MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama's women's basketball team (10-19, 5-13) sent out senior Colby Davis in winning fashion on senior day with a 71-49 victory over Arkansas State (6-24, 4-14) on Saturday afternoon at the Mitchell Center.  The Jaguars distanced themselves from the Red Wolves with a 10-0 run near the end the third quarter as they led by double-digits for almost the last 13 minutes of the game.
 
"We talked a lot yesterday in our practice coming into this game about winning on Senior Day; that is something that we always want to do," said South Alabama head coach Terry Fowler.  "We told our young ladies that everyone in the room is going to be a senior at some point, so play as hard as you want the players to play for you on your night.  We went out and did that today, I am extremely proud of that."
 
The win over Arkansas State moved South Alabama up from No. 11 to 10 in the conference standings, and as the #10 seed in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament it will face #7 seed Georgia State in the first round at Lakefront Arena in New Orleans on Tuesday at 5:00 p.m.  The Jags split the season series with the Panthers, defeating them on the road handedly 77-47 on Jan. 7th and losing at home 55-45 on Jan. 26th.
 
"It was very important (to get a win today)," said Fowler.  We've played decent our last five ball games, we just need to go out and play.  This was good preparation this week with Arkansas State and Little Rock as we head over to the conference tournament on Tuesday."
 
Chyna Ellis broke another school record for blocks during the game. With a game-high five rejections she now has 87 blocks on the season for the most in a single-season in program history, moving past LaSandra Jenkins' 1983 total of 86 rejections.  Already the all-time leader in blocks just as a junior, she has 225 career rejections.
 
South Alabama never trailed in the game and blew the game open in the third quarter by outscoring Arkansas State 16-6.  The Jags held the Red Wolves to 2-13 (15.4%) shooting from the field and 1-5 (20.0%) from three in the quarter with four turnovers.  The teams traded baskets to start the second half as Davis hit two three-pointers.  Ellis started the Jags' 10-0 run with a pair of free throws as South Alabama held Arkansas State without a field goal for the last four and a half minutes of the quarter.  Shaforia Kines hit consecutive three's, and Candice Williams added a pair of free throws in the following possession for a 16-point lead.
 
"I thought in the third quarter we did a really good job of executing the game plan," said Fowler.  "We were trying to switch all of their dribble-drive actions and we contested shots.  I think we had two or three steals in a row that led to transition baskets, that was big in giving us separation.  That's the one thing we haven't done, we haven't gotten easy baskets, and tonight we were able to convert three-on-two, two-on-one and pitch ahead's.  We made some great plays and finished."
 
The Jags were red-hot in the fourth quarter, going 9-11 (81.8%) from the field as they outscored the Red Wolves 22-15.  Arkansas State cut its deficit to 11 points at 51-40 with a quick 6-0 run.  The Jags' lead floated from 15-11 points before they ended the game with an 11-0 run at the end of a streak of eight-straight made field goals.
 
LaNeetra Guillory knocked down a jumper on a pass from Williams in the beginning of the quarter to start the streak and then made a layup on a dish from Genesis Perrymond.  In the next two possessions Kines hit a jumper and Ellis got a wide-open layup off another drive and dish by Perrymond. Davis then made a three-pointer from a pass by Williams, and Ellis got another layup off a drive and pass by Perrymond.  Ellis would get another layup created by Perrymond, and Davis added a layup herself in the next possession off a steal.  Perrymond split a pair of free throws and Ellis made a jumper to close out the game.
 
"I thought we got off to a good start in the first half and was able to finish from that point.  We really passed the ball well — 20 assist on 26 baskets is an outstanding day — and defensively, what else can you say when you hold a team under 50 [points]?  Today we were able to put the ball in the basket and see the results."
 
It was an even first quarter between the two teams with Arkansas State never letting South Alabama get more than a four-point lead, and the Jags went into the second quarter leading 12-11.  Guillory was a perfect 3-3 from the field and 2-2 from the charity stripe as she had eight points in the quarter.  Davis got assists on two of Guillory's field goals and on the first basket of the game, a layup by Williams.
 
The offense started to pick up in the second quarter for both teams.  Arkansas State went 5-13 (38.5%) from the field and 1-4 from three but made all six free throw attempts for 17 points.  South Alabama went 8-14 (57.1%) from the field and 5-7 (71.4%) from three but missed all five attempts at the line.
 
Erin Autio began the quarter with a three-pointer off a pass by Williams.  After nearly a three minute scoreless streak by both teams, Williams made a corner three as the Jags led by at least two possessions for the rest of the first half.  Davis got a three and layup in consecutive possessions, and then Kines made a three after Kennedi Centers made a layup off Perrymond's pass.  The Red Wolves last six points in quarter came from the free throw line as the Jags entered halftime with a 33-28 lead.
 
"We talked about it in the locker room right before we came out," said Fowler.  "What is it that we need to do as we finish the warm ups to start the game off fast?  I don't know that we did anything different, but luckily the ball was going in the basket and we didn't have that tense moment where everybody is waiting for us to score.  We played off of that and had a lot of confidence, and once people saw the ball going in the basket Sha[foria] Kines gave us big, big three's and Colby was awesome; everybody saw that confidence, it was contagious."
 
The Jags set numerous season-highs on offense:  field goal percentage (52.0% on 26-52), field goal percentage in the second half (61.9% on 13-21), three-pointers made (10) and three-point field goal percentage (58.8%).  They also tied season-highs in assists (20) and also steals (14), set in the previous matchup against the Red Wolves.
 
Four different Jags scored in double-figures: Davis (20 points), Kines (14), Guillory (12) and Ellis (10).  Davis had one of her statistically best games in her career.  She set a new career-high in steals (five) and tied career-highs in field goals made (seven), made three-pointers (four) and blocks (one).  Shooting an efficient 70% from the field and 80% from three, she also dished out five assists and had four rebounds.
 
Kines set career-highs in points, made field goals (five) and made three's (four), tied a career-high in steals (two) and also had three rebounds, two steals and an assist.  Guillory tied a season-high in points and made field goals by going 5-7 from the field and 2-2 at the line and in addition pulled down four defensive rebounds.  Ellis also had six rebounds and two steals.
 
Williams set a new career-high in assists (seven) and also scored seven points.  Perrymond dished out six assists and grabbed a game-high seven rebounds.
 
The 2017 Sun Belt Conference Men's and Women's Basketball Championships are scheduled for a week of March Madness in the Big Easy.  New Orleans will once again be home to the two championships that will take place at Lakefront Arena from March 7-12 and ticket books can now be purchased from your our ticket office.  For more information, visit the Sun Belt Conference's championship central websites - Men's Championship – Women's Championship – and be sure to follow the @FunBelt on social media - @SunBelt.
 
Join the Hardwood Club, the women's basketball specific support club of the Jaguar Athletic Fund. All gifts to the Hardwood Club go directly to support the South Alabama women's basketball program. For more information on how you can join visit:  http://jaguarathleticfund.com/sports/2013/3/13/Hardwood%20Club.aspx?id=28
 
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).