MOBILE, Ala. - Middle Tennessee used a pair of first half runs and hit 11 three-pointers in the second half Saturday afternoon to capture a 100-52 victory over the University of South Alabama women's basketball team at the Mitchell Center.

With the loss, the Jags have now lost five of their last six games after beginning the Sun Belt Conference schedule 7-0.

"Our kids have completely lost focus in what we're doing," South Alabama head coach Rick Pietri said following the loss to Middle Tennessee.   "Too many of them have taken their hearts out of what we're doing. We still have a core group of kids who are doing everything they can, but we have too many who are not. We just have to find a way to get it back. It's just on me to be creative and find ways to get our kids back interested in playing basketball."

USA falls to 13-11 on the season and 8-5 in the Sun Belt with the loss, while MTSU remains in first-place in the East Division and improves to 17-5 overall and 12-1 in league play.  The Jags will continue their three-game home stand on Wednesday evening when they host Florida International.  Tip-off is set for 7:05 p.m. at the Mitchell Center.

Morriah Smith led South Alabama in scoring with 13 points, while Siedah Banks chipped in with 10 of her own.  Banks also led the team in rebounding with six.

MTSU's Alysha Clark led all scorers with a game-high 34 points on 12-of-20 shooting, including three three-pointers.  Brandi Brown was 7-of-8 from the field and added 18 points of her own, while Jackie Pickel and Anne Marie Lanning finished with 16 and 11 points, respectively. 

All five Blue Raider starters had at least two treys, helping Middle Tennessee set new arena records in both made three-pointers and attempts.  MTSU was 17-for-34 from beyond the three-point line.  Brown and Pickel each knocked down four apiece to led the long-range attack.  Conversely, South Alabama struggled from the arc, shooting just 3-for-18 - all three treys coming from Smith.

One other key stat for MTSU was in the points off turnover category.  The Blue Raiders forced USA into 21 miscues, converting them into 35 points.

The Lady Raiders came out and grabbed the momentum early on as Pickel's three-pointer from the left corner at the 16:22 mark capped off the run of nine unanswered points. 

Shakira Nettles finally put the Jags on the scoreboard on USA's next possession with a three-point play.  The senior drove to the basket for a layup and was fouled.  Following Nettles' bonus shot, Tashley Gaines knocked down a jumper just inside the arc to trim the deficit to four with less than 16 minutes left in the opening half. 

Over the next six-plus minutes, Middle Tennessee used the long ball to stretch its advantage out to 30-11.  During the run, the Blue Raiders continued to be hot from the three-point line as both Lanning and Chelsia Lymon knocked down a pair of treys.  MTSU began the run with 10-straight points that was capped off by back-to-back three-pointers from Lymon with just under 14 minutes remaining in the half.  Lanning later gave the Blue Raiders the 19-point advantage when she knocked down one of her three treys in the contest.

After Middle Tennessee grabbed its largest lead of the period at 45-16 on a conventional three-point play from Dana Garrett at the 4:50 mark, the Jaguar women attempted to chip away at the deficit and got as close as 21 after a pair of free throws from Smith with under a minute to go before the half.  With six seconds remaining though, Tina Stewart knocked down a jumper to send MTSU into the locker room with a 49-26 lead.

Clark led all scorers during the first 20 minutes of play, posting 18 of her 34 points.  The All-American was 7-of-11 in the first stanza and 4-for-5 at the free throw line. 

As a team, the Blue Raiders knocked down 17 of their 35 attempts from the floor in the period for 48.6 shooting and hit six three-pointers, while USA was 11-for-38 (39.3 percent) and 0-for-5 from the arc.  The Jags also turned the ball over 12 times in which Middle Tennessee converted into 19 points.

In the second half, Middle Tennessee continued its hot shooting from the three-point line - hitting 11 out of its 18 attempts from the arc - and never allowed USA to get any closer than 23, before eventually stretching its lead out to 55 late in the second half.

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 100 points scored by Middle Tennessee are the most points allowed by a South Alabama team during head coach Rick Pietri's tenure and the most surrendered by a Jaguar squad since allowing 100 points to Western Kentucky back on Feb. 26, 1998.  The 100 points allowed are also the most by an opponent at the Mitchell Center and the most given up in a home game to an opponent since a 112-57 loss to Tuskegee back on Jan. 20, 1979.  Middle Tennessee also set new Mitchell Center records for made three-pointers and three-pointers attempted with its 17-for-34 performance against the Jags.  Alysha Clark tied Arkansas State's Adrianne Davies' arena record with her 34-point outing.  Davies set the mark on Feb. 11, 2007 in a 78-73 win over USA.  The 49 first half points and the 51 second half points were season-highs by an opponent versus South Alabama.  The 48-point loss is also the worst loss by USA since falling by 57 points (90-33) at Louisiana Tech on Jan. 10, 2000. 

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