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CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The South Alabama women's basketball team (2-1) overcame a seven-point deficit at the end of the third quarter, including being down by six with four minutes remaining in the game, to takedown the North Carolina Tar Heels (2-2) 85-84 at Carmichael Arena on Sunday in Chapel Hill, N.C. This is the first victory over an ACC team since Feb. 18, 1987, when the Jags defeated Clemson, 95-86.
 
Trailing by six with four minutes on the clock, USA went on a 6-0 run with three-point baskets by Shaforia Kines and Chyna Ellis to tie the score at 79 all with three minutes to go. After a North Carolina three and the teams trading a pair of two-pointers, the Jags trailed by three with 48 seconds left. Savannah Jones hit a pair of free-throws with 41 seconds remaining to cut the lead to one.
 
After a huge stop and an Antoinette Lewis rebound, the Jags had the ball and were inbounding from half-court after a USA timeout. After inbounding, Lewis dished it to Ellis in the paint and the senior center drained the shot to give USA a one-point lead with six seconds left. UNC's Janelle Cherry fired a three as time expired, but the shot fell short to give the Jags the victory.
 
Ellis scored a career-high 23 points going 9-of-14 from the field, including 3-of-4 from three-point range. Ellis also brought down eight rebounds, recorded two assists, two blocks and a takeaway in the victory.
 
Jones came off the bench to score a career-high 22 points while going 7-of-9 from the field and going 4-of-5 from the three-point arc and the charity stripe. Jones scored 14 of her 22 points in the first quarter, while shooting 100 percent from the field, 5-of-5 overall and 3-for-3 from three-point range. The redshirt freshman also grabbed a career-high seven boards, recording two steals, an assist and a block.
 
Kines had a career-night against the Tar Heels. Kines notched career-highs in points and assists, with 17 and seven, respectively. The sophomore point guard also grabbed eight rebounds, while shooting 50 percent from the field, 7-of-14, and going 3-of-7 from three-point range.
 
Genesis Perrymond shot 3-of-9 from three-point range for nine points, while recording four assists. Lewis grabbed seven rebounds and scored six points.

GAME FACTS
- South Alabama started the game on an 8-0 run after UNC scored the first bucket.
- The Jags dominated the boards in the game outrebounding their ACC foe 37-34.
- USA shot 48.3 percent in the first half, including 41.2 percent from three.
- USA out shot UNC in the second-half 52.9 percent to 46.2, including outshooting them from three 6-of-10 to 2-of-9.
- Jags went 6-for-6 from the charity stripe in the second-half.
- For the game, the Jags were 32-of-63 (50.8) from the field and 13-27 (28.1) shooting the three-ball
- UNC's Paris Kea had 31 points and 11 assists for the first double-double against the Jags since the 2017 Sun Belt Conference tournament.
- USA held the Tar Heels second-best scorer Jamie Cherry to just three points as she went 3-for-4 from the charity stripe and 0-of-10 from the field, including 0-of-6 from three-point range.
- The Jags' bench outscored UNC's 30 to 17.
- UNC had four double-digit scorers to USA's three.
- The Jags shot 47 percent or better in three of the four quarters.

NOTES
- This was the first meeting between the two programs.
- Ellis is four rebounds away from cracking the top-10 in program history.
- Ellis's two blocks brings her career-total to 239, 41 away from becoming the all-time leader in SBC history.
- Ellis and Jones tied their career-high in minutes with 37 and 28 respectively.
- The last time USA defeated a Power-5 conference program in their first meeting was on the road at Oklahoma State on Jan. 2, 2004
- The Jags' 85 points is the most UNC has given up this season. Tar Heel opponents averaged 65 points coming into the contest.

THEY SAID IT
Head Coach Terry Fowler
Opening statement: "We talked about this trip being a building-block for the chance to become the team that we can be. We played well at NC State, but not well enough to get a win. But tonight we laid it all out on the line. Can't say enough about Savannah Jones in the first quarter. She single-handedly put us on her back and we had great leadership the rest of the night."
 
On the win: "We had a big crowd here tonight. We just kept fighting. Every time they tried to jump out in front, we came up with a big play. Then we'd get some stops on the other end. We talked about rebounding being the key and we outrebounded them tonight. It was huge. Shooting 50 percent from the field, you're going to give yourself a chance and you outrebound a team like this it's big. We have to get better at the free-throw line though."
 
Chyna Ellis
On what she was thinking before making the game winning shot: "I was thinking I just have to hit this shot. I got the ball, became unbalanced and it went up and in."
 
On what this win means for the underclassmen: "I think it is good the underclassmen got to experience this win. They [UNC] were a good team and they fought. I think this will use this as a building block for the rest of our season."

On how to keep it rolling after this win: "I don't know. I'm having a hard time just putting this win into words."
 
Shaforia Kines
On what she was feeling during the win on a career-night: "I felt relaxed. I was feeding off the energy from the bench and off the floor. I just wanted to continue to shoot."
 
On the momentum the team can take from this big victory: "We have to continue to stay focused and work hard every day. We have to take the confidence from tonight and continue to play hard the rest of the season."
 
Savannah Jones
On what she was feeling during the first quarter of a career-night: "I had God on my side and I feed off the energy from my teammates and coaches. I was just relaxed and having fun on the court."
 
On how big of a win this is for the team: "I believe it's a huge win because we can carry this over and take confidence as we head towards the rest of the season and conference play. We have to keep building from this win and don't get satisfied with it."

UP NEXT
The Jaguars return home to the Mitchell Center to take on New Orleans on Friday. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

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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—USA—