Game 13 - at Arkansas-Little Rock Game Notes (.pdf)
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – After picking up a pair of home wins in its first two Sun Belt Conference games, the University of South Alabama women's basketball team will look to keep its momentum going when the Jaguars open up a two-game league road swing Wednesday night at Arkansas-Little Rock. Tip-off versus the Trojans is set for 7 p.m. at the Jack Stephens Center.
Live stats and audio for the contest versus Arkansas-Little Rock will be available at www.USAJaguars.com.
South Alabama (4-8, 2-0 SBC) enters its first road league contest after picking up wins over Western Kentucky (74-65) and Georgia State (65-57) this past week. The 2-0 start to conference play is the first for the program since the 2009-10 season and the 10th time ever.
"Really, we're just starting to grasp a lot of our concepts and principles at both the offensive and defensive ends of the floor," South Alabama head coach Terry Fowler said about the program's hot start to league play. "I also feel like we are starting to understand each other's strengths and weaknesses. Offensively, I would say the biggest thing we've done, is that we have played inside-out. When the ball has gone inside and they've brought help, we've been able to find shooters."
Two important areas for the Jaguars in their two SBC wins were in the three-point shooting category and the three-point field-goal defense. In the brief Sun Belt action, the Jaguars are 17-of-29 from the arc for 58.6 percent, while holding both WKU and GSU to just 4-of-22 shooting (.182) in each game.
"I thought during the non-conference season that we weren't very good defending the three-point line and that was a point of emphasis over the Christmas break and I thing we've carried that over in our first two conference games," Fowler said. "On the offensive end of the floor, we've got some kids who can shoot the basketball. Meghan Dunn played exceptionally well against Western Kentucky and Georgia State then came out determined that she wasn't going to beat them. Rachel Cumbo then had a great game. I think we have a good combination of young ladies who can shoot the basketball and it's a kind of pick your poison for the opposing defense. We're getting wide open looks right now and the passing has improved a lot, and right now the passes are going right into the shooting pockets of our shooters. Our kids are catching it in rhythm and just knocking those shots down."
Coming into play this week, South Alabama leads the Sun Belt in both three-point shooting (.381) and threes per game (7.2), and has knocked down 86 three-pointers this season.
The main two long-range weapons for the Jaguars this season have been sophomore guard/forward Rachel Cumbo and senior guard Meghan Dunn. Cumbo leads the SBC in three-point shooting, knocking down 55.3 percent of her attempts and also ranks tied for fifth in the conference with 1.8 treys per game. Dunn is eighth in the conference with a .387 three-point percentage and is averaging 2.0 threes per outing - fourth in the SBC.
The duo of Dunn (24) and Cumbo (21) has combined for 45 threes this season. Dunn leads the team and is tied for 11th in scoring with 12.1 points per game, while Cumbo sits just outside of double digits at 9.6 ppg. The Houston, Texas native is also 10th in the league in field-goal percentage (.464) and has hit eight of her 11 three-pointers in conference action. Dunn and Cumbo each set new career-highs this past week with Dunn recording 21 points versus WKU and Cumbo carding 20 versus GSU. For her play (18.5 ppg, 7.0 rpg), Cumbo was selected as the College Madness SBC Player of the Week on Monday.
Ronneka Robertson paces the club on the glass with 9.2 rebounds per game. The senior from Kentwood, La., is second in the conference in that same category and has pulled down double figure tallies on the boards six times this season, including 11 and 10 rebounds versus the Toppers and the Panthers, respectively.
Coming into the contest versus Arkansas-Little Rock, Jennifer Johnson is second in the Sun Belt in blocks as she is averaging 1.3 per outing and has recorded 12 of her 14 blocks over the last seven games.
Arkansas-Little Rock (6-6, 1-1 SBC) entered the 2013-14 season as the preseason favorite to take home the Sun Belt Conference title. The Trojans return all five starters from last year's club which won their seventh-straight SBC West Division title.
"Arkansas-Little Rock is a very tough team and they are well coached," Fowler stated. "I have a great amount of respect for coach (Joe) Foley and what they do. Defensively, they are just tough. They just sit down and guard you. They can guard you one-on-one and they don't have to rely on help, which makes it difficult on you. They can match up and lock up with you and make you have to beat them one-on-one. I think we are going to have to move the ball and create some scramble situations for them. Offensively, they have some of the best one-on-one players in our league. (Arkansas-Little Rock) creates a lot of problems for you with their five-out motion offense. We're going to have to be communicating with each other and really know our assignments versus Arkansas-Little Rock."
The Trojans opened up Sun Belt play on the road this past week, falling 42-35 at Texas State on Thursday and defeating Texas-Arlington, 64-57, on Saturday.
Despite having the worst offensive production in the Sun Belt (56.8 ppg), the Trojans lead the league defensively, allowing 55.8 ppg, nearly five points per game fewer than the second-best defense in the conference. UALR also tops the conference in defending the arc as opponents are connecting on just 25.4 percent of their attempts.
Since opening the Jack Stephens Center during the 2005-06 season, the Trojans hold a 104-21 record and a 58-11 mark in conference games on their home floor.
Arkansas-Little Rock is led by the duo of Taylor Gault and Taylor Ford, both of whom were selected to the Sun Belt's preseason first team. Coming into play this week, Gault is tied with USA's Meghan Dunn for 11 in scoring with 12.1 points per game and has connected on 34.9 percent of her three-point attempts. Ford does everything for the Trojans as she is averaging 9.3 ppg and 5.0 rpg and ranks second in the conference in assists, dishing out 4.4 per outing.
Over the last two seasons, the duo has proved to be a thorn in the Jaguars' side as they have combined for 110 points in four games. Gault has averaged 16.0 ppg during that stretch, while Ford has averaged 11.5 ppg.
Junior forward Kiera Clark is also averaging double figures with 10.1 ppg and has knocked down 40.1 percent of her field-goal opportunities.
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 Arkansas-Little Rock will be the 21st in the all-time series. USA holds an 11-9 advantage in the all-time series, but the Trojans have taken eight of the last nine meetings, including the last six. UALR held the Jags to a series-low in points and picked up the last meeting 65-34 in Little Rock last season. The meeting between South Alabama and Arkansas-Little Rock will be the 21st in the all-time series. USA holds an 11-9 advantage in the all-time series, but the Trojans have taken eight of the last nine meetings, including the last six. UALR held the Jags to a series-low in points and picked up the last meeting 65-34 in Little Rock last season. South Alabama holds a 15-14 record in Sun Belt road openers. When South Alabama and Arkansas-Little Rock tip off Wednesday night, there will be a familiar face on the Trojan bench. Former Jaguar assistant coach Bobby Brasel joined the UALR staff this summer after spending the previous seven seasons in Mobile.
—USA—
