Box Score - Florida Atlantic 59, South Alabaama 56 (.pdf)

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MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama women’s basketball team had a three-pointer at the buzzer to tie the game, but it rimmed out, giving Florida Atlantic a 59-56 Sun Belt victory Saturday evening at the Mitchell Center.  

“It was a good basketball game, it was an entertaining basketball game and it was televised, so we represented the conference well,” South Alabama head coach Rick Pietri said.  “We just lost. I thought we competed and played hard, and they competed and played hard.  Our problem all year has been the inability to make offensive plays we need to make. This is the first time all year they have scored under 60 and won a game, so defensively we did what we needed to do. She [head coach Kellie Lewis-Jay] is a good coach and they had a good plan. They got real aggressive with us, in the first half it bothered us more than in the second half, but we grit out teeth and toughened up a little bit in the second half and were able to manage it better."

“It’s rare down three with nine [seconds] to go you get a look that clean, and we got a clean look; it just didn’t go in. In and out.  There’s not much more I can say, it wasn’t for a lack of trying. I think our kids competed, they fought, but they made some mistakes; mistakes that cost us.  It wasn’t for a lack of trying, it just didn’t happen.”

USA (13-11, 6-9 SBC) will host Louisiana-Lafayette on Wednesday.  Tip-off is set for 7:05 p.m. at the Mitchell Center and the contest versus the Ragin’ Cajuns will be the Lady Jags’ “Pink Zone” Game.  Fans are encouraged to wear pink at the game.

The Lady Jags placed four players in double figures in the loss, led by Brianna Wright and Mary Nixon, who each had 13 points apiece.  Wright was 6-of-11 from the floor and tied a career-high with 11 rebounds – giving the freshman her first career double-double.  Nixon was 4-of-11 from the field and hit all four of her free-throw attempts.  

Mansa El – who was celebrating her 23rd birthday on Saturday – also finished with 11 points, four rebounds and three steals.  Veronica Cherizol added 10 points of her own.  

As a team, South Alabama connected on 21 of its 58 attempts for 36.2 percent, but hit just three three-pointers, three shy of its average coming into the game.  The Jags were 11-of-13 at the foul line for 84.6 percent.

Breana Turner and Takia Brooks paced FAU with 13 points each.  Turner was 4-of-9 from the floor and 4-of-6 at the foul line, while Brooks was 5-of-9, including three three-pointers.  Latavia Dempsey also chipped in with 10 points off the bench.  

The Owls were 23-for-59 from the field in the win for 39 percent.

South Alabama scored on its first two possessions, but with USA leading by three (8-5) with 17-and-a-half minutes remaining, the Owls rattled off a 13-4 run over the next four-plus minutes to take a six-point lead.  Florida Atlantic came out of the gate on fire, knocking down seven of its first eight field-goal attempts, including all four from beyond the arc.  Dempsey capped off the scoring for FAU and put the Owls up 18-12 with a trey with just under 13 minutes to go in the opening period of play.

After getting off the hot start, Florida Atlantic suddenly went cold and missed its next seven shots over a six minute stretch.

With USA still trailing by six two minutes later, the Lady Jags took advantage of the FAU drought and quickly tied things back up at 19-19.  Nixon was left open on the right wing and drained a three-pointer and with just over eight to go, Cherizol converted a three-point play of her own.  The senior post player knocked down a turnaround jumper and then sank the foul shot.

Brooks broke a 21-21 tie with under five to play as the junior guard drained back-to-back treys to ignite an 8-0 run for the Owls.  Brooks’ first came from the left wing with five minutes to go and then a minute later, she knocked down one from the top of the key.  Turner – who had eight first-half points – extended the FAU lead to eight (29-21) with a layup at the 3:05 mark.

USA would come right back though and do most of its damage from the foul line as six of its eight points during an 8-0 run came at the charity stripe.  El knotted the contest back up at 29-29 with a pair of free throws with 38.5 seconds remaining.  

However, on Florida Atlantics ensuing possession, Dempsey tipped in her own miss to put the Owls back up by two (31-29) and that is where the two clubs would head into the locker room.

In the second half, both teams kept the other close over the first five minutes.  With the game tied 39-39 after a Nixon bucket in the lane at the 14:56 mark, the Owls were able to break away with a run of seven-straight points.  Briah Blakley got things started with a basket and after a put back from Chenise Miller, Dempsey drained a trey to stretch the FAU lead out to 46-39.  It was Miller’s – who entered the game leading the Owls in scoring with 13.3 points per game – first points of the game.  USA didn’t help its self as the Jags went scoreless over a five-minute stretch during the run.  

The Lady Jags trailed by eight (54-46) with seven minutes, 39 second to go on a put back from Brooks, but that would be the last points for FAU over the next seven minutes.  The Owls would miss seven shots and turn the ball over three times during that stretch.  

South Alabama took advantage of the offensive struggles and pulled within one.  El found Cherizol open under the basket in transition to ignite the scoring.  Ronneka Robetson then put back her own miss to trim the deficit to four and with three minutes, 28 second showing, Meghan Dunn knocked down a step-back trey from the top of the key to cut the FAU lead to 54-53.

With Florida Atlantic unable to score, USA had chances to take the lead on its next three trips, but a missed shot and two turnovers prevented the Lady Jags to get over the hump.  

Brooks finally ended a seven-minute drought for FAU when she hit a jumper with 57 seconds to go.  Turner then hit one of two at the charity strip to extend the Owl advantage to 57-53 with 34.1 on the clock.  USA kept battling and with under 15 seconds to play, Dunn found El open in the corner for a trey, trimming the deficit to one (57-56).

Forced to foul, USA sent Turner to the line where she hit both ends of a one-and-open opportunity with 9.9 seconds remaining.  South Alabama still had a chance to tie and force overtime, but Dunn’s three-point attempt from the top of the key rimmed out as the final horn sounded, sealing the three-point victory for FAU.
 
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:  South Alabama falls to 9-7 in the all-time series versus Florida Atlantic.  The victory was just FAU’s second in eight games in Mobile.  USA is also now 8-16 on television all-time.  With her 13 points, Brianna Wright has now scored double figures in six of her last eight games.  The 11 rebounds also tied a career-high for the freshman post player and gave her the first double-double of her career.  With her 13 points, Mary Nixon has also now scored double-figures in four of her last five games.  Mansa El celebrated her 23rd birthday on Saturday versus FAU with 11 points, four rebounds and three steals.

-- USA --