Game 15 - at Texas State Game Notes (.pdf)MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama women's basketball team will head back out on the road to begin a stretch of three games in five days, beginning with Texas State on Thursday night. Tip off versus the Bobcats is set for 5:30 p.m. at Strahan Coliseum.
USA will also take on Louisiana-Lafayette on Saturday, before returning home to host Arkansas-Little Rock on Monday.
Live stats, the Jaguars' audio broadcast and web streaming of the contest versus Texas State can be accessed at www.USAJaguars.com.
South Alabama (3-11, 0-5 SBC) enters the game versus Texas State after falling 67-53 at home to Georgia Southern on Saturday. The loss was the ninth-straight for the Jags.
With its loss to Georgia Southern, South Alabama dropped to 0-5 in Sun Belt Conference play. The 0-5 start to league play is just the second time in program history that USA has been winless after its first five Sun Belt games. The Jags also began the SBC schedule 0-5 during the 1999-00 (0-14) seasons.
USA got off to a cold start in the second half, hitting just two of its first 17 field goal attempts, while the Eagles were able to extend their lead out to as much as 33 in the final period of play. The Jaguars attempted a late rally, closing out the game on an 18-0 run.
Breanna Hall led the club for the South Alabama in scoring for the 10th time this season, ending the night with 19 points - 16 of which coming in the second half. Hall leads the team and ranks second in the conference in scoring with 17.1 ppg. The Mesquite, Texas, native also ranks among the league leaders in free-throw shooting (sixth – .833), three-point shooting (second – .438) and three-pointers per game (third – 2.5). She has also scored double figures in 24 of her last 27 games dating back to the '13-14 season.
Hall still ranks among the NCAA leaders in three-point percentage, this week coming in at 22nd in the nation.
True freshmen Marquita Daniels (7.5) and Chyna Ellis (6.9) rank second and third, respectively on the Jag roster offensively. Ellis leads USA and ranks ninth in the SBC in rebounds with 6.9 per game. She is also tied for third in the league with Texas-Arlington's Artavia Ford with 1.6 blocks per outing.
Both Daniels and Ellis have raised their offensive production during conference play as each are averaging 8.0 points per game or better.
Texas State (8-6, 3-2 SBC) comes into Thursday night's game after picking up a 70-64 win over Louisiana-Monroe in its last outing. The Bobcats battled through 20 lead changes in the game to come away with the six-point victory and snap a two-game skid.
"Texas State is another opponent for us who has tremendous size in the post," South Alabama head coach Terry Fowler said. "They are primarily a guard-oriented team thought and they shoot the three-point shot well. It seems like they are starting to gel and come together. We've got to play our best game when we go over there. At some point this year, hopefully the ball will start going in the basket for us. I can't see a better time for that to happen than this week."
Erin Peoples led the way for TSU in the win with 19 points on 8-of-13 shooting. The junior guard came up big in the second half, recording 14 of her 19 points during the final 20 minutes of play. Peoples ranks fourth in the Sun Belt in scoring with 15.5 ppg, while she is also tied for eighth in steals (1.9) and is 15th in league in shooting (.454).
"Erin Peoples is a mismatch for opponents," Fowler said. "She is a big three-guard who can also play the four and cause problems there. She is also a great defender."
Peoples is also tied for eighth in the conference in rebounds with fellow teammate Kileah Mays, averaging 8.0 boards per game. As a team, the Bobcats are second in the Sun Belt on the glass, pulling down 42.1 rebounds a game. TSU is also second in defensive rebounding (27.7).
Texas State is also one of the top three-point shooting teams in the conference this season as it leads the conference with 7.1 treys per game and is connecting on 33.9 percent of its long range attempts - third in the SBC.
Leading the way from beyond the arc is senior guard Meghan Braeuer, who ranks third in the SBC and 27th in NCAA in three-point shooting (.430). Braeuer also leads the conference and ranks 27th nationally in three-pointers per game as she is averaging 2.9 per game.
Along with Braeuer, Aryial Anderson is also a threat from deep as she is connecting on 37.1 percent of her three-point opportunities - tied for eighth in the league - and averaging 1.9 treys per game - sixth-most in the SBC.
"Aryial Anderson has really stepped her game up from last year," Fowler said. "She is a super quick point guard who has added the three-point shot to her game."
Anderson is second in the SBC in assists. She enters play this week averaging 4.3 per contest. The junior guard is also fifth in the conference in free-throw shooting, knocking down 83.7 percent of her attempts.
Both Braeuer (12.0) and Anderson (11.3) are averaging double figures this season.
NOTES: The meeting between South Alabama and Texas State will mark the fourth in the all-time series between the two programs. Texas State has won all three of the previous meetings, including both last season. South Alabama is 0-2 in the series in games played in San Marcos. The Bobcats joined the Sun Belt last season and are in their second year in the league.
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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