Auburn Game Notes (.pdf)

MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama women’s basketball team will close out its current three-game road swing Thursday evening when the Lady Jags travel to face Southeastern Conference foe Auburn.

“Auburn has a nice mix of size, athleticism and perimeter shooting,” South Alabama head coach Rick Pietri said of Thursday’s opponent.  “They have a lot of the same parts as the team that beat us in here in our building last year.  Clearly, we are going to have to play at an exceptionally high level to give ourselves a chance to be successful.”

Tip-off versus the Lady Tigers is set for 6 p.m. at the Auburn Arena.  Live stats and video of the game can be accessed at www.usajaguars.com. 

South Alabama enters the contest versus Auburn after going 1-1 at the Dead River Company Classic this past weekend.  On Friday, USA dropped a 61-51 decision to Florida, but bounced back on Saturday to capture a 66-55 victory against tourney host Maine in the consolation game.

Sarda Peterson and Siedah Banks helped the Lady Jags preserve the win as the duo combined to hit five of their six opportunities at the charity stripe during the final two minutes of play.  Peterson led all scorers with 17 points, while Banks recorded a season-high 13 points and was selected to the all-tournament team.

Senior forward Christian Shelter continues to lead the club offensively with 12.0 points per outing.  She also grabbed a career-best 12 rebounds against the Black Bears and is averaging 5.8 per game.  Her 14 three-pointers also top the club and she is shooting 50 percent from the arc. 

Peterson ranks second on the team in scoring (11.2 ppg), three-pointers (10) and three-point shooting.  As a team, USA is connecting on 36.5 percent of its attempts from long range - second in the league - and leads the Sun Belt with 7.7 treys per game.

Defensively, South Alabama is allowing just 57.2 ppg - third in the SBC - and is holding its opponents to just 35.5 percent shooting - tied with Arkansas State for tops in the league.

Auburn comes into the non-conference match up with a 2-4 mark on the season.  Lady Tigers snapped a four-game skid this past weekend when they picked up an 85-51 victory over Seton Hall at the Junkanoo Jam in Freeport, Bahamas. 

Against the Pirates, Auburn shot 53.1 percent from the field and posted a pair of 40-plus point halves.  Alli Smalley was one of four players for the Tigers to end the night in double-digits as the senior guard recorded 15 points on 6-of-10 shooting, including 3-for-4 from the arc.

Smalley leads the club offensively with 10.8 points per outing and is also connecting on 33.3 percent of her three-point attempts.  Blanche Alverson and Jordan Greenleaf sit just outside of double figures as each come in at 9.7 ppg.   Greenleaf is also pulling down a 7.7 rebounds per game - ninth in the SEC. 

Auburn has already been tested this season as two of its losses this season have come at the hands of No. 4 Duke (75-62) and No. 14 Florida State (67-61). 

As a team, the Lady Tigers are shooting 38.4 percent from the field and 28.6 percent from three-point range.  Their opponents have shot 43.2 percent from the floor and knocked down 39.1 percent of their shots from the arc.

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:  Thursday’s game will be the 40th in the all-time series between South Alabama and Auburn, but just the second between the two in-state schools this decade.  The Tigers hold a huge advantage in the series, taking 37 of the previous 39 meetings, including a 71-50 victory in Mobile.  Pietri holds a 0-2 mark against the Lady Tigers.  USA’s only two victories against Auburn both came during the 1979-80 season.  After losing the first meeting that season, the Jags bounced back to defeat the Tigers 70-68 in Mobile and then earned a 66-60 win at the AAIW Tournament in Troy, Ala.  The game against Auburn will mark the 102nd time USA has faced an opponent currently in the Southeastern Conference. South Alabama is 17-84 all-time versus SEC members, while Pietri is 4-12 against the league.  The Tigers will be the third of four SEC opponents for the Lady Jags this season.  USA fell 56-43 to Mississippi State (Nov. 23) and 61-51 to Florida (Nov. 26) and will also face Ole Miss (Dec. 8).  USA’s last win against an SEC opponent came back on Dec. 30, 2005 versus Alabama (56-48) in Mobile.  The Lady Jags’ last road victory against and SEC foe came back during the 1985-86 season, a 71-64 victory over Florida (Jan. 9).  USA is 2-39 all-time at a SEC foes home arena.