Box Score - Troy 62, South Alabama 49 (.pdf)

NEW ORLEANS – The University of South Alabama women's basketball team – seeded fifth – led by eight at the intermission, but struggled offensively in the second half as fourth-seeded Troy rallied back Wednesday afternoon to pick up a 62-49 win over the Jags in the quarterfinal round of the 2016 Sun Belt Conference Championships held at Lakefront Arena in New Orleans, La.  

South Alabama (15-15) made just eight field goals and committed 14 of its 31 turnovers over the final two periods of play.  Troy (18-12) converted those extra opportunities into 22 points.  The Trojans used a pressure style defense to cause the Jags problems as they ended the game with 23 steals, the first time a USA opponent has had 20 or more steals since Troy had 20 last season against the Jags on Feb. 12, 2015.  

The 23 steals by Troy were a season-high and also tied a school record.  Four players ended the game with four or more steals, led by Claresa Banks, who had five.  Ashley Beverly Kelley, Arjae' Saunders and Caitlyn Ramirez each had four steals apiece.

"I am very disappointed with how the game ended for us," South Alabama head coach Terry Fowler said.  "I thought the first half, we had the pace we wanted.  We were wanting to keep the in the low sixties.  We told our team at the half that (Troy) was going to bring it.  Unfortunately, we couldn't score in the second half.  Early in the third quarter, our defense tapered out from that.  We kept hanging in there and we kept telling our team it was the exact same way it was at our place in February to just keep grinding and believing. Troy put a couple of finishing baskets that really put the nail in the coffin for us and we just didn't have an answer for that."

The Jaguars' '15-16 season most likely comes to an end with the loss, while the Trojans advance to take on top-seeded Arkansas State in the semifinals on Friday at 11:30 a.m.

Colby Davis and Juliann Miller led the way offensively for South Alabama in the loss with 11 points apiece, while Marquita Daniels had 10 points and a team-high four steals.  

Chyna Ellis led the club with three blocks, giving her 82 for the season and 138 for her career, moving her into fourth on USA's career list, passing former Jag Orphie Moore (137 – 1984-87).

USA finished the game 19-for-53 from the field for 35.8 percent, but hit just two of its 15 attempts from beyond the three-point line.  

The Trojans placed four players in double figures, led by Beverly Kelley's 18-point effort.  The first-team all-SBC selection was just 5-of-20 from the floor, but hit eight over nine attempts at the foul line, including all four in the closing seconds.  As a team, Troy was a perfect 10-for-10 at the charity stripe in the final two minutes, 49 seconds to extend its lead from seven to 13 and seal the win.  For the game, the Trojans knocked down 20 of their 23 attempts at the foul line, while USA managed to get to the stripe just 12 times.

Both teams came out slow to start the game, combining for just 12 total points in the first seven-plus minutes.  With Troy holding a one-point advantage, South Alabama rattled off seven-straight points over a minute-and-a-half stretch.  Miller began the scoring with a jumper in the lane.  On USA's next trip down the floor, Erin Autio drained a three-pointer from the right corner.  With under a minute to play in the quarter, Ellis banked in a jumper from the free-throw line to put USA up 13-7

South Alabama shot 43 percent during the first 10 minutes of play and held the Trojans to just 19 percent shooting.

Taylor Jenkins scored USA's first six points of the second quarter and helped the Jaguars extend their lead out to nine (19-10) after a pair of free throws almost three minutes into the period.

The Jags were able to stretch out their lead as a result of their defense.  USA held Troy without a field goal over a five-plus minute stretch spanning the end of the first and start of the second.  Beverly-Kelley ended a streak of nine-straight misses with a jumper at the 7:44 mark of the second.

Following the two free throws, Troy would reel of seven-straight points and cut the deficit to 19-17 with five minutes, 22 seconds showing after a trey by Clarissa Banks from the left wing.

At the other end of the floor though, Genesis Perrymond found Ellis open underneath for a bucket to give USA the momentum back.  Less than a minute later, Perrymond found Autio open for a layup in transition and Davis then hit one of two at the line to put South Alabama back up by seven (24-17).

The Trojans would again make it a one possession game after a pair of free throws by Jayla Chills, but USA closed strong, ending the half on a 5-0 mini-run.  Daniels stole the ball just inside the half-court line and raced for a layup.  On the Jaguars next possession, Daniels found Miller open in the right corner for a three, giving USA a 29-21 advantage.

After shooting 40.7 percent in the first half, the Jaguar offense struggled in the third.  South Alabama would only score four total points in the period – tying a season-low – and hit just two of its 14 shot attempts, while committing six turnovers.  

South Alabama was unable to extend its halftime lead out in the opening minutes of the quarter as it hit just one of its first 10 shots out of the locker room.  

With USA leading 31-23 after a bucket by Miller at the 6:40 mark, Ramirez pulled down one of Troy's 19 offensive rebounds and ignited a 14-2 run by the Trojans with a layup.  Banks added two more three-pointers during the run and Troy retook the lead after five-straight points by Beverly Kelley.  Beverly Kelley's and-one play with one minute 37 seconds capped off the scoring and game the Trojans a 37-33 advantage.

Troy continued to pressure the Jags on defense, forcing USA to turn the ball over five of its first eight possessions of the fourth quarter and limiting the Jags from gaining any momentum.  The Trojan lead would grow to as much as 10 in the period after Casie Johnson's layup at the 7:20 mark stretched things out to 47-37.

South Alabama continued to fight back and pulled within seven on two occasions, the last coming with three minutes, 32 seconds showing on the clock, but that would be as close as the Jags would get as the Trojans held USA scoreless over the next three minutes and sealed the win at the line, making all 10 of their free throw attempts.

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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