Box Score - Arkansas-Little Rock 56, South Alabama 34 (.pdf)
Post Game Quote
Photo Gallery

MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama women's basketball recorded just 10 points and shot 16 percent during the first 20 minutes of play, leading to a 56-34 loss to Sun Belt Conference leader Arkansas-Little Rock Monday night at the Mitchell Center.

"We gave up 31 points in the first half, I thought defensively we were doing things how we wanted to, but on the offensive end of the floor we just could not get the ball in the basket," South Alabama head coach Terry Fowler said.  "We opened up with the first four points, and then their toughness really showed — every shot was contested in the paint.  We missed 11 layups in the half, we have to make half of those to give ourselves an opportunity to keep producing on the offensive end of the floor.  Defensively they just took us out of the action.

"At halftime we challenged the kids to fight and show what true toughness is on the floor, and I thought they came out and answered that challenge.  We were more aggressive, we were able to fight through their bumps; we competed in the second half, which is all we could ask our kids to do.

"The one thing about Arkansas-Little Rock is they impose their will on you.  They've done it to Oklahoma and LSU — they've done it to the best of them — and what they did tonight they've done all year long."

The Jaguars (3-14, 0-8 SBC) will next head back out on the road as they travel to Appalachian State on Thursday night.  Tip-off versus the Mountaineers is set for 4 p.m. (CT) at the Holmes Center.  

The loss was the 12th-straight for South Alabama.  USA has now recorded just one conference win in its last 17 Sun Belt games.

The South Alabama offense was without its leading scorer versus the Trojans, Breanna Hall – who entered the week ranked third in the Sun Belt with 16.2 ppg.  Hall's injury will be reevaluated this week and her status for the App State game is still to be determined.

Playing without Hall, the Jaguars were just 14-of-51 from the field for 27.5 percent and connected on just two of their 13 three-point attempts.  For the second time in its last three games, USA didn't have a player record double digits.  

Chyna Ellis and Rachel Cumbo paced the club with eight points apiece.  Cumbo also pulled down six rebounds, while Ellis added four rebounds and a pair of blocks.

UALR improved to 14-2 overall and remained perfect in SBC action, moving to 7-0 in conference play.  The win also extended the Trojans win streak to seven.

Taylor Gault led all scorers with 23 points on 9-of-17 shooting.  Shanity James also registered double figures with 17 points to go along with her 11 rebounds – her second double-double of the season.  

South Alabama scored the first four points of the contest, but after Juliann Miller's bucket with just over 17 minutes showing on the clock, the Jaguars would go cold offensively and not score a point over the next seven-plus minutes.  USA would miss its next nine shot attempts and turn the ball over five times following Miller's bucket.  

UALR took advantage reeling off a 15-0 run during that stretch to take the lead for good. James and Keanna Keys recorded four points apiece during the Trojan run, while Gault added seven, three coming on a trey from the left wing with 10 minutes remaining in the half to put the visitors up by nine (15-4).

With nine minutes 46 seconds showing on the clock, Amber Yelding knocked down a jumper in the lane to end USA's scoreless streak, but USA would continue to struggle offensively over the next several minutes, suffering another scoreless streak – this one a eight-plus minute drought.  South Alabama would miss seven more shots during the scoreless streak and commit six more turnovers.

The Trojans again took advantage and reeled off another big run, scoring 14 unanswered points.  Gault who added eight more points during the UALR run capped things off and extended the Trojan lead out to 29-6 when the senior guard knocked down a pair of technical free throws.  

During the nearly 16-minute stretch in which the Jags only hit one field goal, UALR would outscore USA 29-2.

Simonne Potts hit a pair of free throws with a minute-and-a-half to go and Yelding knocked down another bucket with a minute remaining, but James, who had 10 first-half points sent UALR into the locker room with a 31-10 advantage with a layup in the closing seconds.

Arkansas-Little Rock connected on 12 of its 26 shots for 46.2 percent in the first half, while USA ended the period just 4-of-25 from the field for 16 percent shooting.  The Jaguars also committed 13 turnovers in the period, leading to 16 Trojan points.

The Jaguars came out with some momentum early in the second half, opening up the final period of play on an 11-2 spurt over the first four minutes.  Five different Jags scored during the early run and LaNeetra Guillory hit one of her two free throw attempts with 15:56 to play to cut the deficit to 33-21.  

That was as close as USA would get though as UALR answered back with seven unanswered points to stretch its lead back out to 19 (40-21).  Gault – who would add eight more points in the second half – capped off the Trojan run as she knocked down a jumper from just inside the left side of the arc.

UALR would lead by as much as 27 in the second half en route to the 56-34 victory.

The 34 points recorded by the Jaguars were a new season-low for the club, eclipsing the previous low of 37 set against UALR in the first meeting this season in Little Rock.

NOTES:  The meeting between South Alabama and Arkansas-Little Rock was the 25th in the all-time series between the two programs.  The series is now tied at 12-12 and the Trojans have won nine of the last 10 meetings in the series.  The Jaguars are also 1-16 in their last 17 league contest.  USA was without its leading scorer, Breanna Hall – who entered the week ranked third in the Sun Belt with 16.2 ppg.  Hall's injury will be reevaluated this week and her status for the App State game is still to be determined.   The 34 points recorded by the Jaguars were a new season-low for the club, eclipsing the previous low of 37 set against UALR in the first meeting this season in Little Rock.  The 34 points by the Jags also tied (2012-13) for fewest points by USA in the series.  For the second time in the last three games, USA failed to place at least one player in double figures.  South Alabama suffered two lengthy scoring droughts in the first half.  The first was seven minutes, 19 seconds and the second was eight minutes, 18 seconds.  UALR outscored USA 15-0 and 14-0 during those two scoreless streaks.  The 34 points by the Jags also tied for fewest points by USA in the series.

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).

—USA—