Game 2: at Southern Game Notes (.pdf)

MOBILE, Ala. – Coming off a 15-point season-opening win, the University of South Alabama women's basketball team will head out on the road for the first time this season when the Jaguars take on Southern on Friday at the F.G. Clark Activity Center.  Tip-off versus the Jaguars is set for 5:30 p.m.

"Southern is a very physical basketball team," South Alabama head coach Terry Fowler said.  "They set a lot of screens, especially back screens.  We are really going to have to key on our principles and jump to the basketball, communicate and talk with one another. They've got a really speedy point guard (Skylar O'Bear), and their team was in the SWAC conference championship last year, one game away from the NCAA tournament.  I'm sure there's going to be a lot of excitement from their crowd in their building, and we're going to have to make sure to stay together and value the basketball.  Rebounding will once again be key for us as well."

Southern was a 19-win team a year ago and finished second in the Southwestern Athletic Conference, while also advancing to the league's championship game.

Live stats and web streaming for the contest can be accessed at www.USAJaguars.com.  Fans can also keep up with in-match updates by following action on the program's twitter account @SouthALWBB.

South Alabama (1-0) enters Friday's contest versus Southern fresh off a 64-49 season-opening win over Spring Hill on Tuesday night.

Chyna Ellis and Marquita Daniels led the club offensively in the win with 14 points apiece.  Ellis shot 54.5 percent from the floor and also pulled down 12 rebounds for her eighth career double-double.  Daniels also added six rebounds, four assists and three steals in the win.

South Alabama led by just two at the intermission, but used a stingy second half defensive effort holding the Badgers to just 18.2 percent shooting (4-of-22).  The Jaguars were even better during the final 10 minutes of the contest as the Badgers scored just three points, all coming at the foul line and went 0-for-11 from the field with five turnovers in the period.

USA shot 50 percent in the second half and was 10-of-16 for 62.5 percent in the third period of play.  

South Alabama returns seven letterwinners off of last season's club and welcome six newcomers.

Daniels is the Jags' leading returning scorer for the club after averaging 10.4 ppg as a true freshman.  She also led the team in assists (47) and steals (53).  Her 53 steals were the second-most ever by a freshman at South Alabama.

Ellis, who was selected to the Sun Belt Conference's preseason third team, last month ranked fifth in the SBC on the glass a year ago.

Redshirt freshman Genesis Perrymond has proven in the early going to be a third scoring option for the Jags.  She had 17 points in the 21-point exhibition win over Montevallo and followed that up with an 11-point performance against Spring Hill.  Perrymond was 5-of-11 from the field against the Badgers.

The Jaguars comes into the contest with a 1-1 record so far this season.  Southern opened the '15-16 season with a 65-46 victory over Spring Hill last Friday, but fell 88-47 at No. 16 Texas A&M on Sunday.

SU forced 30 turnovers in the season opener against the Badgers in the season opener, converting those into 24 points.  

On Sunday, the Aggies placed five players in double figures and forced 25 Southern turnovers, converting those into 31 points.  A&M also shot 47.5 percent in the win, while holding the Jaguars to 25.8 percent shooting.

Cortnei Purnell led the way offensively with 16 points on 7-of-13 shooting in 31 minutes of action.  Purnell is averaging 10.0 points and 5.0 rebounds per game, while knocking down 42.9 percent of her shot attempts.

True freshman guard Skylar O'Bear paces the club offensively with 11.0 ppg.  O'Bear also leads the club with 6.5 rpg, to go along with six assists and six steals.

Junior post player Miaya Crowder is also averaging double figures for Southern.  The 6-0 forward is averaging 10.5 points and 5.0 rebounds per game and shooting 40.9 percent from the field.

The Jaguars have 15 blocks in their first two outings, with 6-2 senior post player Jadea Brundidge leading the way with six.  

As of Nov. 17, Southern ranks 15th nationally with 7.5 blocks per game, while Brundige is 29th in the NCAA in that category.

As a team, Southern has struggled from outside the arc, connecting on just three of its 23 attempts from long range.  O'Bear has all three of those made three-pointers.

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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