Box Score - UALR 55, South Alabama 43 (.pdf)

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – The University of South Alabama women’s basketball team could not overcome a cold offensive performance Wednesday evening as the Lady Jags shot just 24.5 percent from the field and fell 55-43 at UALR at the Jack Stephens Center.  

“We just didn’t play with the right energy in the first half,” South Alabama head coach Rick Pietri said.  “It was something that I had seen in shoot around this morning that really concerned me about whether we were going to come out with the right energy and we didn’t.  I addressed it then, but sometimes we don’t listen as well as we should as players.  In the second half, we showed some resolve and fought with a lot of energy.  Again, we just had put backs right under the goal and wide-open threes that we just couldn’t convert on.  We just have to be able to do that.  The energy though was much better in the second half.  If we had battled like that in the first half, the outcome might have been different.”

USA (11-9, 4-4 SBC) will now return home to host Troy on Sunday in its third televised game of the season on the Sun Belt Network. Tip-off versus the Trojans is set for 3 p.m.  With the win, UALR – now winners in seven of its last eight games – improve to 11-10 overall and 6-2 in the league.

Mansa El was the lone Lady Jag to record double figures in the loss.  Sarda Peterson was close behind her with eight points.  

As a team, USA was 13-for-53 from the field and just 6-for 23from the arc (26.1 percent).  

UALR placed three players in double digits led by Taylor Ford and Taylor Gault’s 13 points apiece.  Britteni Williams was 5-of-8 from the field and registered her second double-double of the season with 11 points and 11 rebounds.   The Trojans were 21-of-50 from the field for 42 percent.  

The Lady Jags turned the ball over on each of their first two possessions and struggled to find their shooting touch, hitting just one of their first eight shots.

UALR took advantage of the slow start by USA and jumped out to an 11-2 lead on a turnaround jumper in the lane from Britteni Williams at the 14:32 mark.

The Lady Jags later trimmed the deficit down to four (11-7) after a layup from Sarda Peterson with 10 minutes, 13 seconds showing on the clock, but the shooting woes continued for the Jaguars and the Trojans used a 15-3 run over the next eight minutes to stretch the lead back out to 16.  Ford recorded six of UALR’s final eight points during the scoring spurt, including a jumper at the 3:14 mark of the half to give the Trojans a 2:24 mark. Ford led all scorers during the opening 20 minutes of action with nine points.

With under two minutes to go before the half, Ronneka Robertson knocked down a jumper after grabbing the rebound of a blocked shot and Lauren Walker drained a three from the right wing with one minute to go to pull USA within 11 (26-15), but on UALR’s ensuing possession, Janette Merriex connected from the right wing to send the Trojans into the locker room with a 29-15 advantage.

USA would go on to shoot just 21.7 percent from the field (5-of-23) – its second lowest first-half percentage this season.  The 15 first-half points were a new season-low for the Lady Jags.  While South Alabama struggled from the field in the first period of play, UALR was 13-of-29 from the floor for 44.8 percent – a first-half season-high by a USA opponent.

South Alabama came out with much better energy in the second half, but still struggled to find its shooting touch, beginning by hitting three of its first 15 attempts.  

Senior guard Lauren Walker – playing in her home state – knocked down a three from right corner to narrow the deficit to 36-24 with just over 13 minutes remaining, but UALR would answer right back and reel off eight of the next 10 points, the last five coming from Gault.  Gault – who was in foul trouble in the first half and registered just two points – had 11 of her 13 points in the second half.

USA again pulled to within 12 (44-32) with just under eight minutes to go after a pair of free throws from El, but the Lady Jags would go scoreless over the next four minutes.  UALR took advantage and put the game away with nine unanswered points.  Gault began the run for the Trojans with her second three-pointer of the half.  Ford capped off the scoring and gave UALR the 21-point advantage with four minutes, 10 seconds showing with two more free throws.

The Lady Jags kept battling though and were able to close as the final margin of defeat to 12 after late three pointers from El and Mary Nixon.

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 is now 11-6 in the all-time series and 2-3 in games played in Little Rock.  UALR has now won three straight in the series.  With her 12 points, South Alabama’s Mansa El has now recorded double figures in 12 of her last 17 games.  The 14-point halftime deficit was the largest deficit at the intermission for the Lady Jags this season.  The 44.8 first-half field-goal percentage was a new season-best by a Jaguar opponent.  The 15 first-half points by South Alabama were a season-low for a half and the 21.7 first-half field-goal percentage was the second lowest for USA this season.  The 43 points by the Lady Jags was the second-lowest total this season.  

-- USA --