Game Notes: Game 27 - vs. UALR (.pdf)

MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama women’s basketball team play the first of its final two home games of the season this week when the Lady Jags return home to host UALR.  The Trojans come into the game having already locked up the Sun Belt West Division crown for the second-straight season.
   
Tip-off versus the Trojans is set for 7:05 p.m. at the Mitchell Center.  Live stats and video can be accessed at www.usajaguars.com. 

South Alabama comes into the midweek match up versus the Trojans with a 15-11 overall record and a 7-7 mark in the league.  Prior to its loss at Denver on Sunday, USA had won its previous two games.  Versus the Pioneers, USA’s road struggles continued as the Lady Jags shot just 24.9 percent from the field – its second-lowest percentage of the season.  The Jags currently sit two-games back of second-place Western Kentucky and third-place Florida International in the SBC East Division standings. 

USA continues to rank among the league leaders in three-point shooting, scoring defense, field goal percentage defense and three-point field goal defense.  The Lady Jags’ 7.1 treys per game lead the conference, while they are shooting 34.4 percent from the arc.  South Alabama is also holding its opponents to 57.4 points per game, 37 percent shooting from the floor - both second in the Sun Belt.  The Jags’ are holding opponents to just 24.4 percent shooting from the three-point line - second-best in the nation.

Averaging 12.2 points per outing, senior forward Christian Shelter continues to pace the offensive attack.  Shelter ranks 15th in the league in scoring, is tied for seventh in three-point shooting (.357) and fourth in treys per game (2.0).

Also averaging double figures for the Lady Jags is junior guard Sarda Peterson.  The Ft. Myers native enters the contest averaging 11.1 ppg.  Like Shelter, she also is among the league leaders in three-point shooting - ranking sixth in long-range percentage (.360) and threes per game (1.9).

The game will also have a little more meaning for a pair of Jags as Lauren Walker (Cabot, Ark.) and Siedah Banks (Little Rock, Ark.) will be facing a team from their native state.  Walker leads the SBC in three-point shooting, knocking down 43.9 percent of her attempts, while Banks is seventh nationally in assist/turnover ratio.

UALR improved to 18-6 and 12-1 in the conference with a 69-61 victory over East Division leader Middle Tennessee in Little Rock on Sunday.  The Trojans trailed by four at the intermission but rallied back and outscored the Blue Raiders 43-31 in the second half to capture the victory.  UALR also shot 60 percent during the final period of play.

Offensively, the Trojans have been led by SBC Preseason Player of the Year Chastity Reed.  Reed leads both the club and the conference in scoring with 18.3 points per outing.  The senior is shooting 41.1 percent from the floor and leads the team on the glass with 6.2 boards per game.  Reed has also been extremely tough on defense as she ranks seventh in the league in steals with 2.0 per game.

In conference play two other players - Marian Kursh and Shanika Butler - have helped out Reed in the scoring column.  The duo is averaging 8.9 and 8.1 points per game, respectively on the season, but in conference play, they have been even better, raising their averages to 11.2 and 10.3 ppg.  Butler also ranks third in the Sun Belt in steals with 2.4 per game.

As a team, UALR has been extremely difficult on its opponents at the defensive end of the floor.  The Trojan defense ranks first in the SBC and seventh nationally in scoring defense- allowing just 52.1  ppg - while they also rank second in field goal percentage defense, holding opponents to just 36.5 percent shooting.  In 13 SBC games, UALR is allowing just 50.3 ppg.  Like the Jaguars, UALR has done an excellent job at defending the arc.  The Trojans’ opponents are hitting just 26.5 percent of their attempts from the three-point line - 12th in the NCAA.

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: Wednesday’s game against will be the 15th in the all-time series between South Alabama and UALR.  USA holds an 11-3 advantage in the all-time series, including a 7-1 mark in Mobile against the Trojans.  Last season, the Lady Jags picked up a 58-49 victory over the Trojans in Mobile.  USA is 9-2 against UALR under Pietri and 7-1 in Mobile during his tenure.  The meeting between Pietri and UALR head coach Joe Foley will be the ninth between the two coaches.  Pietri holds a 6-2 advantage in those previous meetings.  All eight meetings have come at the two coaches’ current schools.  South Alabama lists two players on its 2010-11 roster from Arkansas - senior guard Siedah Banks (Little Rock) and junior guard Lauren Walker (Cabot).