Box Score - Texas 46, South Alabama 44 (.pdf)Post Game QuotesPhoto GalleryMOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama women's basketball team trailed by six with two minutes to go but fought back and tied the contest up in the closing seconds, but Texas State's Aryiel Anderson's free throws with 7.7 seconds remaining and an errant shot at the buzzer handed the Jaguars a 46-44 loss Wednesday night at the Mitchell Center.
"It was really disappointing to come out on the short end of the stick in a hard-fought game like that against a quality opponent in our league," South Alabama head coach Terry Fowler said. "We came out and executed really well in the first half and did a great job of getting movement. I think we got a little stagnant late in the first half as we probably played some of our starters too many minutes; we became fatigued, and on the defensive end of the floor they were able to get some easy baskets to get themselves back into the game.
"In the second half, we did pretty well but had a couple of breakdowns where we gave up a couple of open threes. But we did a great job of fighting to get back into the game — this is the second game in a row we've had the last shot with a chance to win the ballgame or tie it, unfortunately we've come up short. I told the ladies that we are playing so much better on the defensive end now, and that's what is giving us a chance to compete. Because we haven't scored all year our identity has to be on the defensive side of the floor if we're going to have a chance to win some games."
The Jaguars (4-17, 1-11 SBC) will next host Georgia State on Saturday. Tip-off versus the Panthers is set for 2:05 p.m.
Breanna Hall led the Jags in the loss as she ended the night with 14 points on 5-of-13 shooting. Rachel Cumbo registered her first career double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. The 10 boards were a new career best for the Houston, Texas, native. Freshman center Chyna Ellis returned to the South Alabama lineup and ended the night with six points, nine rebounds and a pair of blocks.
South Alabama struggled from the field offensively, connecting on just 16 of its 58 attempts for 27.6 percent. USA was 4-for-20 from the three-point line in the loss, but just 1-of-10 from the arc in the second half.
The Jaguars did only commit 11 turnovers – four in the second half. The 11 turnovers was a season-low for the club, besting the previous low of 12 also set against Texas State earlier this season in San Marcos.
Texas State improved to 13-8 on the year and 8-4 in league play with the win. Anderson was the lone Bobcat to end the game in double digits as she recorded 16 points. Erin Peoples chipped in with eight points before leaving the game with an injury late in the second half.
Texas State jumped out to a quick 5-0 lead, scoring on its first two possessions, but after starting the game 0-4 from the field, USA would hit five of its next six shots to take the lead. Hall ignited a 14-2 Jaguar run over the next three-and-a-half minutes with a jumper at the 17:10 mark. Marquita Daniels and Hall then added another basket apiece and Rachel Cumbo drained a trey from the right wing with just over 15 minutes showing on the clock to give South Alabama its first lead of the night. Hall – who had seven of her 12 first-half points during the USA scoring spurt – capped things off and put the Jaguars up by seven (14-7) with a three-pointer at the 13:29 mark.
South Alabama led 17-11 with less than 12 minutes remaining in the opening period of play, but over the next four-plus minutes, both teams would struggle offensively going a combined 0-for-9 from the floor. Grace Farnsworth's two free throws would be the only points by either club during that stretch.
Daniels ended the offensive drought for the Jags when she stole the ball – one of her two first-half takeaways – and drove the length of the court for a layup with seven minutes, 41 seconds remaining. Taylor Jenkins then hit one of her two free throw attempts to give USA its largest lead of the half at 22-11 two minutes later.
The offensive struggles would return for the Jaguars as they would not record a point over the next five-plus minutes. The Bobcats would attempt to claw their way back and cut the deficit to four (22-18) after a free throw by Peoples, but with under a minute remaining, Daniels would find Hall open in transition for a layup to give South Alabama a 24-18 halftime advantage.
USA scored on its first possession of the second half, but would again struggle at the offensive end of the floor as over the next eight minutes, the Jags would miss nine straight shots and score just three points, all coming at the foul line.
During that stretch, the Bobcats outscored USA 12-3 and turned a six-point deficit into a one-point lead. Anderson recorded six of her points during that time and Erika May gave Texas State a 30-29 lead at the 11:35 mark when she snuck behind the Jaguar defense for a layup on a baseline inbounds play with two seconds remaining on the shot clock.
South Alabama briefly regained the lead (33-30) after four-straight points from Ellis, but USA's offense would again struggle and go six-plus minutes without a point.
Meghan Braeuer began a 6-0 scoring spurt for the Bobcats when she knocked down a baseline jumper with just over 10 minutes remaining in the game. After a bucket by Taler Deer a minute later, Braeuer found Kileah Mays wide open in the post for an easy basket with less than eight to play.
Cumbo ended the scoreless drought for the Jaguars with a trey from the right wing to tie the contest back up at 36-36 at the 5:29 mark, but in the ensuing possession, Texas State would retake the lead on a pair of free by Jacqueline Jeffcoat.
Cumbo pulled USA within two (40-38) with three minutes, 19 seconds remaining when she knocked down a jumper just inside the arc, but the Bobcats would extend the lead back out to eight a little over a minute later following a three by Anderson from the left wing and a free throw from Whitney Apari.
With under a minute to play, the Jaguars turned up the defense and forced two-straight Texas State turnovers on their own half of the court. Daniels stole the ball just before the mid-court stripe with 50.7 seconds to go. Seven seconds later, Cumbo registered a steal of her own and drove in for a layup to trim the deficit to 44-42.
Anderson then missed the front end of a one-and-one opportunity and Cumbo came down with the loose ball. With time winding down, Grace Farnsworth found Ellis open in the post. She then turned around and laid the ball off the glass to tie the game back up at 44-44 with 13 seconds remaining.
Anderson then pushed the ball up the floor and was fouled with 7.7 seconds showing on the clock. The junior guard calmly sank both attempts to put the visitors up two. USA would have one last attempt as after calling time out with four seconds remaining, the Jaguars in bounded the ball and got the ball to Cumbo. With time running out, Cumbo was forced to put up a deep contested three-pointer that was off the mark as the final horn sounded, giving Texas State the two-point win.
NOTES: The meeting between South Alabama and Texas State marked fifth in the all-time series between the two programs. Texas State has won all five of the previous meetings, including both this season. South Alabama is 0-3 in the series in games played in Mobile. With her 14 points against Texas State, South Alabama's Breanna Hall has now recorded double figures 17 times this season and in 29 of her last 33 outings. Rachel Cumbo registered her first career double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. The 10 boards were a new career best for the Houston, Texas, native. Freshman center Chyna Ellis returned to the South Alabama lineup after missing one game due to personal reasons and ended the night with six points, nine rebounds and a pair of blocks.
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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