Box Score - South Alabama 71, Mobile 67 (.pdf)
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MOBILE, Ala. – University of South Alabama freshman post player Chyna Ellis recorded her first career double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds Monday night as the Jaguar women held off the Lady Rams, 71-67 to pick up their first win of the season at the Mitchell Center.

Ellis was one of four South Alabama players to finish the night in double digits as she was 5-of-11 from the field and 4-of-5 at the foul line.  The 6-2 post player also added two blocks in her 27 minutes of action.

The Jaguars (1-1) will continue its five-game home stand on Sunday, Nov. 23, when they host Alabama State.  Tip-off versus the Hornets is set for 2:05 p.m.

"When we scheduled this game right after the Southern Miss game, we knew it was going to be difficult because Mobile runs the Flex offense, and they know all the tricks of the trade of what you are trying to do to them," South Alabama head coach Terry Fowler said.  "We knew it was going to be a struggle with one day of preparation.  But I'm proud of the effort and the way we finished and was able to get a win.

"We scrapped; I thought defensively we played really well, although we let them get to the line to many times and had a couple of breakdowns on some threes.  I was pleased with the effort, we cut our turnovers down.  What we want to do is show continual progress.  One thing about this group, nothing is going to be easy for us this year — if you're expecting this team to blow out somebody, that's not our makeup right now.

South Alabama played the game tonight without its leading scorer Breanna Hall who had 16 points in the season opener versus Southern Miss.  Hall missed the game due to a foot injury and is listed as day-to-day.

"The injury to Breanna Hall slowed down our adjustments and rotations, things we wanted to see tonight," Fowler said.  "We had to go with different lineups and then we got into foul trouble."

Joining Ellis in double figures was Amber Yelding, Taylor Jenkins and Colby Davis who each had 10 points apiece.  Both Jenkins' 10 points and three blocks were career highs, while she also grabbed seven boards.

Freshman guard Marquita Daniels just missed double digits as she had nine points in 12 minutes of play.

After turning the ball over 29 times versus Southern Miss in its season opener, South Alabama turned the ball over 18 times and just eight over the final 27-plus minutes of the game.  

South Alabama shot the ball well again versus the Rams, connecting on 25 of its 54 attempts for 46.3 percent.  USA was also 17-of-25 at the foul line.  

Mobile dropped to 1-2 on the season and was led by Kali Koenig's game-high 23 points.  Koenig was 7-of-11 from the field and 6-of-8 from the free-throw line.  

The Lady Rams shot 37.7 percent from the field in the game, but also managed to get to the line 30 times – converting 22 of those attempts.

With South Alabama holding an early 9-5 advantage seven minutes into the contest, Mobile was able to rattled off nine unanswered points to take its first lead of the evening.  Koenig drained a trey from the left corner at the 13:04 mark and after a pair of buckets in the paint, Raven Lyons capped off the scoring and put the visitors out in front 14-9 with a pair of free throws with 11 minute, 35 seconds to go in the opening period.

The Jaguars trimmed the deficit to one (17-16) a little over a minute later when Daniels rattled home a three-pointer of her own from the left side of the arc, but the Lady Rams came right back and extended their lead back out to 22-16 after three free throws from Koenig and a turnaround jumper in the lane by Speed with just under nine minutes showing on the clock.

During the first 12-plus minutes of the half, turnovers plagued the Jaguars as they committed 10 during that time, but over the last seven minutes, South Alabama was solid with the ball, not committing a turnover during that time.

The Jaguar defense would spark the club as they held Mobile scoreless over a five-minute stretch.

Trailing by six, Juliann Miller followed a missed jumper by Daniels at the 8:28 mark.  Miller's bucket would ignite a 15-0 run by South Alabama.  On USA's next trip down the court, Daniels – celebrating her 19th birthday – threaded the needle and found Jenkins open for an easy basket.  Ellis then followed another miss with a bucket of her own to tie the contest up at 22-22 with just over seven minutes remaining.  Later in the run, Ellis capped off the scoring and gave USA a 31-22 advantage when she knocked down an 18-foot jumper at the 4:17 mark.  

Daniels led South Alabama with eight first-half points, while Ellis and Jenkins each had seven points apiece.

Molly Speed ended Mobile's scoreless streak with a three from the right wing, but the Jags didn't allow the visitors to gain any momentum as Brittany Webb knocked down a trey of her own on the ensuing possession.  

With one minute, 34 second to go before the half, Yelding connected with South Alabama's third three-pointer of the period to give USA a 39-30 lead.  The Jags would take the nine-point lead into the break.

In the second half, South Alabama pushed its lead out to double figures with a bucket on its first possession and later led 49-39 a little more than five minutes into the final stanza after a Yelding basket.

Over the next three minutes, the Rams would quickly make it a one-possession game as they trimmed the deficit to two (51-49) with under 12 to play with a 10-2 scoring spurt.  Koenig – who had 15 second-half points – scored the final seven points of the UM run.  

Mobile had a chance to tie the contest up on its next possession, but Ellis blocked a shot and then at the other end of the floor the freshman converted an and-one play.  On USA's following trip down the court, Simonne Potts found Daniels streaking down the court for a layup to put the Jags back up by double figures, 61-51.

The Lady Rams would not go away though and continued to battle back.  With under four to play, UM attempted to rally back.  Koenig drained her third trey of the night with three minutes, 35 seconds to play to cut the Ram deficit to 68-64, but that would be as close as Mobile would get.  

In the final minutes, South Alabama was able to come up with enough defensive stops to pick up the four-point victory.  

NOTES: South Alabama improved to 6-0 in the all-time series versus Mobile and 5-0 at home versus the Rams with the four-point win.  USA also improved to 13-2 all-time versus current Southern States Athletic Conference members with the win over UM.  True freshman post player Chyna Ellis recorded her first career double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds versus the Rams.  Junior forward Taylor Jenkins recorded new career best in points (10) and blocks (3).  Marquita Daniels celebrated her 19th birthday on Wednesday with nine points versus Mobile.  USA's leading scorer Breanna Hall missed the game due to a foot injury.  She is listed as day-to-day.

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).

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