Box Score

MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama women's basketball team (15-8, 8-4 SBC) made a second-half surge, but came up short against Arkansas State (13-11, 8-5 SBC), 75-60, at the Mitchell Center on Saturday.
 
The Jags trailed by 13 at halftime, and cut the Red Wolves' lead to three behind a Candice Williams three-pointer with 5:54 remaining in the game. However, the Red Wolves went on a 16-4 run to close out the contest.
 
Williams scored a season-high 12 points on a 5-for-10 shooting day from the field, including 2-of-4 on three-point buckets. The senior had a pair of rebounds, assists and lead South Alabama with a pair of steals.
 
Chyna Ellis collected 12 points and shot 5-of-12 from the field. The senior center brought down five boards, recorded three assists and rejected a game-high four shots.
 
Erin Autio scored nine points shooting 3-of-9 from beyond-the-arc, while Antoinette Lewis collected eight points and five rebounds.
 
Jayla Morrow played an impactful 17 minutes on the defensive end and grabbed three boards, assisted on four buckets and rejected a shot.
 
The Red Wolves had three scorers in double-figures, but were led by Jada Ford's and Akasha Westbrook's 20 and 23 respectively. Westbrook shot 8-of-10 from the field and went 7-for-7 from the charity-stripe while she collected a game-high seven rebounds and six steals. Ford recorded four steals and made 6-of-14 shots from the field, including 3-for-6 on three-point attempts.
 
GAME FACTS
- Arkansas State jumped out to a 14-point lead at the end on the first. They went on a 22-5 run to close out the final eight minutes of the quarter.
- The Red Wolves carried their lead over the Jags into halftime as South Alabama outscored them by one, 18-17, in the second.
- USA came out firing in the third making 8-of-13 shots and cut the ASU lead to six heading into the final frame.
- Despite the Jags cutting it one possession half-way through the fourth, the Red Wolves closed it out in the final five minutes to take the matchup.
- South Alabama scored 15 points off turnovers to Arkansas State's 14.
- ASU out rebounded USA 43-34.
- The Jags scored 11 second-chance points off 10 offensive rebounds.
- Arkansas State shot 20 free-throws to South Alabama's nine.
- USA outscored the ASU bench 27-15

NOTES
- Williams collected her first double-figure scoring effort of the season.
- Morrow set career-highs in rebounds, assists and recorded her first block.
- Ellis collected her third-straight game with more than 10 points, 19th such game this season.
- This is the first three-game losing streak for the Jags this season.
- The pair of Arkansas State 20-point scorers is the first time since Jan. 2, 2016, that an opponent had two 20 point scorers.
 
THEY SAID IT
USA head coach Terry Fowler
Opening statement: "We got off to another slow start. We've been a team that has started fast for most of the year, but we got off to a slow start tonight and they took advantage of it and then held on. To our kids credit we fought back, we made it a one-possession game. They made plays when they had to, we missed some shots that we thought were open that we wanted and just didn't fall for us tonight."
 
On the slow start: "We have to get back to the basics, get back and focus. We talked about in the locker room just a few minutes ago, what's important now? Each possession, each rep in practice, how can I help the team get better, how can I help a teammate who is going through a slump right now. Shooting is one of those finicky things; sometimes you talk to shooters, sometimes you don't, sometimes you shoot all the time and sometimes you need to get away from the gym. That's an individual preference and we need to figure it out."
 
On the team's third-quarter rally: "We challenged the kids to come back and fight, and they did; unfortunately, we fell short.  Moving forward as we go on the road this week we've got to take that fight with us up to the Carolinas."
 
UP NEXT
The Jaguars travel to the Carolinas with the first stop on Thursday in Boone, N.C. against Appalachian State. Opening tip is scheduled for 4 p.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).

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—USA—