Game One - at Houston Baptist Game Notes (.pdf)

MOBILE, Ala. – Coming off its exhibition win on Monday night, the University of South Alabama women’s basketball team will open the 2012-13 regular season Friday evening when the Lady Jags travel to take on Houston Baptist.  Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. at Sharp Gym.

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

South Alabama comes into the regular season opener after picking up a 75-32 exhibition win over West Florida on Monday night.  Against the Argos, the Lady Jags were led by junior college transfer Meghan Dunn’s 20 points off the bench.  Dunn was 8-of-14 from the floor and 4-for-10 from the three-point line, while also registering four steals and three assists.  Led by Dunn, the Jaguar reserves held a 43-9 advantage in bench points.  USA had 11 of its 12 players get into the scoring column in the victory.  Dunn sparked a pair of runs, leading a 21-5 run in the first half with 11 points and nine points during an 18-2 run in the second half.

As a team, USA forced 28 turnovers and had 15 steals, while turning those Argo miscues into 32 points.  As a team, South Alabama led the conference and ranked 11th in the nation in scoring defense, while also leading the league in field-goal percentage defense and three-point field-goal defense.

Preseason third-team all-SBC selection Mary Nixon also got off to a strong start, posting 14 points and a team-high nine rebounds against UWF.  Last season, Nixon averaged 7.8 points per game and was second on the club in rebounds with 4.8 per outing.

The Lady Jags also return preseason second-team all-Sun Belt selection Mansa El - who led the squad with 12.1 ppg a year ago.  El’s scoring ranked 13th in the league.  The senior 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 Houston, Texas native scored double-figures in a team-best 19 games, including three 20-point outings and led the club in scoring 13 times.

Houston Baptist enters the contest versus the Lady Jags after picking up a 84-62 win over Texas A&M-Kingsville at the beginning of the month.  Husky post players Shanice Steenholdt and Erin McGarrachan (UTEP transfer) each had double-doubles in the exhibition win.  Steenholdt had 24 points and 15 rebounds, while McGarrachan had 12 points and 12 rebounds.

“Houston Baptist’s strength is their inside game,” South Alabama head coach Rick Pietri said.  “What makes them so strong is the fact that their inside players – their leading returning scorer (Steenholdt) and their transfer from UTEP (McGarrachan) – are both versatile players.  They are not just pure post players.  Both of them can step out on the floor and both shot and handle the ball.  Houston Baptist also has some nice guards and they have done a great job recruiting, in terms of adding to the roster that they had to try to make this season a better one for them.  You never know what’s going to happen in someone else’s building so we just need to bring our best and hope that in our case that that will be good enough to get us a win on Friday.”

HBU went 1-27 last season, while battling injuries, but the Huskies return six letterwinners and all five starters - highlighted by Sheenholdt who led all NCAA Division I freshmen in points (18.7), rebounds (10.9), and double-doubles (10) before losing the final 11 games due to injury. Despite the injury, she was still earned honorable mention all-conference honors and during the preseason was named to the first team.  

Sophomore guard Devyn Weymouth and senior forward Joselyn Pugh were also chosen as second team all-conference honors.

Weymouth, was the clubs second-leading scorer, for HBU, averaging 8.7 points and 6.1 rebounds a game.  She was even better in GWAC play, leading the team with 11.6 ppg and 7.8 rpg.  Weymouth was named second team all-conference and was on the all-newcomer team.  

Pugh averaged 7.2 points and 5.5 rebounds per game in 2011-12. Her 79 percent free throw led the team and was a named honorable mention all-conference selection.

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 on Friday will be the second between the two clubs.  South Alabama holds a 1-0 advantage in the all-time series, picking up the lone meeting, 83-48 in Mobile, back during the 2008-09 season.  South Alabama is 1-0 in the series under head coach Rick Pietri.  The meeting between Pietri and Houston Baptist head coach Mary Gleason will be the first between the two coaches. South Alabama lists four players - Mansa El (Houston), Rachel Cumbo (Houston), Diamonisha Sophus (Houston) and Breanna Hall (Mesquite) - on the 2012-13 roster from Texas.  There are no players on Houston Baptist’s roster from Alabama. The Lady Jags have played twice on Nov. 9. In those contests, USA holds a 1-1 record.  The last time USA played on this date was during the 2007-08 season where USA defeated Spring Hill, 98-35 in Mobile.  USA is 1-0 on this date under Pietri.  In 38 seasons, the South Alabama women’s basketball program is 19-19 and 7-5 in season openers under Pietri.  Last season, the Lady Jags opened the 2011-12 campaign with an 89-76 triple overtime victory over Central Florida in Mobile.  Friday’s game at Houston Baptist will be the 39th road opener for the Jaguar women.  USA is 9-29 all-time in road openers and 4-8 in those same games under Pietri.  Last season, the Lady Jags fell 54-45 at Ole Miss.  The game versus Houston Baptist will also mark the 17th time USA has faced an opponent currently from the Great West Athletic Conference.  In those previous meetings, the Lady Jags are 11-4, while Pietri holds a 1-0 all-time versus the league.

-- USA --