Box score - South Alabama 64, Alabama State 61 (.pdf)Post Game QuotesPhoto GalleryMOBILE, Ala. – Senior guard Breanna Hall's two free throws with 5.7 seconds remaining gave the University of South Alabama women's basketball team the lead for good and over Alabama State, 64-61 Sunday afternoon at the Mitchell Center to give the Jags their second win of the season.
"First of all, I was really proud of the effort that our kids showed especially in the first half," South Alabama head coach Terry Fowler said. "I think we were down six or seven and for us to fight and get back in the game and actually have a lead at the half was big for us. It gave us some confidence as we went to the locker room. I thought we carried that confidence out into the second half and played pretty well where we got up ten with about ten minutes to go in the ball game. We were feeling pretty good about where we were and then we kind of turned it over. (Alabama State) got some quick so they didn't have to work in the half court. Our defense kept fighting and clawing and we got stops when we had to and I was proud of them for doing that.
"Like I said after our last ball game, nothing is going to be pretty for us. There's not going to be any blowouts and our team has to take pride in being grinders on both ends of the floor. We are excited about getting the win and we have to focus our attention now to Indiana State."
The Jaguars (2-1) will now host the Sycamores on Wednesday evening with tip-off set for 7:05 p.m. at the Mitchell Center.
After missing the previous contest due to a foot injury, Hall returned to the South Alabama line and led all scorers with 24 points. The preseason all-conference selection was 9-of-17 from the field, including 4-for-8 from the three-point line, to go along with her two crucial free throws.
Junior forward Simonne Potts also ended game with a strong showing as she recorded her first double-double of the season. Potts finished the contest with 14 points and a game-high 10 rebounds. Potts did most of her damage at the charity stripe, knocking down eight of her 10 attempts. She also had a block and a pair of steals in her 36 minutes of action.
Rachel Cumbo just missed double figures for the Jaguars as she had nine points in the win.
Alabama State (2-2) placed three players in double digits. Leading the way for the Hornets was Ashanti Spencer who had 15 points on 5-of-15 shooting and 4-of-5 shooting at the foul line. Brittney Wright added 12 points and Jasmine Peeples chipped in with 10, but during the final 20 minutes of action, the ASU post duo combined to record just two points and were 1-for-7 from the field. Wright and Peeples each grabbed a team-best eight rebounds.
South Alabama got off to a quick start as the Jaguars opened the game by picking up the first seven points. Hall led the way during the early run by recording five of her 10 first-half points during that stretch.
After knocking down three of its first four shots and not committing a turnover in the first three minutes of the contest, USA would miss its next five shot attempts and turn the ball over four times. Alabama State took advantage and rattled off a 14-2 run over a four-minute stretch. Four different players scored during the Hornet run and Wright gave ASU a 14-9 advantage with a pair of free throws at the 13:03 mark of the first half.
South Alabama cut the deficit to 17-16 on a three-pointer by Cumbo with under 11 minutes to go, but ASU would answer right back and extended its lead back out to 30-23 over the next six minutes, scoring nine-straight points at the charity stripe during that stretch. Wright hit one of two at the foul line with four minutes, 20 seconds showing on the clock to give the Hornets the seven-point lead. Alabama State began the game hitting 11 of its first 13 opportunities and shot 73.3 percent at the stripe in the first half.
Following Wright's bonus shot, South Alabama began to fight back and rattled off five-straight points. Chyna Ellis found a wide-open Simonne Potts cutting the basket for a layup to trim the deficit to 30-28 with two minutes, 21 seconds remaining.
With just over a minute to go before the intermission, Cumbo knocked down her second trey of the period – this one from the right wing – to pull USA within one. In the final minute, the Jags attacked the basket and used the foul line to retake the lead. Potts hit a pair of free throws with 34.1 left and then Daniels grabbed a Hornet miss and raced the length of the court where she was fouled with 1.4 on the clock. Daniels converted both attempts and sent USA into the locker room holding a 37-36 advantage.
The Jaguars, once again led by Hall, got off to another quick start in the second half, opening the final period of play on a 6-0 spurt. Hall had five of the USA's six points and extended the lead out to 43-36 with a bucket at the 18:42 mark.
The Hornets came right back and cut the deficit to two (43-41) two minutes later, but over the next five minutes, South Alabama went on an 11-2 run to stretch its lead out to double figures. Hall got the scoring going with another basket. Potts also added five points during the run and gave USA a 54-43 lead when the Jag post player hit one of two at the line with just under 12 minutes to go.
However, the Jaguar offense would go cold over the next eight minutes and miss 10-straight shots, while also committing six turnovers. Alabama State would outscore USA 14-2 during that stretch and retake the lead, 57-56, on Spencer's bucket with less than five to go. Spence had six points during the ASU run, while Kayla Tucker had all five of her points on a jumper and a trey from the left corner.
On the ensuing Jag possession following Spencer's bucket to give Alabama State the one-point lead, Hall ended the offensive drought for South Alabama with her fourth three of the night, this coming from the right corner.
The two clubs would tie the game back up and each have a chance to retake the lead. With 21 seconds remaining in regulation and Alabama State with the ball, Spencer lost the ball and Ellis came up with a steal for the Jags. USA then advanced the ball past half court and called a time out to set up a play for Hall. Coming out of the time out, Hall drove the lane and was fouled with 5.7 seconds remaining. The senior calmly hit the two bonus attempts to put USA up 63-61.
Alabama State had one more opportunity to tie the contest back up or take the lead in the closing seconds, but Shamyiah Smith drove toward the basket, but while trying to come to a jump stop, turned the ball over. Cumbo was fouled on the inbounds and hit one of two at the line with 0.6 seconds remaining for the final margin of victory.
NOTES: South Alabama improves to 20-5 in the all-time series and is now 15-0 all-time versus the Hornets in games played in Mobile. USA also improved to 62-17 all-time versus current Southwestern Athletic Conference members. After missing the previous game due to injury, senior guard Breanna Hall returned to the Jaguar lineup and recorded 24 points, just two points shy of tying a career-high for the Mesquite, Texas, native. With the game tied at 61-61, Hall connected on both her free-throw opportunities to give USA the lead for good. Junior forward Simonne Potts recorded her first career double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Both totals were also new career-best for Potts.
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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