Box Score - South Alabama 53, Arkansas State 47 (.pdf)

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MOBILE, Ala. – Mary Nixon recorded 16 points as the University of South Alabama women’s basketball team picked up its first Sun Belt Conference victory, defeating Arkansas State 53-47 Saturday night at the Mitchell Center.  

“I'm really proud of the way our team responded, particularly defensively in the second half,” South Alabama head coach Rick Pietri said.  “In the first half, (ASU) had their way with us to a degree offensively, and in the second half, we made it more difficult for them.  That's kind of what we've held our hat on in this program is trying to make it difficult for other teams to score.  Coming into the game, Arkansas State had won four out of five and five out of seven and in those wins had won some games by large margins, so they've been playing really, really well."

USA (8-5, 1-3 SBC) will now travel to Louisiana-Monroe to take on the Warhawks on Thursday.  Tip-off is set for 5:15 p.m. at Fant-Ewing Coliseum.  Arkansas State drops to 5-8 overall and 2-2 in the league with the loss.

Nixon was 7-of-16 from the field and had a pair of second-half three-pointers during a pivotal run for the Jags.  The senior guard also pulled down nine rebounds – six on the offensive glass – and had a pair of steals.  

“Mary Nixon in the second half really responded,” Pietri noted of the senior’s performance.  “I think one of the biggest plays she made was getting her own rebound after missing two free throws and puts it back in.  So she got the two points the hard way but still got them.  In order to win games, you've got to have players who can make plays for you, and Mary certainly did that for us tonight."

Meghan Dunn came off the bench to drop in 10 points on 4-of-9 shooting.  Ronneka Robertson led USA on the glass with 11 boards – tying a career-high for the junior forward.  Robertson also pulled down six rebounds on the offensive glass, as South Alabama had 21 as a team and converted them into 15 second-chance points.

“In the second half, we had some people step up and make plays,” Pietri said.  “We made plays not only from an offensive standpoint, but we had people collecting offensive rebounds.  I thought we did a great job on the offensive glass and keeping the ball alive.  Ronneka (Robertson) did a great job collecting offensive rebounds.”

For Robertson, it was her eighth straight outing and 11th in her last 12 in which she has pulled down six or more rebounds.  

Despite shooting just 6-of-18 at the foul line (29.4 percent) – including 1-for-6 in the final minutes – USA was 21-for-62 from the field (33.9 percent) and committed a season-low eight turnovers.

The Red Wolves were 21-for-52 from the field for 40.4 percent in the loss and just 2-of-13 from the three-point line.  Jane Morrill was the lone player for ASU in double figures, registering a game-high 19 points – her 13th double-figure game of the season – on 9-of-17 shooting.  Ashley Olvera had eight points and four assists, while Carlisha Wyatt led ASU with seven rebounds off the bench.

Led by Morrill, Arkansas State came out and hit five of its first seven shot attempts to take an early 11-7 advantage with 15 minutes, 36 seconds remaining in the opening half.  Morrill hit her first three shots and had seven of the Red Wolves first 11 points.  

The Lady Jags defense stiffened up over the next six minutes and as ASU missed its next six field goals.  USA took advantage and grabbed its first lead of the afternoon during that stretch.  Nixon chased down a loose ball and went coast-to-coast for a layup to give the Jaguars a one-point advantage at the 11:27 mark.  On the next trip down the floor, Meghan Dunn was fouled with one second remaining on the shot clock.  The junior hit both of her attempts at the charity stripe to give South Alabama a 14-11 lead.  

Arkansas State came right back with six-straight points though to go back out in front, 17-14 with eight minutes showing on the clock on a turnaround jumper in the lane by Morrill.  Morrill led all scorers in the first 20 minutes of play as she had 11 first-half points on 5-of-8 shooting.

The two clubs exchanged the lead twice over the next several minutes and ASU looked as if it were going to head into the locker room with the lead when Hanna Qedan converted a three-point play with 48.7 seconds remaining, but Nixon came off a screen for a layup on the Jaguars’ next possession.  Dunn then stole the ball on the Red Wolves ensuing possession and Diamonisha Sophus was fouled on a three-pointer with 1.4 to go in the period.  Sophus would hit two of her three attempts to send the two clubs into the intermission tied 26-26.

The Red Wolves shot the ball well in the first half, hitting 12 of their 26 attempts for 46.3 percent.  USA was 9-of-30 from the floor for 30.0 percent.

ASU got off to another quick start in the second half, jumping out to a 34-30 advantage on a jumper by Morrill at the 16:15 mark, but over the next 11 minutes, the Red Wolves would hit just one of their next 12 attempts from the floor.

USA took advantage of the offensive drought and rattled off an 18-2 run during that stretch.  The Jaguar defense got the run started when Robertson intercepted an ASU pass.  Camille Reynolds then found Nixon open on the left wing for a trey.  Dunn then added a pair of baskets, the second giving South Alabama a 37-36 lead with 12 minutes, 23 seconds to go in the period.  On the Lady Jags next possession, the junior found Brianna Wright open down low for a bucket.  Nixon and Robertson later finished off the run for USA.  Nixon drained her second three-pointer of the game with less than eight minutes showing on the clock and Roberson knocked down a turnaround jumper in the lane on USA’s next trip down the court.

Jalen O’Bannon ended the Jaguar run with a pair of buckets and trimmed the deficit to eight with less than five minutes to play.

Khadi Brown-Haywood drained a trey from the left corner with one minute, 41 seconds to play, but that was as close as ASU would get the rest of the way.  

With ASU forced to foul late, USA’s struggles at the foul line continued as the Jaguars were just 1-for-6 at the stripe in the final two minutes, but South Alabama was able to get the necessary stops and hold on to pick up its first conference win of the season.

Arkansas State was just 9-for-26 for 34.6 percent in the second half, while USA knocked down 12 of its 32 attempts in the final period of play.

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 53-47 victory was the first Sun Belt Conference win of the season for South Alabama.  USA also moved to 10-28 in the all-time series with the win and is now 9-9 under head coach Rick Pietri.  The 21 offensive rebounds versus the Red Wolves were one shy of tying a season-high in that category for USA.  The 11 rebounds for Ronneka Robertson also tied a career-best for the Jaguar junior forward.  Robertson has now recorded six or more rebounds in 11 of her last 12 games and has eight-straight with seven or more.  The eight turnovers for South Alabama versus ASU was also a new season-low for the club, eclipsing the previous mark of nine set at Cal State Bakersfield.

-- USA --