Box Score - Arkansas-Little Rock 71, South Alabama 37 (.pdf)

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – The University of South Alabama women's basketball team turned the ball over 18 times and suffered a nearly 10-minute scoreless streak as Arkansas-Little Rock defeated the Jags, 71-37 Monday night at the Jack Stephens Center, extending USA's skid to seven straight games.

"It's been the same thing for us over the last few games and we've got to figure this out," South Alabama head coach Terry Fowler said.  "We weren't ready for (UALR's) physicality in the first half.  They really got out and defended the ball and got into the passing lanes.  They just bumped us everywhere and we weren't ready for that.  There's a reason they have wins over LSU and Oklahoma.  

"I thought in the second half, we challenged them.  At the half, I told the team that I wanted us to hold their scoring down and hold them to 25 points.  We gave up 28 in the second half, but I thought we played with more toughness and composure.

"Moving forward, we've got to Sun Belt Conference games at home and we've got to defend the Mitchell Center and our home court to try and put us back in position to be contenders."    

The Jags (3-9, 0-3 SBC) will now return home for a pair of games beginning with Appalachian State on Thursday night.  Tip-off versus the Mountaineers is set for 5:05 p.m. at the Mitchell Center.

The 0-3 start to league play is the fourth time in program history that USA has been winless after its first three Sun Belt games.  USA also began the SBC schedule 0-3 during the 2012-13, 2006-07 and 1999-00 seasons.

The loss was also the 12th-straight road defeat and 20th in the last 21 outing for the program away from the Mitchell Center.  The 12 consecutive losses are the fourth-longest streak in program history.  It also extended USA's conference road skid to eight, dating back to last season.

Marquita Daniels was the lone Jag in double figures as she tied a season high with 15 points on 4-of-8 shooting.  All four of her field goals came from beyond the arc.

Senior guard Breanna Hall – who led USA and ranked third in the Sun Belt in scoring with 17.3 points per outing coming into the game – was held to just two points, snapping her 15-straight games in double digits streak.  She was 1-of-9 from the floor.

South Alabama also recorded 26 turnovers in the loss, the eighth game this season in which the Jaguars have had 20 or more turnovers.  The Trojans (10-2, 3-0 SBC) turned those miscues into 21 points and also held a 38-12 advantage in the points in the paint category.

The win was the fourth-straight for Arkansas-Little Rock and fifth in its last six games.  The Trojans placed three players in double figures and all 11 players that saw action scored at least two points.  

Leading the way offensively for the Trojans was Alexius Dawn with 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting.  Taylor Gault also added 15 points, while Shanity James just missed a double-double with 11 points and nine rebounds.  

UALR recorded 17 assists on its 25 made baskets, while shooting 43.9 percent from the field.  Ka'Nesheia Cobins led the Trojans in that category as she dished out nine assists.

South Alabama ended the night just 12 of 41 from the field for 29.3 percent.

The first half was a tale of two teams.  South Alabama would struggle offensively, both shooting the ball and with turnovers, while the Trojans came out hot on both ends of the floor.

UALR opened up the game on an 11-2 run and knocked down four of its first six shot attempts during the first five-plus minutes of the game, and South Alabama connected on just one of its seven attempts with a pair of turnovers.  

Gault – who had 10 points during the first 20 minutes of play – gave the Trojans the nine-point advantage with a three from the left corner at the 14:33 mark.

Daniels banked a three off the glass from the top of the key on the Jaguars' ensuing possession, but that would be the last points for USA over the next nine-plus minutes.  During that time, South Alabama was 0-for-5 from the floor with 11 of its 18 first-half turnovers.  UALR broke things open during that stretch as the Trojans rattled off a 23-0 run and extend their lead out to 29.  Dawn – who had nine of her points during the run – capped off the scoring and converted an and-one play at the 5:35 mark.  

Dawn sent Arkansas-Little Rock into the locker room with a 43-11 halftime advantage when the junior connected from the right wing as the buzzer sounded.  It was her third three-pointer of the period.  

UALR finished the first half shooting 53.1 percent from the floor after knocking down 17 of its 32 shot attempts.  USA was just 4-of-17 from the field for 23.5 percent.  The Trojans also held a 26-4 advantage in the paint and recorded 12 assists on their 17 made baskets.  Cobbins had seven of those assists for Arkansas-Little Rock.

The Jaguars played better in the second half only turning the ball over eight times, but UALR wouldn't let South Alabama build any momentum as it never let its lead go below 29 points in the final frame.

NOTES: The meeting between South Alabama and Arkansas-Little Rock was the 23rd in the all-time series between the two programs.  The Jaguars still lead the all-time series 12-10.  The Trojans have won eight of the last nine meetings.  South Alabama is 2-6 in the series in games played in Little Rock and has dropped five-straight on the Trojans' home floor.  The loss extended the Jags' current skid to seven games.  The 0-3 start to league play is the fourth time in program history that USA has been winless after its first three Sun Belt games.  USA also began the SBC schedule 0-3 during the 2012-13, 2006-07 and 1999-00 seasons.  The loss was also the 12th-straight road defeat and 20th in the last 21 outing for the program away from the Mitchell Center.  The 12 consecutive losses are the fourth-longest streak in program history.  It also extended USA's conference road skid to eight, dating back to last season.   Marquita Daniels tied a season-high with 15 points and hit a career-best four three-pointers.  Breanna Hall – who led USA and ranked third in the Sun Belt in scoring with 17.3 points per outing coming into the game – was held to just two points, snapping her 15-straight games in double digits streak.

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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