Game 23 - vs. Troy Game Notes (.pdf)

MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama women’s basketball team will look to host its largest home crowd of the season Wednesday morning when the Lady Jags welcome high-scoring in-state rival Troy to the Mitchell Center.  Tip-off versus the Trojans – which begins a string of three-straight home outings - is set for 11:30 a.m. and will be USA’s annual “Pack the House” game.

Several elementary students from the local area have been invited for the morning tip-off.  Last season, South Alabama hosted 3,218 fans at its 66-57 over Florida Atlantic – the largest crowd of the 2011-12 campaign for a Lady Jag midweek contest not part of a doubleheader.  The crowd was comprised of numerous children from elementary schools in both Mobile and Baldwin Counties.  USA was one of 32 winners in the NCAA Division I “Pack the House” Challenge, taking home top honors in the Sun Belt.

“There’s no question that last year having all the energy of those young people in the building was a major benefit to us beating a very good Florida Atlantic team,” South Alabama head coach Rick Pietri said.  “We have to hope that we can draw on the same kind of energy in this game versus Troy.  Troy is a team that is incredibly high-powered offensively.  They have a number of weapons from every spot on the floor.  It makes it very difficult for you to key on one person, because so many people can hurt you.  Clearly, (Ashley) Beverley-Kelley and (Joanna) Harden are their leading scorers, but they aren’t (Troy’s) only weapons.  We’ve got to do the best that we can and make every shot they take contested and challenged.  We also have to manage their transition game, because when the ball goes from defense to offense for them, they are sprinting up the floor.”

Live stats and live streaming of the contest between the Lady Jags and the Trojans can be accessed at www.USAJaguars.com. Admission is free to the public.

South Alabama (12-10, 5-8 SBC) comes into the game looking to snap a three-game skid.  On Saturday, the Lady Jag offense never got going as they recorded a season-low in points in the 65-34 defeat to UALR in Little Rock.  USA was just 11-for-45 for 24.4 percent.  

Despite ranking as one of the top defenses in the league this season - entering this week second in scoring defense (54.4 ppg) and third and fourth, respectively in three-point field goal defense and field-goal defense - South Alabama has struggled at the offensive end of the floor.  Coming into the game versus Troy, the Lady Jags are 11th in the league offensively, averaging 56.1 points per game.  USA has scored less than 50 points in six of its 13 conference games this season and is shooting 34.2 percent from the field.

Brianna Wright has been a bright spot on offense over the last several games as she has scored double figures in four of her last six outings.  She just missed double digits in the other two with eight points versus Louisiana-Monroe and nine points versus Florida International.  During that stretch, the 6-1 freshman post player has averaged 12.0 ppg and 5.7 rebounds, while hitting 50 percent of her shot attempts.  Currently, Wright ranks fifth in the league in shooting at 51.4 percent.

South Alabama continues to be led offensively by senior guard Mary Nixon.  Nixon is averaging 11.3 points per outing and is shooting 41.7 percent from the floor.  She has also been a threat from deep this season as her 37.5 three-point percentage tops the club.  

Entering the game versus Troy, junior forward Ronneka Robertson leads the club on the glass as her 7.1 rebounds per game are seventh-most in the SBC.  She is also sixth in defensive rebounds with 4.7 per game and tied for ninth in offensive rebounds with 2.5, and has posted six or more boards in 16 games.

Troy (4-17, 1-11 SBC) enters the midweek contest fresh off its first Sun Belt Conference victory of the season, a 68-61 decision over Louisiana-Lafayette in Troy over the weekend.  The win versus the Ragin’ Cajuns also snapped a 10-game skid and was the first win for the Trojans since Dec. 18, an 88-83 victory in overtime at Jacksonville.

Against ULL, the Trojans shot 49.1 percent from the field and were led by Joanna Harden’s 18 points.  The junior college transfer was 8-of-17 from the floor in the win.  Harden is one of three players averaging double figures - ranking 10th in the league with 13.7 ppg.  Harden has raised her average to 17.3 ppg in SBC action.

Along with Harden, four other players ether average or sit close to double figures.  Ashley Beverly-Kelley is second on the club and 12th in the league with 12.7 ppg, while Britney McCloud is averaging 10.2 per contest.  Beverly-Kelley is second in the SBC in three-point shooting, knocking down 40.6 percent of her attempts.

Senior guard Sarah McAppion is having a solid final season.  She is averaging 9.2 points per game and leads the team with 5.7 rebounds.  McAppion is also one of the top shooters in the conference as her 52.9 field-goal percentage is third-highest.

Offensively, Troy has been one of the top scoring teams not only in the conference but the nation.  The Trojans lead the Sun Belt and rank 16th in the most recent NCAA rankings with their 82.1 ppg.  As a team, Troy is shooting 40.4 percent from the field and 31.0 percent from the arc - third-best in the league.  The Trojans also lead the conference in rebounding (41.6) and are third in treys per game (5.7).

Whereas Troy has been outstanding at the offensive end of the floor, the Trojans have struggled defending the basket.  Out of 343 Division I teams, Troy ranks 343rd in scoring defense, surrendering 82.1 ppg.  Opponents are also shooting 42.9 percent from the field versus the Trojans.

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 Troy will be the 36th in the all-time series.  South Alabama leads the all-time series 18-17 and has taken 14 of the last 17 meetings.  South Alabama head coach Rick Pietri is 13-2 against the Trojans during his time at USA. South Alabama is 11-6 all-time in meetings in Mobile and 7-0 under Pietri. The Lady Jags took last season’s meeting in Mobile, 63-26. The meeting between Pietri and Troy head coach Chanda Rigby will be the first between the two coaches. The Trojans lead the Sun Belt and rank 16th in the most recent NCAA rankings with their 82.1 ppg.  Out of 343 Division I teams, Troy ranks 343rd in scoring defense, surrendering 82.1 ppg.  

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