Box Score - Arkansas State 70, South Alabama 60 (.pdf)

JONESBORO, Ark. – The University of South Alabama women's basketball team battled back and pulled within three on three different occasions late in the second half, but Arkansas State held the Jaguar women off to pick a 70-60 victory Thursday night at the Convocation Center.  

"We got in some early foul trouble," South Alabama head coach Terry Fowler said.  "(Marquita) Daniels wasn't able to play a lot in the first half and our post players got in some early foul trouble, so we had to play with some different line ups, but our kids fought and I'm really proud of what they did tonight.  We had chances, but it came down to turnovers and some second chance opportunities.  When we needed a clutch three, we just couldn't come up with it.   I was proud of how scrappy we played though.  Arkansas State is a championship-caliber team and we were able to give them a challenge tonight."

The Jaguars (5-23, 2-17 SBC) will now return home to close out the 2014-15 season on Saturday afternoon when they host in-state rival Troy.  Tip-off versus the Trojans is set for 2:05 p.m. at the Mitchell Center.  

Breanna Hall led USA offensively with 16 points – her 23rd double-figure outing this season.  Hall also dished out a career-high four assists.  Marquita Daniels also ended the night in double digits with 13 points – 10 coming during the final 20 minutes of play.  Daniels also had four steals to move her into second-place on South Alabama's freshman steals chart, moving past former Jag Jessica Webb (1997-98) who had 46.  She now has 49 for the year.

Grace Farnsworth chipped in with nine points and six rebounds off the bench, while Rachel Cumbo added eight points of her own.  

Arkansas State (20-9, 15-4 SBC) locked up the second seed in this year's conference tournament with the win.  

Jasmine Hunt was one of four ASU players to finish in double figures as she led the club with 20 points and 11 rebounds for her third double-double of the season.  Hunt was 5-of-15 from the floor, but did most of her damage at the foul line as she knocked down 10 of her 15 attempts at the charity stripe.

Aundrea Gamble added 18 points of her own, while Khadija Brown-Haywood and Hanna Qedan each ended the night with 13 points apiece.

South Alabama got off to a quick start, knocking down four of its first six shot attempts to take a 9-4 lead.  Cumbo gave USA the five-point advantage with at three with just over 17 minutes remaining in the first half.   Led by Daniels, the Jag defense forced three early Arkansas State turnovers.  Daniels would cause two of them with a pair of steals, moving her into second place on USA's freshman steals list.

The Jags would struggle at the offensive end, hitting just one field-goal attempt and turning the ball over eight times over the next 12-plus minutes.  

The Red Wolves would take advantage and claim the lead during that stretch.  Brown-Haywood would score five-straight points for ASU and after a three by Farnsworth at the 13:36 mark, the Red Wolves would keep the momentum and take their first lead of the contest.  Following a bucket by Gamble – who had nine first-half points – Jessica Flanery gave Arkansas State a 14-13 advantage with a trey from the left corner with 12 minutes, 38 seconds remaining.

The ASU lead would grow to 19-13 after a three-pointer by Gamble and a pair of free throws from Qedan.  

After not turning the ball over during the first four-plus minutes of the game, USA would go on to end the half with 13, leading to 14 points by the Red Wolves.

The first-half lead would grow to as much as 14 (28-14), but South Alabama would continue to battle and narrow the margin to single digits on a three-pointer by Hall from the top of the key at the 4:21 mark.

ASU would stretch the lead back out to 11 (32-21) less than a minute later, but USA would again fight back in the closing minutes, ending the period on an 8-2 run.  Brittany Webb knocked down one of the Jaguars' five first-half treys.  Ellis – who had been limited with foul trouble – then had a pair of baskets and Cumbo drained her second three of the game to cut the deficit to 34-31 with 35 seconds to go.  That is the score that the two clubs would head into the locker room with.

Behind the play of Hunt – who had 16 of her 20 points in the second half – the Red Wolves extended their lead out to 10 during the first two minutes of the period.  Hunt had eight of ASU's first 11 points in the final half and put the home team up 43-33 with a layup at the 18:06 mark.

Daniels helped the Jaguars stay in the game as she registered nine of USA's first 11 points in the second stanza.  With just over 16 minutes remaining in the contest, the freshman deflected a ASU pass and then recorded a layup at the other end of the floor to trim the deficit to 45-40.

The Red Wolves would stretch their lead back out to 12 (54-42) two minutes later on an and-one play by Hunt, but Farnsworth would ignite a 7-0 Jaguar run over the next three-and-a-half minutes with a offensive put back.  Farnsworth would cap off the scoring and pull USA within five (54-49) with a jumper off the glass at the 10:33 mark.

Over the next several minutes, the Jaguars would continue to fight back and narrow the deficit to three on three different occasions, the last coming at 60-57 on a basket by Ellis with three minutes, 20 seconds to go.  

That would be the last points for USA over the next three minutes though.  

Gamble came up big over that stretch and gave the Red Wolves some breathing room as she knocked down a pair of free throws and then with one minute, 31 seconds showing on the clock, the reigning SBC player of the year drained her second trey of the game, this one from the left wing to increase the ASU advantage to 65-57.  

The Red Wolves eventually led by 12 in closing seconds before a three by Hall late.

NOTES: The meeting between South Alabama and Arkansas State marked the 43rd in the all-time series between the two programs.  ASU holds a 33-10 advantage in the series.  The Red Wolves have won the last five meetings in the series with the Jaguars.  The Red Wolves now hold a 14-2 lead in games played in Jonesboro.  Marquita Daniels had four steals in the contest to move her past Jessica Webb (46 - 1997-98) for second place.  Daniels has 49 on the year.  With her 16 points, Breanna Hall has now scored double figures 23 times this season and in 35 of her last 40  games dating back to the '13-14 season.

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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