Game 11 - Central Florida Game Notes (.pdf)
ORLANDO, Fla. – After breaking for finals, the University of South Alabama women’s basketball team returns to action when the Lady Jags travel to take on Central Florida Wednesday night at the UCF Arena.
Tip-off between the two clubs is set for 6 p.m. (CT). Live stats and live web streaming for the game versus the Knights can be accessed at www.USAJaguars.com.
South Alabama (7-3) returns to action in its final non-conference game of the season after breaking 11 days for final exams. In its last outing, USA rallied from a three-point halftime deficit and picked up a 71-61 victory over Sam Houston State back on Dec. 8.
Camille Reynolds led the way offensively for the Lady Jags as she recorded a season-high 14 points on 4-of-6 shooting, including three treys. Of her 14 points, 11 came in the second half.
Last season, Reynolds tallied a career-high 31 points against UCF in the season-opener. She was 10-of-16 from the floor and connected on four of her five three-point attempts, including a fade away trey at the end of the second overtime to tie the game up. Reynolds was also a perfect 7-for-7 at the free-throw line
Fellow senior guard Mary Nixon continues to pace the club offensively with 14.0 ppg - ninth in the SBC. Nixon is shooting 41.1 percent from the floor and 38.5 percent from beyond the three-point line - sixth-best in the SBC.
Mansa El sits just under double figures for the year, averaging 9.3 points per game. The senior leads the Sun Belt in assists-turnover ratio (1.6) and ranks among the league’s leaders in assists (third - 4.1), free-throw percentage (fourth - 82.1), and is tied for 10th in three-pointers per game (1.4).
Junior forward Ronneka Robertson leads the club and is eighth in the SBC in rebounding with 7.2 per outing. She is also tied for sixth in defensive rebounds with 4.8 per game. She has posted six or more boards in eight of her last nine games coming into Wednesday’s bout with the Knights. Veronica Cherizol is averaging 6.3 rebounds - 15th in the conference.
Central Florida (3-8) enters the midweek match up versus USA after falling 53-49 at home on Monday to Presbyterian. UCF led at the intermission, but after shooting 46.7 percent in the first half, went ice-cold in the final period of play and scored just 18 points and hit just 19.4 percent. The Knights were also just 1-of-17 from the three-point line in the contest.
Freshman guard Brihanna Jackson - UCF’s leading scorer - was held to 10 points on 5-of-14 shooting versus Presbyterian. Jackson is sixth in CUSA in scoring with 15.8 points per game. She has also been outstanding at the defensive end of the floor as her 4.0 steals per game are fourth in the conference and 14th in the most recent NCAA rankings. Gevenia Carter ranks 10th in CUSA in that same category with 2.5 steals per game, while as a team, the Knights are averaging 12.2 per outing - fourth in the conference.
“Central Florida is incredibly athletic and incredibly disruptive at the defensive end of the floor,” South Alabama head coach Rick Pietri said. “They are forcing roughly 23 turnovers a game, so you know you will be facing some pressure from them and you are going to have to be poised on offense. They just haven’t been as successful as they would have liked to have been this season, because they haven’t shot the ball from the perimeter very well, but in terms of their pressure and ability to disrupt, they are as good as anyone that we have played this season.”
Carter - who is 15th in the league is scoring - she is averaging 12.2 ppg. The senior guard led UCF with 15 points and six assists in the loss on Monday.
Erika Jones leads the Knights and ranks 15th in CUSA in rebounding with 6.6 per contest. Fellow post player Stephanie Taylor’s 1.6 blocks per game not only lead the club, but rank third in Conference USA. In her first start of the season, Taylor posted a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds, while also registering six blocks against the Blue Hose.
As a team, Central Florida is fourth in three-point field-goal defense (.254) and 21st in the nation in that category.
UCF has struggled on the glass as opponents hold a 46.4-35.9 advantage in the rebounding department this season.
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 Central Florida will be just the fourth ever and second since the 1991-92 season. USA holds a slim 2-1 lead in the all-time series and has picked up the last two meetings. The Knights took an 89-82 victory in Orlando in the first meeting during the 1991-92 season and the Jaguars picked up a 70-60 win in Mobile later that same year. Last season, USA opened the season with a thrilling triple overtime victory over Central Florida, 89-76. The meeting between Pietri and Central Florida head coach Joi Williams will be just the second between the two coaches during their careers. Junior forward Ronneka Robertson has posted six or more boards in eight of her last nine games.
-- USA --
