Box Score - Troy 66, South Alabama 41 (.pdf)

TROY, Ala. – With one of its worst offensive performances of the season, the University of South Alabama women’s basketball team dropped a 66-41 Sun Belt Conference decision to Troy Wednesday night at Sartain Hall.  The 25-point loss was the worst loss for South Alabama in the series since an 86-62 defeat back during the 1997-98 season.

“You have to give Mike Murphy and Troy all the credit,” South Alabama women’s basketball head coach Rick Pietri said.  “They absolutely kicked our tales in every fashion.  Our team should be embarrassed.  I’m embarrassed.  Take nothing away from Troy and the effort that they gave, but we should be embarrassed to come on the road in a meaningful game and just completely show no focus, no concentration and no discipline.  We just got out-fought and out-toughed.  It’s one of the more disappointing losses that I have ever experienced, not to lose, but to lose in this fashion.”

USA (12-8, 4-4 SBC) will now return home to host Louisiana-Lafayette on Sunday.  Tip-off versus the Ragin’ Cajuns is set for noon.  The game will also be televised on the Sun Belt Network.  With the win, Troy improves to 5-16 overall 2-6 in the league.

Christian Shelter was the lone Lady Jag to finish in double-digits, recording 10 points and four rebounds.  Sarda Peterson added eight of her own.

South Alabama never could find its range from the three-point line as USA was just 4-of-20 for 20 percent.  The Lady Jags were also just 12-for-48 from the field and 13-of-25 at the free throw line.  Troy outscored the Jaguars 40-14 in the paint and held a 42-27 rebounding advantage.

Troy placed three players in double figures, led by Donette McNair’s 21 points.  With her final basket, McNair – who was 9-for-13 - also reached the 1,000 point mark for her career.  DeAngela Sword added 16 points on 7-of-15 shooting, while Brooke Bowie came off the bench and posted 10 points of her own.

South Alabama struggled to get into rhythm over the first 11 plus minutes of the game as the Lady Jags were able to hit just one of their first 15 attempts from the floor.  Led by the duo of McNair and Sword – who combined for Troy’s first 14 points, the Trojans jumped out to a 14-3 lead after a layup from McNair with eight minutes, 45 seconds remaining in the first period of play.

Peterson’s jumper at the 4:10 mark pulled USA within 11 (19-8), but over the next minute-and-a-half, the Trojans reeled off six unanswered points to extend their lead out to 25-8 with just over two minutes remaining on the clock.

Peterson finally put the Lady Jags in double figures and narrowed the deficit to 25-11 with a pair of free throws on USA’s next possession, but Sophie Kleeman drained a three-pointer from the left corner in the closing seconds of the half to send Troy into the locker room with a 28-11 halftime lead.

USA recorded its worst offensive performance of the season during the first stanza, hitting just 15.8 percent of its attempts, as South Alabama was 3-of-19 from the field.  The Trojans connected on 46.4 percent (13-of-28) of their attempts.  Troy also held a huge advantage on the glass out rebounding the Jags 22-12 over the first 20 minutes of play. 

South Alabama – which entered the game leading the Sun Belt and ranking among the nation’s leaders in three-point shooting - was held without a long-range field goal in the opening half as the Lady Jags were 0-for-8.  The 11 points scored by USA in the first half were also a season-low for the program, breaking the previous mark of 19 scored at Florida International (Jan. 8).

In the second half, Troy carried its momentum over from the first and quickly stretched its lead out to 37-13 as it opened the period with a 9-2 spurt over the first three minutes of the half.  Tenia Manuel came up with an offensive rebound for the Trojans and laid the ball off the glass to give the Trojans the 24-point advantage. 

With less than 17 minutes on the clock, Lauren Walker was able to hit South Alabama’s first trey of the evening, however over the next four minutes, the Trojans feed the ball inside to McNair, who posted seven of Troy’s next nine points.

From there, South Alabama was never able to get any closer as the Trojans led by as many as 31 on a couple of occasions before taking 25-point victory.

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).