Game 12 • South Alabama Jaguars (11-0, 0-0 SBC) vs. Appalachian State (6-5, 0-0 SBC) January 3, 2019 • 5:30 p.m. (CST) • Holmes Center • BOONE, N.C.
THE COACHES
South Alabama
Terry Fowler, (Lane [Tenn.], '86)
Record at USA: 71-92, 35-59 SBC (6)
Overall: 278-270 (20)
vs. Appalachian State: 4-3
Appalachian State
Head Coach: Angel Elderkin (Southern Maine, '99)
Record at App State: 50-83 (29-49)
Overall: 50-83 (29-49)
vs. South Alabama: 3-4
LAST GAME
The University of South Alabama women's basketball team won the FIU Holiday Tournament beating Florida International 81-74 in double-overtime on Friday afternoon at the Ocean Bank Convocation Center.
The Jags took a ten-point lead into halftime before letting the Panthers climb back into the game. FIU eventually took a six-point lead in the fourth quarter and the game went back-and-forth before heading into overtime.
After a shaky start to the first overtime period, Antoinette Lewis layed in a bucket to tie the game up with 0.8 seconds on the clock to take it into double-overtime. The Jags scored the first-seven points in the second overtime period and held on for the win.
NEXT GAME
South Alabama heads to Coastal Carolina for a Sun Belt tilt on Jan. 5. Tip off vs. the Chanticleers is set for 1.pm. (CST) at the HTC Center in Conway, S.C.
MULTIMEDIA
Watch: AppStateSports.com
Radio: 99.5 The Jag FM
Live Stats: USAJaguars.com
Live Audio: USAJaguars.com
Live Video: USAJaguars.com
SERIES NOTES
South Alabama owns a 5-4 record all-time vs Appalachian State. Since 2015, when the Mountaineers joined the Sun Belt, South leads the series 4-3, taking four in a row from Jan. 30, 2016 to Jan. 20 2018.
App State broke the four-game streak on Feb. 15 last season, beating south 56-57 in OT at home. The team's two matchups last season were decided by a total of three points.
OPENING TIP
South Alabama (11-0) heads into the contest against Appalachian State with the programs second-best start in history, and an eleven-game win streak in a single season for just the fifth time ever. The Jaguars remain one of the seven last remaining undefeated teams in division one and received 13 votes in the week 9 USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll.
The Jags swept its non-non-conference slate for the first time in program history, beating teams from nine-different conferences, and notching its first road win against a SEC team since 1986.
Savannah Jones played a major part in the Jags staying undefeated, on December 20th against New Mexico State Jones completed a game-winning four-point play with two seconds to play to defeat the Aggies 68-67.
Jones is averaging 13 points per game, and is third in the Sun Belt in three-point field-goal percentage (.458) and three-pointers made per game (2.7). Jones was named tournament MVP of the FIU Holiday tournament after hitting the game-winning shot against New Mexico State and going for 19 points and eight rebounds against Florida International. For the tournament Jones shot 9-of-16 from beyond the arc and averaged 17 points and 6.5 rebounds.
Shaforia Kines was named to the all-tournament team in Miami. Kines averaged 17.5 points and 5.5 rebounds per game including a team-high 19 against New Mexico State. Kines leads the Jags in Minutes played (32.0) and with 14.4 points per game.
Lewis dominated the non-conference schedule for the Jaguars. Capped off by back-to-back double-doubles at the FIU tournament Lewis put up 4 double-doubles in 11 games, was named Sun Belt Player of the week twice, and has averaged 14.3 points per game and 9.0 rebounds per game. Lewis' .649 field-goal percentage ranks 10th in the NCAA.
The Jaguars 74.5 points per game and 60.9 points allowed per game ranks them third in the Sun Belt, and rank first in field-goal percentage (.458), field-goal percentage defense (.346), blocked shots (4.6), and three-pointers made per game (7.9).
Appalachian State (6-5) is coming off a 48-87 loss to Clemson on December 21. Madi Story leads the Mountaineers in scoring with 11.5 points per game and in steals at 11 while Bayley Plummer leads App State in rebounds at 10.3 per game and blocks with 11. The Mountaineers are shooting .378 from the floor, .272 from three, and .636 from the free-throw line.
App State finished ninth in the Sun Belt last season with a 5-13 conference record, losing to Little Rock on day two of the conference tournament.
They Said It
Head Coach Terry Fowler
On Appalachian State: "App State has great size on the post, and the perimeter, so the concern is their guards posting up our smaller guards. They really play pack-line defense, similar to what we do and they really want to get out and push the ball as fast as they can. They are going to pick us up in the full court, on the point guard. They do a great job, have some explosive kids that can score the basketball."
On the break and getting back to it: "It was great, I think we needed that time off, so that was good for us. Now we're ready to play and get back in it. One thing about it, these will be the fastest two months of the year coming up. It's non-stop."
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). Join the South Circle, the unrestricted giving option of the University of South Alabama Athletics. Contributions to South Circle directly support all 17 sports in addition to various support programming. For more information on how you can join visit: http://jaguarathleticfund.com/give
—USA—