South Alabama Game Notes (.pdf)

Indiana State Game Notes (.pdf)

MOBILE, Ala. – The Terry Fowler era will officially get underway Saturday afternoon when the University of South Alabama women's basketball opens the 2013-14 season on the road at Indiana State.  Tip-off versus the Sycamores is set for 4:05 p.m. (CT).

"It's going to be a great atmosphere up at Terre Haute this weekend," Fowler said.  "They are going to have a lot of things going on up there.  (Indiana State) is the preseason favorite for the Missouri Valley, so it will be a great challenge for us, especially with the game being on the road.  But, it's also an exciting opportunity for us.  We just need to go up there and play South Alabama basketball and just try to be great on the defensive end of the floor, take care of the basketball and make some shots."

On Friday, Indiana State will be hosting a dinner and program in honor of Sycamore legend Larry Bird inside Hulman Center. The ISU men will also open their season up on Saturday versus Ball State before the women's game.  Prior to tip-off of the men's game, a 15-foot statue of Bird will be dedicated outside Hulman Center.  Bird and his 1978-79 "Dream Team" will be recognized during the course of and at halftime of Saturday's men's game for being honored as part of the March Madness 75th Anniversary celebration last March.

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

Along with the game marking the first with Fowler at the helm, sophomore point guard Brittany Webb will be making a homecoming when the Jaguars take on the Sycamores.  Webb came to USA after lettering four years at Heritage Christian High School in Indianapolis, Ind., about an hour-and-a-half away from the ISU campus.

South Alabama enters the 2013-14 campaign after capturing a 98-89 double-overtime victory over Mobile over the weekend.  The Jaguars were able to get to the foul line 54 times, converting 36 of those attempts, while the Rams were just 11-for-19 at the charity stripe.  

The Jaguars were 29-for-62 from the floor for 46.87 percent shooting versus the Rams.

USA was led offensively by senior guard Meghan Dunn's 29 points.  Dunn was 10-for-15 from the field and also 5-for-8 at the charity stripe.  She also connected on all four of South Alabama's treys and started off the contest by hitting her first four shot attempts.  

Dunn led South Alabama from beyond the arc a year ago, as she knocked down 45 treys and shot 32.4 percent from long range.

Ronneka Robertson and Jennifer Johnson each carded a double-double for the Jags.  Robertson - a second-team preseason all-Sun Belt selection - had 18 points and 15 rebounds, while Johnson also finished with 18 points and grabbed 10 boards.   

Fowler believes that the performance of the Robertson and Johnson in the exhibition helped the Jaguars gain an important lesson.

"I thought the number one thing that we did well (in the exhibition game) was that we found out our post players can score on the post," Fowler said.  "I wasn't sure if our kids, or even all of us as a staff, were sure that we would be able to have a post presence.  I thought that Ronneka Robertson showed that she's going to be a valuable asset for us.  Jennifer Johnson played well in the post as well. It gave our guards some confidence to know that we can throw it in there and let our opponents pick their poison.  If they start doubling on the post, we can throw it back out and knock down some outside shots from the perimeter."

Robertson comes into this season after posting her best numbers in a Jag uniform a season ago.  The Kentwood, La., native ranked seventh in the SBC in rebounding with 7.2 boards per game.  She was also seventh in the league in defensive rebounding (4.6) and ninth in offensive rebounding (2.6) during the 2012-13 season.

The game versus Mobile was the first for Johnson.  Last year the Tulsa, Okla., native had her season cut short for the second time in as many years after injuring her knee in practice following the Sam Houston State game.

Indiana State comes into its season opener after picking up a 61-38 exhibition win over Indianapolis on Saturday.  Marina Laramie, Bliqis Abdul-Qaadir and Anna Munn each had 10 points, while Lashonda Littleton had nine points and eight rebounds.  The Sycamores held Indianapolis to just 12-of-42 shooting for 28.6 percent.

After finishing with an 18-13 record a season ago, ISU was selected as the preseason favorite to win the Missouri Valley, picking up 26 first place votes, twice as many as second place and returning league champion Wichita State earned 13 votes.

"Indiana State is a very tough, physical team," Fowler said of Saturday's opponent.  "They really like to pound it on the inside and they run a lot of sets with a lot of movement (in their offense).  They have a great perimeter player (Munn) and a transfer from Memphis (Abdul-Qaadir) who's very good and is going to really help them as well.

"We're going to have to match their physicality.  With our limited depth, we can't afford to get into foul trouble.  It'll be important for us to weather the storm and then fight and battle.  We've got to put the ball in the basket to keep them at bay."

Last season, Indiana State earned its first postseason bid since 2005-06 with an invite into the WNIT.

Munn - the lone returning senior for the Sycamores - was named to the preseason all-MVC squad after picking up second-team all-conference honors a season ago. The Indianapolis, Ind. native averaged 14.5 points per game and knocked down 72 three-pointers.  She also led Indiana State with an .857 free throw percentage.

Junior forward Racheal Mahan, who earned honorable mention all-conference accolades in 2012-13 ranked in the league's top-10 in four statistical categories, including points (13.0, 10th), rebounds (7.9, 6th), blocks (1.0, 5th) and field-goal percentage (.503, 2nd).

The Sycamores also return sophomore forward Marina Laramie, who averaged 7.9 points and 4.5 rebounds.

Littleton, a 6-0 junior college transfer, averaged 11.4 ppg and 7.6 rpg at Chipola College last season.  Abdul-Qaadir played four seasons at Memphis before arriving in Terre Haute.  Last season, the 5-4 guard averaged 10.6 points and 3.2 rebounds per game, and also added 2.4 steals and 2.5 assists per game.

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

NOTES:  The meeting between South Alabama and Indiana State will be the third in the all-time series and first in 20 years. ISU holds a 2-0 advantage in the all-time series.  This will be the first meeting between the two clubs on the Sycamore's home floor.  The last meeting in the series came back during the 1993-94 season when Indiana State picked up a 76-72 win over the Jaguars in Mobile.  Saturday's contest will also be the first ever between Jaguar head coach Terry Fowler and Sycamore head coach Teri Moren.  The game versus Indiana State will mark the sixth time USA has faced an opponent currently from the Missouri Valley Conference.  In those previous meetings, the Jaguars are 1-4.  The lone victory versus the league came back during the 2006-07 season when USA defeated Southern Illinois 60-59 in Mobile.  In 39 seasons, the South Alabama women's basketball program is 20-19 in its season openers.  Last season, Jags opened the 2012-13 campaign with an 83-53 victory on the road at Houston Baptist. USA has won its last two season openers counting the 30-point win over the Huskies.  USA is also 10-29 all-time in road openers and has won two of its last three.

—USA—