Florida Game Notes (.pdf)

ORONO, Maine – The University of South Alabama women’s basketball team will take on its second-straight Southeastern Conference opponent on Friday when it opens play against Florida at the 18th Annual Dead River Company Classic hosted by the University of Maine.

Tip-off versus the Gators is set for 3 p.m. (CT) at the Harold Alfond Sports Arena.  Live stats and video of the game can be accessed at www.usajaguars.com.  Maine and Navy will follow in the second game of the day at 5 p.m., with the consolation game set for 11 a.m. and the championship game set for 1 p.m. on Saturday.  All times listed are central.

South Alabama (2-2) enters the Dead River Company Classic after suffering a 56-43 loss to Mississippi State on Tuesday night.  Against the Lady Bulldogs, USA struggled offensively, shooting a season-low 29.1 percent from the field. 

After recording back-to-back 50-rebound games, MSU out rebounded the Lady Jags 42-29 and held a 28-14 advantage in the points in the paint category.

Despite the cold shooting, USA is still knocking down 38.6 percent for its field goals and 40 percent from three-point range.  Four players for the Jags are shooting 40 percent or better, led by Christian Shelter at 57.9 percent.  Shelter leads the club in scoring with 13.8 points per game and the Mobile native is also pulling down 4.5 boards per contest.

As a team, the Lady Jags are averaging 44.2 rebounds per game, led by Taylor Ammons with 8.3.  Ammons has led USA in rebounding in all four games this season.  Ammons is also averaging 8.5 points per outing off the bench.

Junior guard Sarda Peterson ranks second on the club offensively with 11.8 ppg, while senior point guard Siedah Banks has a team-best 23 assists.
Florida comes into the tournament after improving to 3-1 with a 54-51 victory over North Florida on Tuesday.  Against the Ospreys, UF trailed by five with six-and-a-half minutes remaining, but the Lady Gators rallied back to pick up the win. 

UF has already been tested this season as the Gators advanced to the semifinals of the Preseason WNIT, picking up wins over Central Florida and Charlotte before falling at DePaul.  All four of Florida’s games this season have been decided by 10 points or less, with three decided by six points or fewer.

“Florida, when you look at them and you look at the personnel, they appear physically over-powering,” South Alabama head coach Rick Pietri said of Friday’s opponent.  “It’s going to be interesting to see how our team responds to playing against an opponent that really dwarfs us physically.  The games are played on the court though and not on paper, so we’ll see how it turns out.”

Redshirt junior guard Jordan Jones leads the team with 11.3 ppg, while fellow junior center Azania Stewart is right behind her with 11.0 ppg.  Jones’ 11 three-pointers are tops on the club and she is connecting on 35.7 percent of her attempts from beyond the arc.  Stewart is shooting 58.6 percent from the field and is nearly averaging a double-double as the 6-4 post player is pulling down 9.3 boards per game.

As a team, Florida is out rebounding its opponents 45.2 - 37.0 and has been tough defensively on the interior, as the Gators have recorded 26 blocks this season - a 6.5 per game average.  Jennifer George leads the team with seven this season, while Stewart and Kayla Lewis are close behind with six each. Lanita Bartley (8.5 ppg) also leads the team with 11 steals.

Maine (1-2) is coming off a tough 62-57 loss at home to Central Connecticut State on Tuesday. The Black Bears trailed by as many in the second half and were able to get as close as two on a couple of occasions before falling by five.

Amber Smith ranks fourth in the America East with 16.7 points a game and leads the conference in three-point shooting (.370).  Samantha Wheeler is eighth in the league with 11.3 per contest and leads the Black Bears on the glass with 7.7 rpg.

As a team, the Black Bears have struggled on the boards as their opponents are out rebounding them 46.3 to 36.3.

Maine leads the America East Conference with 10.7 steals a game and forced 28 CCSU turnovers.   

Navy comes into the tournament with a 3-1 mark this season.  The Mids hold wins at Siena, at NJIT and over Harvard this season, while their lone loss came to Villanova, a 54-41 defeat.

First-team all-Patriot League selection Angela Myers has been the offensive leader thus far for the Mids.  The 5-5 senior guard leads the team with 16.8 points per outing and is shooting 56.4 percent from the field.  In Navy’s four games, Myers has been aggressive to the basket, as she has got to the free-throw line 22 times, knocking down 19 of those attempts.  She has also dished out 19 assists and her 14 steals are tops on the team.  Jasmine Pitts ranks second on the team in scoring with 10 ppg, but has missed the last two games for the Mids.

Last month, Navy was picked to finish third in the preseason Patriot League poll.

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).

NOTES:  The game against Florida will mark the 101st time USA has faced an opponent currently in the Southeastern Conference. South Alabama is 17-83 all-time versus SEC members, while Pietri is 4-11 against the league.  The Gators will be the second of four SEC opponents for the Lady Jags this season.  USA fell 56-43 to Mississippi State on Tuesday and will face Auburn (Dec. 5) and Ole Miss (Dec. 8).  USA’s last win against an SEC opponent came back on Dec. 30, 2005 versus Alabama (56-48) in Mobile. It will also be the seventh in the all-time series between South Alabama and Florida.  The two clubs have split the previous six meetings with USA winning the first three and the Gators picking up the next three.  The Lady Jags’ last win in the series came back during the 1990-91 season when South Alabama defeated Florida 94-83 in Mobile.  The game will be the first between the two teams on a neutral floor.  South Alabama has never faced either Navy or Maine, nor have they ever faced a team from the America East Conference or the Patriot League.