Game 20 - vs. Florida International Game Notes (.pdf)

MOBILE, Ala. – Riding a two-game win streak the University of South Alabama women’s basketball team will close out its three-game homestand Sunday afternoon when the Lady Jags host Florida International.  Tip-off versus FIU is set for 2:05 p.m. at the Mitchell Center.

Live stats and live streaming of the contest between the Lady Jags and the Panthers can be accessed at www.USAJaguars.com.

South Alabama (12-7, 5-5 SBC) comes into weekend action after upsetting then SBC East Division leader Western Kentucky, 56-46, on Wednesday night.  USA used a stout defensive effort versus the Lady Toppers, forcing 23 turnovers and holding WKU to a season low in points.

Playing without leading scorer Mary Nixon, fellow senior Camille Reynolds and freshman post player Brianna Wright stepped up and filled the void.  Reynolds came out of an offensive slump and recorded a season-high 16 points on 5-of-11 shooting, including four treys, while Wright came off the bench to drop in a career-best 20 points.

Wright was 10-for-13 from the floor in the victory.  She currently ranks third in the league in field-goal percentage, knocking down 56.0 percent of her shots.

Nixon - who is recovering from an injury suffered against Louisiana-Monroe - will be a game-day decision versus the Panthers.  The senior ranks 15th in the league in scoring (11.5), shooting 41.0 percent from the field and 38.6 percent - sixth in the SBC - from beyond the arc.

Junior forward Ronneka Robertson continues to pace the Lady Jags on the glass.  She is currently sixth in the league with 7.4 rebounds per outing.  She also ranks among the SBC leaders in both offensive and defensive rebounds and has grabbed six or more boards in 14 of USA’s 19 games this season.

South Alabama continues to rank among the conference leaders in several categories.  USA leads the SBC in scoring defense (53.7) and three-pointers per game (6.4), while ranking second in field-goal percentage defense (38.0), three-point field-goal defense (.248) - 10th in the NCAA, and rebounding margin (+3.6).  

Florida International (12-7, 6-4 SBC) also comes into Sunday’s matchup after capturing 64-63 overtime victory at Louisiana-Lafayette.  The Panthers hit all four of their foul shots in the final nine seconds to hold on and preserve the win.

Jerica Coley - the Sun Belt’s reigning Player of the Year - led all scorers with 34 points on 15-of-23 shooting from the floor.  She was also 4-of-6 at the charity stripe.  Coley has scored double-figures in 18 of 19 games this season and in 75 of 85 career contests. The All-American candidate has posted 11, 20-plus point outings and seven, 30-plus point performances.  

“As long as FIU has Jerica Coley operating, they’re going to be very good,” South Alabama head coach Rick Pietri said.  “They have other solid players as well.  Finde Mansare gave us problems when we played them in Miami in the first meeting this season.  They have great role-players and are well coached by (Cindy Russo) who has won over 600 games.  We know we’re facing a very good team.  We’re just going to have to respond to the challenge.  We faced a very good team on Wednesday and were able to respond in that case.  Hopefully we’ll be able to do the same on Sunday.”

As of the most recent rankings, Coley not only leads the conference but the nation in scoring with 24.4 points per game.  The 5-7 guard is also shooting 43.1 percent from the field and averaging 7.2 rebounds, 2.1 steals and 1.9 blocks per game.  She ranks among the conference leaders in the latter three of those categories - second in blocks, tied for seventh in steals and eighth in rebounds.

Marita Davydova - a 6-3 junior - is also averaging double figures for the Panthers.  She ranks 22nd in the conference in scoring with 10.3 ppg.  Her 8.3 rebounds per game lead the club and are third-most in the SBC entering play this weekend.  She is shooting 42.9 percent from the floor and posted 11 points and six rebounds versus the Ragin’ Cajuns in her last outing.

Finda Mansare - a preseason second-team all-Sun Belt selection - missed the game versus ULL due to a concussion.  Her status for Sunday is still to be determined.  Mansare is averaging 8.7 ppg and 6.0 rpg, while also shooting over 40 percent.  

As a team, FIU is shooting 41.0 percent from the floor.  The Panthers lead the conference in free-throw shooting (.763), rebounding defense (32.1) and rebounding margin (+7.6).  They are also averaging 4.1 bpg which is tied with Florida Atlantic for second.

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 28th in the all-time series.  FIU holds a 16-11 advantage in the series and the Panthers have won the last three meetings.  South Alabama head coach Rick Pietri is 10-11 against the Panthers during his tenure with the program and 4-6 in games played in Mobile.  FIU won the first meeting this season (63-49) in Miami. The meeting between Pietri and Florida International head coach Cindy Russo will be the 22nd between the two coaches.  Pietri is 10-11 in those meetings.  All 21 of the previous meetings have come at both coaches’ current schools. South Alabama ranks 10th nationally in three-point field goal defense entering the game versus FIU.  FIU’s Jerica Coley leads the nation in scoring with 24.4 ppg.  As a team, the Panthers lead the Sun Belt and rank 17th in the NCAA in free-throw shooting.

-- USA --