NEW ORLEANS – The University of South Alabama women's basketball team (2-2) got its first road win of the 2016-17 season against New Orleans (1-3) 65-62 on Saturday evening at Lakefront Arena.  Entering the fourth quarter trailing by six points, the Jaguars outscored the Privateers 22-13 in the quarter.
 
"I thought we got off to a good start," said head coach Terry Fowler.  "New Orleans got back in it and it was kind of nip and tuck from there on out.  They jumped out and got a six point lead on us in the third quarter.  I was proud of the way we grinded our way back into the game.  We were getting shots in the first half, but they weren't falling. In the second half they finally started to fall in. I was just happy to see us grind it out, keep playing hard and finish the game with making all of those free throws at the end. Not to mention the fact we had balanced scoring with four kids in double-digit scoring."
 
The Jags started the fourth quarter on a 10-3 run to get their first lead since the middle of the second quarter.  Layups by Chyna Ellis and Erin Autio and a pair of free throws by Colby Davis gave South Alabama six points on its first three possessions. The game was tied up at 52-52 after Ellis made a free throw and got another layup off her missed free throw.  Colby Davis gave the Jags a lead with a free throw, and Candice Williams stretched it to three on another layup.
 
New Orleans took back the lead with 2:41 left in the game on a free throw by Jada Swafford, but Candice Williams then knocked in two free throws for a lead that South Alabama held onto for the rest of the game.  The rest of the Jags' points came on free throws.  After a defensive stop Davis hit two free throws with 1:15 left.  After Swafford made a jumper Williams made another pair of free throws.  New Orleans' Randi Brown missed a three pointer with 22 seconds remaining, and Genesis Perrymond iced the game with her two made free throws.  New Orleans added a basket with less than a second left on the clock.
 
"I thought we were really locked in on defense," said Fowler.  "New Orleans' Randi Brown played a really good game for them, but we finally got a chance to finally slow her down at the end.  I just thought we really paid attention and got down in our stances to guard the ball."
 
South Alabama hit their free throws when it mattered most, making all attempts with less than two minutes left in the game.  The Jags finished the game 13-16 at the line.
 
"I thought our team played aggressive in the second quarter, especially in the fourth quarter," said Fowler.  "We got them in foul trouble late in the game and were able to get to the line to make some free throws.  I just thought overall we were aggressive driving the basketball."
 
The two teams traded baskets for most of the second quarter with three lead changes and one tie in the quarter.  Back-to-back layups by New Orleans gave it a 19-18 lead early in the quarter, and Davis hit a three pointer right afterwards to take back the lead for South Alabama.  Swafford hit two free throws with over four minutes left, and the Privateers held onto the lead heading into halftime.
 
Starting the third quarter South Alabama quickly tied it up on layups by Davis and LaNeetra Guillory.  New Orleans responded with a 6-0 with a layup and four three throws.  South Alabama was able to cut the deficit to two twice on jumpers by Williams.  Brown had the last four points of the quarter for the Privateers and scored 11 total points in the quarter.
 
South Alabama had the lead for the majority of the first quarter.  The Jaguars went on a 7-0 run to take an 11-5 lead, their biggest of the game.  Williams picked off a pass and made a layup all alone that gave South Alabama its first lead.  Davis then made another fast break layup on the next possession, and Erin Autio hit her first shot of the game off the bench, a three pointer.
 
In her second career start Williams had game-highs and career-highs of 18 points, five steals and six assists in addition to four rebounds.  Her five steals all came in the first half and helped the Jags forced the Privateers to 16 of their 22 turnovers in the half.  Williams didn't miss a shot in the second half, going 4-4 from both the field and the line.
 
"Candice was able to use our pick and roll offense to get into the paint a lot," said Fowler.  "She was dropping floaters, and her dribble penetration really set her up for success."
 
Ellis became a big presence in the paint in the second half.  She scored 11 of her 14 points, grabbed six of her nine rebounds and had two of her three rejections and both steals in the half.  She went 5-9 from the field and only sat out three minutes in the half.
 
"Chyna was really aggressive in the second half," said Fowler.  "I thought she was still aggressive in the first half, but her shots weren't falling.  The coaching staff helped get her to change her angles some.  She was playing too far below the block, and we got her to move up and then the shots started to finally fall for her."
 
Davis scored 17 points on 5-9 shooting, going 2-3 from three and 5-6 at the line before fouling out with less than two minutes left in the game.  Davis also dished out five assists and grabbed four rebounds.
 
Autio was a key player off the bench once again for South Alabama.  She scored eight of her 10 points in three-straight shots after entering halfway through the first quarter and made the only other two three pointers for South Alabama.
 
New Orleans ended the game with a slight rebounding advantage (40-35), but South Alabama was able to force it to two more turnovers (22-20) and also had eight more assists (14-6).  12 of the 20 turnovers by the Privateers were steals by the Jags.
 
South Alabama will be back in Jacksonville, Fla. for the second time this season for its next two games.  The Jags will play two games in the Jacksonville Thanksgiving Classic next week and will face North Florida first on Friday at 11:00 a.m. C.T.
 
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).