14.1 (ninth in the SBC) points per outing, respectively.  They each have been the top threats for South Alabama from long range, ranking in the top 5 of the conference in treys per game.  Nettles leads the league, while Starling is fifth.  Nettles has knocked down 45.5 percent of her attempts - eighth-best in the NCAA’s.  As a team, USA ranks seventh in the nation in three-pointers per game.

Over the past two games, senior post player Ra’Shawna Sippio has elevated her game, recording back-to-back double-doubles against Troy and Arkansas State.  Sippio had a 22 point, 11 rebound effort against the Trojans on Wednesday and then posted 11 points and 10 rebounds against the Red Wolves on Sunday.

As a team, USA leads the league in rebounding offense, blocked shots and offensive rebounds in the latest SBC rankings.

The Lady Trojans (14-4, 6-1 SBC) enter the game against South Alabama leading the Sun Belt Conference West Division after being tabbed as the preseason favorite. 

On Saturday, UALR suffered its first league loss of the season, falling 67-62 in overtime to SBC East Division leader Middle Tennessee.  The loss ended a 29-game home win streak for the Trojans.

Preseason all-conference selection Anshel Cooper paced the club with 22 points in the loss, while Chasity Reed finished with 17.

Reed ranks fifth in the conference in both scoring and rebounding as the sophomore is averaging 16. 4 points and 7.8 boards per contest.  She also ranks in the leagues’ top 15 in field goal percentage (15th - 43.4 percent), free throw percentage (eighth), steals (fifth), blocks (13th) and defensive rebounds (second).

Cooper has also been one of the top scorers in the league as she is averaging 15.2 ppg - eighth in the Sun Belt.  Cooper also ranks sixth in field goal percentage, hitting 51.1 percent of her shots. 

Fellow backcourt mates Asriel Rolfe and Kim Sitzmann have also had stellar campaigns this season.  Rolfe leads the league in assists/turnover ratio and second in assists per game (4.72).  Rolfe’s 2.83 assists/turnover ratio is third nationally.  Sitzmann ranks seventh in the conference in assists and second in steals, just behind Chelsia Lymon of Middle Tennessee.

As a team, UALR has been one of the best in the country at protecting the ball.  The Lady Trojans rank fourth in the NCAA’s in both assists/turnover ratio and turnover margin.  UALR is allowing just 54.4 points per game - first in the SBC and 24th nationally.

South Alabama holds a huge advantage in the all-time series against UALR, taking 10 of the 12 meetings, including eight of the last nine under Pietri. 

The only two wins for the Lady Trojans in the series came back in the first meeting - an 85-74 victory in Little Rock - and last year’s meeting - a 67-58 win also in Little Rock.

USA has never lost to UALR in Mobile, holding a perfect 6-0 mark.  Pietri has been responsible for five of this six wins.

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).

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