Box Score - Nicholls State 66, South Alabama 62 (.pdf)THIBODAUX, La. – The University of South Alabama women's basketball team held a three-point lead with under two minutes remaining, but Nicholls used a late surge Saturday afternoon to rally back and pick up a 66-62 win over the Jaguars at Stopher Gym.
Despite the four-point loss, South Alabama head coach Terry Fowler believes the Jags can build off their second-half performance as they head into their next game.
"The energy, enthusiasm and fight that we had in the second half is something we haven't seen since we've been her," Fowler said. "If we can build on this game and improve, we'll be fine. I was really pleased with our effort in the second half as we just showed some toughness. That's what we talked about at halftime. We did enough things to put us in position to win the ball game. Unfortunately, we had some untimely shots and (Nicholls State) hit a couple of runners that went in for them. We also have to get better at the free-throw line."
South Alabama outscored NSU 32-27 in the second half and outshot the Colonels 41.7 percent to 33.3 percent in the final frame.
The Jaguars (3-3) will now break for finals before returning to action on Sunday, Dec. 14 when they travel to take on Ole Miss at 2 p.m. at the C.M. Tad Smith Coliseum.
Breanna Hall led USA with 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting and also added a pair of steals in the loss, while Colby Davis registered a season-high 16 points off the bench. Davis was 5-for-10 from the floor and also led the club with four steals.
South Alabama shot 40 percent for the game, connecting on 20 of its 50 shot attempts. USA was 7-of-17 from the arc for 41.2 percent, but just 15-of-26 at the foul line, including 8-of-14 in the second half.
Nicholls State (3-3), playing without its leading scorer Emani White, received a career-high 19 points off the bench from Tia Charles. The freshman guard was 8-of-13 from the field and hit three of her four three-point attempts. Charles also tied for top team honors on the glass with six rebounds.
Jenny Nash ended the night in double figures with 12 points on 5-of-11 shooting to go along with her five assists. Marina Lilly just missed double figures as she chipped in with nine points and six rebounds.
The Colonels finished the game at 45.6 percent from the field for the game, but were just 10-for-30 in the second half.
Nicholls State got off to a quick start, knocking down three of its first four shot attempts, and grabbed an early 8-2 advantage.
The Jaguars finally got something going and answered back with seven-straight points, the first five coming from Hall. Hall's layup at the 15:49 mark was the first made basket for the Jags in the game. On South Alabama's next possession, Hall drained a trey to cut the deficit to one and then Marquita Daniels stole the ball and drove in for a layup to give USA a 9-8 advantage a minute later.
The Colonels though quickly answered back with an 8-2 spurt of their own to push their lead back out to five (16-11). Charles – who led all scorers with 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting in the first half – ignited the run with a layup of her own and a trey. Nash then connected on a three-pointer of her own, this one coming with 13 minutes showing on the clock to give NSU a 16-11 lead.
Over the next several minutes, Nicholls held control and extended its lead out to nine (23-14) with just under nine minutes to go in the first period of play following a layup by Lilly. USA had three-straight two-shot opportunities at the foul line during that time to cut away at the deficit, but could only connect on one of the two attempts each time. South Alabama was just 7-of-12 at the stripe in the first half.
South Alabama again tried to rally back as it ran off seven unanswered points to pull within three (23-20) with seven minutes, 10 seconds remaining, but NSU came right back and stretched the lead back out to 29-20 on a jumper by JonMarie Guillory.
Davis would also try to help the Jaguars hang around as she paced USA during the opening 20 minutes of action with 10 points, including a pair of three-pointers.
NSU's Jovana Mandic grabbed a missed shot by Charles and put a shot back up just before the halftime buzzer to send the Colonels into the locker room with the 39-30 advantage.
Nicholls came out on fire in the opening half, connecting on 16 of its 27 attempts for 59.3 percent. USA was 10-of-26 from the floor for 38.5 percent
The Colonels maintained the momentum early on in the second half, extending its lead out to as much as 13.
Trailing 47-36 five minutes into the final period of play, South Alabama began to fight its way back. Over the next three-plus minutes, the Jaguars trimmed it to a one-possession deficit as they reeled off a 10-1 run. Hall began the scoring with back-to-back threes. Brittany Webb then connected from the left corner with 12 minutes, 47 seconds showing on the clock to cut the NSU lead to 48-45.
Webb later connected on her second three-pointer of the half to narrow the deficit to 50-49 at the 11:09 mark.
Both teams struggled to find offense over the next three-and-a-half minutes. South Alabama had a chance to cut into the Colonel lead during that time, but missed four straight free throw attempts.
With USA still down by two, Taylor Jenkins went to the line for a pair of free throws to tied the contest back up at 52-52 with less than six minutes to go. A minute later, the Jaguars took their first lead since the 14-minute mark of the opening half, as Davis stole the ball and Hall then knocked down a jumper in the lane with just over five to go.
South Alabama took its largest lead of the game (56-52) after two more free throws by Daniels at the 4:19 mark, but Veronica Ryan found Charles open in the left corner for a trey to cut the Jag lead to one with four minutes, seven seconds left in regulation.
With under two to go, Hall knocked down another jumper to give USA a three-point advantage, but that's when the Colonels would regain control.
Nash drove the baseline for a layup on NSU's ensuing possession. After a Jaguar turnover, NSU had three chances to score before USA came up with the rebound. However as she tried to advance the ball, she was called for steps, giving Nicholls another opportunity. Nash capitalize on the extra possession, knocking down a deep three-pointer from four-feet outside the right wing to put the Colonels back on top (62-60) with 38 seconds remaining.
From there, Nicholls would go 4-for-4 at the foul line to seal the win.
NOTES: With the loss, South Alabama falls to 15-4 in the all-time series and 6-2 in the series versus the Colonels in Thibodaux. USA is also 65-49 versus current Southland Conference members. With her 17 points, Breanna Hall has now recorded double figures in 17 of her last 19 games dating back to last season. Colby Davis also recorded a season-high 16 points in the loss and set a new career-best with four steals. Nicholls State played without its leading scorer Emani White (15.3 ppg), but received a career-high 19 points off the bench from freshman guard Tia Charles.
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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