Box Score - Louisiana-Monroe 55, South Alabama 53 (.pdf)

MONROE, La. – The University of South Alabama women's basketball team battled back from a 12-point second half deficit and had a chance to tie the game in the closing seconds, but Louisiana-Monroe held on to pick up a 55-53 Sun Belt Conference win Saturday afternoon at Fant-Ewing Coliseum.

"This one was a heart breaker for our kids," South Alabama head coach Terry Fowler said.  "We fought to get back into the game.  We shouldn't have put ourselves in that situation.  We were down eight with under four to go and got ourselves back in it with a chance to win the game.  This one is a tough one for us right here."

The Jaguars (4-16, 1-10 SBC) will now return home to host Texas State on Wednesday night.  Tip-off versus the Bobcats is set for 5:05 p.m. at the Mitchell Center.  

The loss was the 12th-straight conference road defeat and the 16th-straight road loss overall for the program dating back to last season.  USA has now dropped 24 of its last 25 games away from the Mitchell Center dating back to the end of the 2012-13 season.

Breanna Hall led the Jags with 15 points on 5-of-7 shooting.  She was 3-of-5 from the three-point line and hit both her free-throw attempts.  The 15-point outing marked the 13th time she has led the club offensively this season and her 16th double-figure outing.  Hall has also posted double figures in 28 of her last 32 games.

Grace Farnsworth – making her first start in a Jag uniform – also ended the afternoon in double digits with 11 points on 4-of-7 shooting.  

"For Grace to be asked to step into the starting lineup at the last minute and perform the way she did tonight says a lot about her," Fowler said of Farnsworth's performance.  "It was great to see her come out and play the way she did.  Hopefully she can build on this and carry it on throughout the remaining nine games."

As a team, South Alabama was 18-of-40 from the field for 45 percent shooting, but turnovers were once again an issue as USA committed 22 – 13 coming in the second half.  The 22 turnovers marked the 12th time this season that South Alabama has recorded 20 or more turnovers this season.

Louisiana-Monroe improved to 9-11 overall and 5-6 in league play.  Sharnice Brooks led the club with 12 points on 6-of-12 shooting.  Alaysha Hunter (11) and Christina Gray (10) also ended the game in double digits, while Daja Chase added nine points of her own.

Rebounding was another key stat as the Warhawks held a 38-24 advantage on the boards.  ULM pulled down 20 offensive rebounds, compared to just four for the Jags, and converted those into 16 second-chance points.  Chase led all players with nine rebounds, while Gray and Hunter each had eight apiece.

South Alabama got off to a quick start, taking an 8-2 lead during the first two minutes of play.  Farnsworth provided much of the scoring early on as she had eight of USA's first 13 points.

The Jaguars extended their lead out to 20-9 with 10 minutes, 24 seconds to go in the half when LaNeetra Guillory found Taylor Jenkins open in the post for a bucket.  

South Alabama would struggle at the offensive end of the floor over the next four minutes as the Jags five-straight empty possessions.  During that time, ULM was only able to cut the deficit by four.

The USA defense ended the scoreless streak when Marquita Daniels stole the ball and then found Hall open for a layup in transition with just over six minutes to go (22-13).

The Warhawks would continue to chip away at the South Alabama advantage.

The Jaguars held a 26-21 lead at the 3:49 mark after a jumper from the right baseline by Simonne Potts, but over the remainder of the half, USA would record just one point.

Louisiana-Monroe took advantage and rattled off a 7-1 spurt to take its first lead of the game.  Jade Wharton's three from the top of the key with just over two minutes showing on the clock to put ULM up 28-27.  Hunter would then follow with a pair of free throws and a jumper in the lane to increase the Jag deficit to five (32-27).

The Warhawks did most of their damage in the paint during the first half, recording 22 of their 35 points there.

South Alabama shot the ball well during the first 20 minutes of action, connecting on 11 of its 23 shot attempts for 47.8 percent, but were outrebounded 22-10 by ULM.

Brooks gave ULM a seven-point advantage (36-29) at the 18:19 mark of the second half, but neither team would be able to put up many points over the next eight minutes.  During that eight-minute stretch, the two teams would combine to record just three points, with all three coming from the Jags.  

Jenkins' layup with 11 minutes, 29 seconds remaining in the contest cut the deficit to 36-32, but a little over a minute later, Chelsea Tieuel drained back-to-back treys from the right corner to ignite an 8-0 Warhawk run.  Hunter's free throws at the 8:17 mark capped off the scoring and put Louisiana-Monroe up by 12 (44-32).

Still trailing by double figures two minutes later, Rachel Cumbo connected from long range to give the Jaguars a spark and make it 46-37 with six minutes, 17 seconds to go.  The Cumbo bucket was the first made field goal for the club in five minutes.

From there, USA kept fighting and chipping away at the ULM advantage.  The Jaguars twice cut the deficit to four, the first on a three from the right wing by Webb with one minute, 17 seconds remaining, and then again after a pair of free throws from the junior guard to cut Warhawk lead to 54-50 with 44 seconds on the clock.  

Aundrea Davis stepped to the line for a pair of free-throw attempts 19 seconds later, but missed both.  Hall came up with the loose ball for the Jags.  The senior kept the ball and pulled up from behind the three-point line with 17 seconds left for a three to cut the ULM lead to 54-53.

Forced to foul, South Alabama sent Chase to the line for a pair.  Chase hit the first, but missed the second.  Guillory grabbed the rebound and the Jaguars called a time out with less than five seconds remaining.  Down one, Guillory had a look, but the freshman's shot was off the mark and the rebound went out of bounds.

The officials went to the monitor to check the time and put 0.8 seconds on the clock.  After looking at the video, the officials initially gave the ball to USA, but after reconvening, they reversed their call and gave ULM the ball.  

The Warhawks inbounded the ball and ran out the clock to hold on for the two-point win.

NOTES: The meeting between South Alabama and Louisiana-Monroe marked the 19th in the all-time series between the two programs.  South Alabama now holds a 12-7 advantage in the series.  The Jaguars hold a 5-4 lead in games played in Monroe.  The Jaguars have lost 16-straight road games dating back to last season – which is the third-longest streak in program history – and 24 of their last 25 away from the Mitchell Center dating back to the end of the 2012-13 season.  USA has also lost 12-straight Sun Belt road contest – tied for second-longest streak in that category in program history.  South Alabama also lost 12 consecutive league road games from Jan. 16, 1999 – February 22, 2000.  Grace Farnsworth made her first career start at South Alabama, starting in place of Chyna Ellis.  Ellis did not make the trip with the team for personal reasons.  The 11 points by Farnsworth were a career-high for the redshirt sophomore.  The 15-point outing by Breanna Hall versus Louisiana-Monroe marked the 13th time she has led the club offensively this season and her 16th double-figure outing.  Hall has also posted double figures in 28 of her last 32 games.  After missing the previous game against UL-Lafayette, Rachel Cumbo (illness) returned to the Jag line up and had six points on two three-pointers.  The Warhawks held a 38-24 advantage on the boards and pulled down 20 offensive rebounds, compared to just four for the Jags.  ULM converted those into 16 second-chance points.  

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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