Game 2 - Tennessee State Game Notes (.pdf)

MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama women’s basketball team will play its first home game of the regular season Monday evening when the Lady Jags welcome Tennessee State to the Mitchell Center.  Tip-off is set for 7:05 p.m.

“We’re happy to be playing our first regular season home game of the season on Monday,” South Alabama head coach Rick Pietri said.  “It’s always nice to be in your own building, so we look forward to that.  Tennessee State is a team that beat us in a very competitive game last year.  They have most of the players from that team back this season, but they do have a new coach this season in coach (Larry Joe) Inman.  He’s a very good coach and has won over 480 games and been to a bunch of NCAA tournaments during his time at Eastern Kentucky and Middle Tennessee and he knows what he’s doing.  Our players know that we have a major test in front of us and we’ll do everything we can to hopefully come out on top.”

Live stats and video of the contest of the Lady Jags versus the Lady Tigers can be accessed at www.USAJaguars.com.

South Alabama comes into its home opener after opening up the 2012-13 season with a 83-53 road victory over Houston Baptist on Friday night.  Against the Huskies, USA got off to a strong start shooting over 50 percent in the opening half and posting 52 first-half points.  USA continued its strong shooting in the second half and finished the game hitting 52.4 percent for the game.
    
The senior all-conference duo of Mary Nixon and Mansa El led the way individually as they each reached double figures.  Nixon paced all scorers with a career-high 22 points on 9-of-14 shooting, while El had 15 points on 4-of-8 shooting, including three treys.

El led the squad with 12.1 ppg a year ago - 13th in the league - and was tied for third in the SBC in three-pointers per game (1.8) and ranked 11th in three-point shooting.  She was also one of the top free-throw shooters (79.2) in the league, ranking third  

The Lady Jags also forced 23 turnovers, 11 coming off of steals, and converted those Huskie mistakes into 25 points.  USA also held a 44-24 advantage in the points in the paint category.

Veronica Cherizol, Brianna Wright and Jennifer Johnson also chipped in with eight points apiece.  Johnson and Wright were both 4-for-5 from the floor.  Wright also tied Nixon for top honors on the glass, finishing with seven rebounds.

Like the Jags, Tennessee State was also victorious in its season opener, holding on to pick up a 52-49 win over Cumberland Friday evening at the Gentry Center.

Cumberland had a couple of late opportunities to take the lead, but the Lady Tigers were able to get stops and hit enough free throws to preserve the win.

Simone Hopes led TSU with 14 points and just missed a double-double with eight rebounds. Chelsea Hudson also registered eight rebounds to go with seven points for the Lady Tigers.

Senior guard Jasmin Shuler - who led the Lady Tigers in scoring last season with 15.2 points per game - earned preseason all-Ohio Valley Conference honors prior to the start of the season while TSU was predicted to finish fifth in the East Division.

The Lady Tigers, under first year head coach Larry Joe Inman, return 10 letterwinners from last year’s squad and one freshman.

Shuler, a 2012 all-OVC second team selection, also led the team in made-three pointers and three-point field goal percentage last season.  Against Cumberland on Friday however, she was held scoreless and was 0-for-3 from long range.

The Lady Tigers also won 69-58 in its lone exhibition game against North Alabama. Destiney Gaston (13), Avery Jones (12), Shuler (10) each posted double-digits in scoring for TSU.

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 meeting between South Alabama and Tennessee State will be just the third in the all-time series between the two clubs with the series tied 1-1.  The Lady Jags defeated TSU, 71-62, in the second round of the Lady Tiger Invitational held in Memphis, Tenn., back during the 1989-90 season, but the Lady Tigers picked up a 74-69 win over the Jaguar women in Nashville last season. The meeting between Pietri and Tennessee State head coach Larry Joe Inman will be the first between the two coaches. South Alabama doesn’t list any players on the 2012-13 roster from Tennessee.  There are no players on Tennessee State’s roster from Alabama.  The Lady Jags have played twice on Nov. 12. In those contests, USA holds a 1-0 record.  The last time USA played on this date was during the 2011-12 season where the Jaguars defeated Central Florida, 89-76 in triple overtime in Mobile.  USA is 1-0 on this date under Pietri.  South Alabama has won 30 of its previous 38 home openers.  USA defeated Central Florida, 89-76 victory in triple overtime in its home opener last season.  Pietri holds an 11-1 record in his 12 previous home openers.  The game against Tennessee State will mark the 13th time USA has faced an opponent currently in the Ohio Valley Conference. South Alabama is 7-5 all-time versus OVC members, while Pietri is 2-2 against the league.  

-- USA --