Box Score - South Alabama 59, Grand Canyon 56 (.pdf)

PHOENIX, Ariz. – The University of South Alabama women's basketball team hit all four of its free-throw attempts in the final 12.8 seconds of the game to help the Jaguars capture their fourth win of the season with a 59-56 victory over Grand Canyon Saturday night at the GCU Arena.

"I can't credit our kids enough for tonight's win.  I'm so proud of this group for their grit and determination," South Alabama head coach Terry Fowler said.  "We challenged them during a time out about who wanted to go home during the Christmas break with a win.  Our players had a determined look in their eyes tonight and just put forth a great effort.

"I thought we rebounded the ball well.  We were also able to get to the line 17 times compared to their three.  Defensively, we did a good job of keeping them in front of us and just contesting shots and then blocking out.  This was just an outstanding effort by our young ladies."

The Jaguars (4-5) will now break for Christmas before returning to action when they open up Sun Belt Conference play on Dec. 30 at home against Little Rock.  Tip-off versus the Trojans is set for 5 p.m. at the Mitchell Center.  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's final six points came at the foul line as the Jags were a perfect 6-for-6 at the stripe in the final one minute, 29 seconds of the game.

USA entered the game shooting 53.5 percent from the foul line and ranked 344th in the NCAA in that category, but went 14-of-17 at the charity stripe in the win.  Grand Canyon got to the line just three times.

Marquita Daniels came off the bench to lead the way offensively for the Jaguars with 18 points.  Daniels was 5-of-8 from the field and 6-of-7 at the foul line in the win.  

"It was great to see Marquita Daniels getting back into the flow after missing the games she did due to injury.  I'm just very proud of her," "Fowler said.

Also recording double figures for USA in the win were Chyna Ellis and Genesis Perrymond who each had 10 points apiece.  Ellis was 4-for-4 at the foul line, while Perrymond hit both her attempts.

Ellis also had eight rebounds and three blocks for the Jaguars.  

Grand Canyon (5-7) was led by Cheyenne Hedrington's 12 points and eight rebounds.  Courtney Hayes had 10 points, seven rebounds and five assists in 36 minutes of action, while Jessica Gajewski chipped in with nine.  Gajewski led the Lopes offensively in the first half, but was held scoreless during the final 20 minutes of action.'

The Jags were 20-of-47 from the field for 42.6 percent and knocked down five of their 12 three-point attempts.  GCU was 26-for-68 from the floor for 38.2 percent.

Tied at 8-8 midway through the first quarter, South Alabama was able to build a four-point advantage as Juliann Miller knocked down a jumper in the lane and then on the Antelopes' ensuing possession, Daniels stole the ball and went the length of the floor for a layup to put the Jaguars up 12-8 at the 3:35 mark of the first quarter.

GCU would battle back and retake the lead a little over two minutes later on a three-pointer by Alyx Bloom from the left corner.  The two clubs would exchange buckets over the remainder of the period and head to the second with the Antelopes leading by one.  

Both teams shot well during the first 10 minutes of action as each were 7-of-16 from the field for 43.8 percent.

Tied at 19-19 in the second, Grand Canyon gained some breathing room with a 7-1 run over three-minute stretch.  Tanesha Daniels began the scoring for the Lopes with a layup.  On GCU's next possession, Gajewski – who had nine first-half points on 4-of-7 shooting – knocked down a three-pointer to put the home team up five with just under five to go before the half.  Courtney Hayes later found Julieh Clark open underneath for an easy bucket at the 2:18 mark to put GCU up 28-20.  

Daniels finally ended the offensive drought for the Jaguars with a trey from the right wing on the Jaguars next possession.  Daniels and Ellis led South Alabama in the first half with six points apiece.

After a turnover by the Jaguars with less than a minute to go, the Antelopes look as if they were going to carry the momentum in at the break with a late basket, but seeing her first action in six games, Taylor Jenkins drained a three-pointer from the top of the key to trim the deficit to 30-26 at the half.

The Jaguars were cold to start the third quarter, missing their first five shot attempts.  Grand Canyon took advantage and extended its lead out to 37-28 during that time.  Hayes ignited the 7-2 run with an and-one play with eight-and-a-half minutes showing on the clock.  Hedrington then scored GCU's next four points to give the Lopes the nine-point advantage with just over six to go in the period.

Perrymond finally knocked down USA's first field goal of the quarter with a long-range three from the left side and the redshirt freshman then stole the ball and raced down the floor for a layup.

Hedrington would answer with a jumper on the Lopes' next possession, but USA would keep the momentum, rattling off seven more points to tie the contest back up.  Daniels and-one play at the 1:48 mark capped off the scoring for the Jags and tied the contest back up at 39-39.  

GCU looked as if it had regained momentum, scoring a pair of baskets in the final minute, but with both the shot clock and game clock close to expiring, Daniels came up big again as she banked in a three from the right wing to cut the deficit to 43-42.

The Jaguars continued to ride the momentum off of Daniels' shot as they opened the fourth with a 7-0 run and held GCU without a field goal for the first three-and-a-half minutes of the period.  Daniels sank a pair of free throws at the start of the scoring spurt.  After forcing one of two shot clock violations during the Jaguar run, Perrymond made the Antelopes pay as she connected for her second trey of the night.  Daniels then banked in a 17-foot jumper with just under eight to go in the game to put USA up 49-43.

South Alabama held that lead over the next several minutes, but with USA up 53-47 with five minutes remaining, the Antelopes were able to force four Jaguar turnovers and scored seven unanswered points to retake the lead.  Hayes and Devyn Edwards scored all seven points for GCU with Edwards bucket with just under two to go putting the Antelopes back on top 54-53.

With less than 30 to showing on the clock, USA nearly came up with another big defensive stop as Ellis recorded a pair of blocks, but Grand Canyon was able to maintain possession.  Hedrington – who had eight of her 12 points in the second half – put GCU up one again (56-55) with 17.8 showing on the clock.

After calling their final time out and advancing the ball to midcourt, the Jags were able to find Ellis in the post.  The sophomore was fouled on the play and calmly sank both her free-throw attempts with 12.8 remaining.  USA then got another defensive stop and Daniels came down with the rebound.  She was fouled with 2.6 to go and sank both her free-throw attempts.

With South Alabama leading 59-56, the Antelopes had one last shot attempt, but Hayes' half-court shot hit the back of the rim and bounced off to preserve the South Alabama win.

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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