HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - The sixth-seeded University of South Alabama women's basketball team will open up play at the 2010 Sun Belt Conference Championships on Saturday, when the Jaguars take on 11th-seeded Louisiana-Lafayette. Tip-off versus the Ragin' Cajuns is set for Noon at Summit Arena.
Live stats will be available for every game during the tournament, but only games played on Summit Arena Court will be webcast. Fans can view all available webcasts for the entire tournament for $9.95. First and second round games will take place on both Summit Arena Court and Convention Center Court, while both the semifinals and finals will both take place in Summit Arena. Complete tournament information can be accessed at the Sun Belt Conference's web site, www.sunbeltsports.org.
Fans can purchase tournament booklets at the Hot Springs Convention Center for $128.
The winner off the first round match up betwwen USA and ULL will advance to the quarter final round to take on Western Kentucky - the third seed - on Sunday.
South Alabama (14-15, 9-9 SBC) enters the first round tournament matchup versus ULL as the sixth seed. USA moved up from the seventh seed this past weekend, when Western Kentucky help off Florida International for a 64-61 win in Miami.
"By no means did anyone in this program rejoice when we found out we had to play Louisiana-Lafayette in the first round." South Alabama head coach Rick Pietri said. "While we did defeat them in Mobile a couple of weeks ago, it was the best game we had played as a team in a long time. They have proven over the past two years that come conference tournament time they will rise to the occasion. This will be a very competitive battle and we have to find a way to win it."
USA dropped a heartbreaker to Denver in its season finale, as Emiko Smith hit a three-pointer with 0.7 seconds remaining to give the Pioneers the victory. Shakira Nettles - playing in her final home game - led the Jags offensively with 23 points on 10-of-17 shooting.
On Tuesday, Nettles was named all-Sun Belt for the second-straight year, earning third team honors this season. Nettles ranks second on the club and 22nd in the league in scoring averaging 11.6 points per game. Nettles' 43 treys lead the club and the Mobile native ranks among the league leaders in both three-point shooting and three-pointers per game. On Tuesday, Nettles was named all-Sun Belt for the second-straight season - earning third team honors.
Junior forward Christian Shelter in her first season as a Jag, leads the team in scoring, just ahead of Nettles with 11.8 ppg. She is also pulling down 4.1 boards per game and shooting 40.7 percent from the field. Shelter is also a deep threat for the Jags, as she has drained 42 triples of her own.
As a team, South Alabama continues to rank amongst the conference leaders at the foul line, as the Jaguar women have connected on 72 percent of their attempts at the stripe - third best in the Sun Belt. Individually, Siedah Banks leads the conference, hitting 82.7 percent of her shots.
Through 29 games, South Alabama and its opponents are dead even in points per game as both are averaging 63.9. USA has outscored its opponents 1854-1853.
Louisiana-Lafayette - the 11th seed - comes into the tournament with a 9-21 overall mark and a 4-14 record in the Sun Belt. Like the Jags, ULL comes into the tournament on a bit of a down note, as the Cajuns dropped nine of their last 10 games to close out the regular season. The lone victory during that stretch was a 69-67 overtime win over Louisiana-Monroe.
Against Denver in the season finale, the Pioneers recorded 27 assists on 29 made baskets and shot 55.8 percent from the floor. This season, ULL is allowing its opponents to shoot 44.6 percent from the field - 325th in the NCAA rankings out of 332 Division I teams.
Mercedes Johnson (14.6 ppg) and Alexis Green (14.1 ppg) lead the offensive attack for the Ragin' Cajuns - both ranking in the top 10 in the league in scoring. In SBC games, Green ranks fourth in the conference scoring, while Johnson is fifth.
"(Louisiana-Lafayette) has two players that can generate points, in many cases without needing offense to help them," Pietri said of ULL's offensive duo. "They can individually create things for themselves and can score over sound, challenged defense. The other players on their team obviously benefit from those two's ability to generate so much attention from an opposing defense. Alexis Green was an all-conference player last year. She didn't make it this year, although I felt she should have. Mercedes Johnson has also proven that she can be dangerous with a 39-point, 20-rebound performance against a good Florida Atlantic team earlier in the year. They are two special players and clearly, they are not all that team possesses."
Johnson is shooting 40.7 percent from the field and leads the club on the glass, pulling down 6.1 rebounds per outing. Green is the top threat from long range for ULL, as she has hit 41 treys this season. Sitting outside double figures is Jasmine Barnes. The junior guard enters the tournament averaging 9.3 ppg and is shooting a team-best 47.9 percent from the field.
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: South Alabama holds a huge advantage in the all-time series, leading the Ragin' Cajuns 27-11. Under head coach Rick Pietri, the Jags have been just as dominant, holding a 14-3 mark including picking up their fourth straight win in the series earlier this season - 79-59 in Mobile. The two clubs have only faced each other one time in the conference tournament with USA picking up a 49-40 win in the first round of the 2008 tournament. Jaguar assistant coach Eric Wise is a 1992 graduate of Louisiana-Lafayette. With the 2010 Sun Belt Conference Tournament in Hot Springs, Ark., for the second-straight season, this weekend will be a homecoming for two Jags. Both junior point guard Siedah Banks (Little Rock) and sophomore guard Lauren Walker (Cabot) prepped in Arkansas. The Jag duo is also very familiar with the Summit Arena, as their high school teams each played at the arena in the Arkansas High School State Tournament. Last season, Banks missed playing in the conference tournament due to a knee injury.
Sun Belt Conference Women's Basketball Championship Opening Round Schedule
Saturday, March 6
Game 1 - 9:45 a.m. - No. 4 Denver vs. No. 13 Louisiana-Monroe (Summit Arena)
Game 2 - 10:00 a.m. - No. 5 Florida Atlantic vs. No. 12 New Orleans (Convention Center Court)
Game 3 - 12:00 p.m. - No. 6 South Alabama vs. No. 11 Louisiana-Lafayette (Summit Arena)
Game 4 - 12:15 p.m. - No. 8 Arkansas State vs. No. 9 Troy (Convention Center Court)
Game 5 - 2:30 p.m. - No. 7 Florida International vs. No. 10 North Texas (Convention Center Court)
All times central and subject to change
-- USA --
