Game 8 - at Florida International Game Notes (.pdf)

MIAMI – After being on the road for two-weeks, the University of South Alabama women’s basketball team will close out its five-game road trip Saturday afternoon when the Lady Jags take on Florida International.  Tip-off versus the Panthers is set for 4:30 p.m. (CT) at U.S. Century Bank Arena.

Live stats and live audio for the game versus the Panthers can be accessed at www.USAJaguars.com.

South Alabama (5-2, 0-1) comes into the contest versus the Panthers after suffering a 67-56 loss to Florida Atlantic in its conference opener on Wednesday.  

USA led by seven at the break, but the Owls outscored the Jags 45-22 in the final period of play.  One of the top defensive clubs in the Sun Belt, South Alabama allowed FAU to shoot 51.8 percent in the game and 62.5 percent in the final period of play.  USA also turned the ball over 26 times.

Mary Nixon has led USA offensively and recorded double figures in four of her five games this season.  She currently ranks among the league leaders in scoring with 17.2 points per outing.  Nixon is also shooting 47.6 percent from the floor and 53.3 percent from the arc.  Had she not missed the two games due to injury, she would lead the league in three-point shooting, rank fifth in scoring and 15th in field-goal percentage.

Fellow senior and preseason all-conference selection Mansa El is averaging 9.4 points per game this season - second on the club - and leads the team in assists with 27.  She has recorded double figures in each of the last two games and had 12 points and a season-high six assists versus the Owls.  El also paces the club at the foul line, hitting 81.0 percent of her attempts - fourth in the Sun Belt.

Freshman forward Brianna Wright’s 52.9 field-goal percentage paces the club.  

As a team, South Alabama continues to lead the league in scoring defense, allowing just 53.4 points per game.  USA is also among the conference leaders in several other categories.  The Lady Jags rank third in the conference in field-goal percentage defense (.384), three-point field-goal defense (.258), rebounding margin (+2.0), three-pointers (6.7) and scoring margin (+7.9).

Florida International (2-4, 0-2 SBC) enters the weekend match up after dropping its second-straight game to Arkansas State, 60-57, on Thursday.  

The Panthers began the SBC schedule early, facing Western Kentucky in just the third game of the season.  FIU has also faced LSU, Iowa and Florida Gulf Coast this season.  

“I’m certain that going into this season, that coach (Cindy) Russo and her team expected to have better outcomes than they’ve had,” South Alabama head coach Rick Pietri said.  “They have two preseason all-conference players, including the Preseason Player of the Year Jerica Coley.  Finde Mansare is their other preseason all-conference selection.  (Marita) Davydova is an excellent addition for them in the post.  FIU definitely has the pieces to be an excellent team.  They already have a big win over Iowa out of the Big 10 to show that.  I’m sure in the days that they have to prepare for us, there are going to be a lot of things done with their team to try to get their attention.  (FIU) is tough to deal with regardless, but now I expect them to be motivated, which will make them even tougher to deal with.”

FIU is led by the reigning player of the year in the Sun Belt, Jerica Coley.  Coley leads the club with 18.3 points per outing - fourth in the SBC - and the 5-7 sophomore guard is second on the squad with 8.0 rebounds per game, 18 blocks (3.0 per game) and 13 steals (2.2 per game).  She leads the SBC in blocks and is fourth and tied for 11th, respectively, in rebounding and steals.    

Marita Davydova - a 6-3 junior center from Moscow, Russia - ranks second on the club behind Coley in both points (13.0) - tied for 10th in the SBC - and rebounds (8.2) - third in the SBC.  Her 43.1 field-goal percentage is the highest of any Panther.  

Senior forward Finde Mansare has also been solid this season.  The second-team preseason all-conference selection is averaging 8.5 ppg and 6.0 rebounds - 15th-best in the league.  Mansare is also tied for fourth in the SBC in blocks with 1.5 per game.  As a team, FIU is second in the conference in blocks with 5.8.

Senior point guard Carmen Miloglav has done an outstanding job leading the Panther offense as her 3.8 apg are tied with two other players for third in the Sun Belt.  

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 Florida International will be the 27th in the all-time series.  FIU holds a 15-11 advantage in the series, but USA has won seven of the last 12 meetings.  South Alabama head coach Rick Pietri is 10-10 against the Panthers during his tenure with the program and 5-4 in games played in Miami.   The meeting between South Alabama head coach Rick Pietri and Florida International head coach Cindy Russo will be the 21st between the two coaches.  Pietri is10-10 in those meetings.  All 20 of the previous meetings have come at both coaches’ current schools.  Senior guard Mary Nixon (Pensacola) and senior center Veronica Cherizol (Miami) are the only two players on the 2012-13 Lady Jag roster hailing from Florida.  There are no players on Florida International’s roster from Alabama.  The Lady Jags have played 14 times on Dec. 1. In those contests, USA holds a 7-7 record.  The last time USA played on this date was during the 2009-10 season where the Jaguars fell 73-71 to Tulane in Mobile.  USA is 1-2 on this date under Pietri.

-- USA --