Game 21 - vs. Arkansas State Game Notes (.pdf)
MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama women's basketball team will host Sun Belt Conference leader Arkansas State Wednesday morning for its annual "Pack the House" game. Tip-off is set for 11:30 a.m. at the Mitchell Center. Several elementary students from the local area have been invited for the contest versus the Red Wolves.
"We're looking forward to having all of the elementary kids attend our game," South Alabama head coach Terry Fowler said. "I've seen a lot of photos from previous the event's previous games. I've also been part of those types of games previously and it's a great environment. It's going to be great for our young ladies to have 3,000 kids cheering for them and experience that environment. We're looking forward to it and I really can't say enough about our marketing department for getting out there and getting that arranged."
Live stats and video for the contest versus Arkansas State will be available at www.USAJaguars.com.
South Alabama (7-13, 5-5 SBC) comes into Wednesday's contest after falling at Troy (78-53) six days ago on the road. USA led early, but fell into a slump at both ends of the floor after the loss of starting point guard Brittany Webb. Webb suffered a torn ACL and will miss the remainder of the 2013-14 season.
With Webb out, the Jaguar offense committed 27 turnovers and shot just 25.8 percent in the second half.
USA, as it has for most of the season, continues to lead the Sun Belt from beyond the arc as the Jags are shooting 37.1 percent from long range and averaging 6.9 treys per outing. The Jaguars' three-point percentage also ranks 19th-best in the NCAA. South Alabama is also second in the conference at the free-throw line (.692) and third at defending the three-point line (.293).
Versus conference foes, South Alabama is shooting almost 40 percent from beyond the arc and has held its 10 SBC opponents to just 26.9 percent shooting from there.
The trio of Meghan Dunn (13.4), Breanna Hall (10.5) and Rachel Cumbo (10.2) has been the driving force for the Jaguar offense during conference action as all three are averaging double figures.
Dunn ranks 12th overall in the Sun Belt in scoring with 12.78 points per game. Dunn is averaging 2.0 threes per outing - tied for second – and has knocked down 41.2 percent of her shot attempts from the three-point line. That percentage is fifth in the SBC and 38th nationally. The senior guard has recorded double figures 14 times, including six of her last seven outings.
Cumbo leads the conference with a 51.5 three-point percentage. She is also third in the league at the foul line at 88.5 percent and the Houston, Texas, native is shooting 44.5 percent from the field.
Over the course of the season, Hall has developed into a true scoring option for the Jags. The Mesquite, Texas, native has recorded double figures in five of her last six games. The one game that she didn't, the junior guard had nine points and a career-high 10 rebounds.
Senior forward Ronneka Robertson continues to pace the club on the glass. Coming into play this week, the Kentwood, La., native is third in the Sun Belt in rebounding with 8.4 boards per game.
Arkansas State (15-8, 9-2 SBC) enters action this week leading the conference by two-and-a-half games. The Red Wolves have won five of their last six outings with the lone loss coming at Troy at the beginning of the month.
ASU leads the league in field-goal percentage, knocking down 43.7 percent of its shot attempts and rebounding margin (+4.7), while also ranking second in scoring (73.0), scoring margin (+3.8), three-point percentage (.332) and rebounding defense (34.0).
The Red Wolves have used a balanced offensive attack throughout the season as four players are averaging double figures heading into Wednesday's game.
"(Arkansas State) gives you multiple defense looks and they have the ability to score in four of the five positions anytime on the floor," Fowler said. "They just do a great job on the offensive end of the floor. We're just going to have to make some stops and score as well. I thought at their place, we played a really good first half. They gave us some different defensive looks (in the second half) that gave us some problems, but we are just going to have to make some adjustments. We've just got to come out and play."
Leading the way for Arkansas State is red shirt-sophomore Aundrea Gamble. Gamble is second in the SBC behind Troy's Joanna Harden in scoring with 18.0 ppg. Gamble is also 10th in the conference in rebounding (6.3), sixth in field-goal percentage (.493), third in assists (4.0), 11th in free-throw shooting (.795), tied for fourth in steals (2.2), eighth in three-point percentage (.378), third in assists-turnover ratio (1.2) and third in minutes played (35.8).
"Gamble is a really good shooter and handles the ball well," Fowler said. "She not only has the ability to score, but also create for her teammates. (Jane) Morrill is tough on the inside and tough on the outside. She causes a lot of different problems for their opponents. At their place, we were able to get both of them in foul trouble and (Morrill) didn't have the effect on the game that she's capable of having."
Preseason all-conference selection Jane Morrill is second on the club with 12.0 ppg. The 6-1 senior forward is shooting 47.8 percent from the field - seventh in the SBC, and is also a threat from the outside as she is shooting 36.2 percent.
Junior guard Hannah Qedan is also having an outstanding season as she is just behind Morrill with 11.8 points per outing. Qedan leads the club with 39 treys and a 39.8 percent three-point percentage. She also leads the conference and ranks sixth in the NCAA with a 92.3 percent free-throw percentage.
Jalen O'Bannon is also averaging double digits for ASU with 10.5 ppg. She leads the team on the glass and ranks eighth in the SBC with 7.0 rpg. O'Bannon has also connected on 45.4 percent of her shots.
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 State will mark the 41st meeting between the two programs in the all-time series. Arkansas State holds a 30-10 advantage in the series and 13-7 in Mobile. USA has won five of the last eight meetings, but ASU has taken the last two, including a 73-60 win in Jonesboro earlier this season. This season will mark the third year of that South Alabama has held a "Pack the House" event. USA holds a 2-0 record defeating Troy, 74-58 last season and Florida Atlantic (66-57) during the 2011-12 season. South Alabama drew 3,487 fans for last season's game versus the Trojans and 3,218 fans in the inaugural event against the Owls.
—USA—
