MOBILE, Ala. - The University of South Alabama women's basketball team exploded in the fourth quarter against the Warhawks of ULM to earn a 77-49 conference win Saturday afternoon at the Mitchell Center.

With the game tied at 44 heading into the fourth quarter, and ULM holding the lead for most of the day it was either teams ballgame. The Jaguar defense stepped up and went into a diamond press to force ULM into dire situations and the turnovers started coming. Savannah Jones and the offense capitalized off of those turnovers and went on a roll, determined to walk away with the win. 

All told, the Jags finished the game on a 47-9 run, outscored the Warhawks 33-5 in the fourth quarter, and shot an outstanding 73.7 percent from the floor in the quarter. Jones was a force on the perimeter for the Jags and put up 11 of her 21 points in the fourth quarter. The sophomore guard finished her day 7-of-15 from the floor and added seven rebounds and two blocks. 

The Jaguars were not going to be denied in the post either. For the game the Jags outscored ULM 52-16 in the paint and didn't allow the Warhawks to get one point down low in the fourth, instead putting up 22 points of their own. Antoinette Lewis was a major factor in that regard. The Jags out rebounded ULM 46-32 with Lewis contributing 14 of those boards, nine on the offensive side of the glass. Lewis posted a career-high 26 points and solidified her fifth double-double of the season. 

The Jags have now won four in a row and sit at 16-3 for the season, and 5-3 in the Sun Belt. 

GAME FACTS
- The Jaguars were shooting .367 from the floor through the first three quarters of the game until they went 14-of-19 from the floor in the fourth to finish up the contest at 47.1 percent. From three the Jags shot 42.9 percent, outpacing the Warhawks on both fronts. ULM shot .327 from the floor and .333 from behind the arc. 
- ULM led by as many as 11 points, and went on a 10-0 run midway through the second quarter to get there; the Warhawks led for more than 25 minutes today. There were five lead changes, and four ties, throughout the game with South taking the final lead on a Jones layup early in the fourth quarter. 
- Coming off a 5-for-5 night from three vs. Louisiana, Shaforia Kines hit 3-of-5 from deep vs. ULM and finished with 15 points. 
- South forced 18 turnovers from ULM and used that to get out front of the Warhawks defense, as they converted on 23 fast break points. Arsula Clark led ULM with four turnovers in the game. 
- Clark was the lone ULM player to reach double figures in scoring this afternoon, finishing the game with 16 points and seven rebounds. 

NOTES
- With the win South Alabama moves to 18-9 all-time vs ULM and have won five straight vs. the Warhawks. The two teams will not meet again in the Sun Belt regular season this year. 
- Damaya Telemaque contributed five assists to the effort, and has now led the Jaguars in assists for the 12th time this season. The freshman guard posted four points and grabbed seven rebounds. 

THEY SAID IT
Head coach Terry Fowler
Opening statement: "We didn't start the game out the way we wanted to. ULM presents a lot of different problems with their motion offense and they were able to get some open looks and make some shots in the first half. Hats off to them. I thought we just needed to relax in the second half. That was the talk at halftime: let's just continue to do better. They came out and knocked down some open threes to start the third quarter. We were able to get some stops and some scores. We set up our diamond press and created some turnovers and scored some easy baskets from that point forward to finish out the fourth quarter on a 33-5 run. I'm proud of the effort and the play in the final 10 minutes of the ballgame. It was a great win at home and we're ready to move forward."

On the 33-5 fourth quarter: "I've never seen anything like that in the fourth quarter where you had a tied ballgame going into the final 10 minutes and we were able to expand the lead like that. I'm glad we did. It was a great effort on offense and defense. The energy picked up. The building was electric; we had a great atmosphere at that point. I'm happy we were able to do that."

On the team being able to see turning points in a game: "That's something we talked about. There's not a light switch, but I was glad there was a switch tonight and we were able to turn it on. It really starts with our defense. We were able to get stops and then we got some easy baskets. We're not typically a pressing team, but we needed to do that tonight. That just created more momentum for us."

Sophomore forward/center Antoinette Lewis
On how the players felt at halftime and in the third quarter: "At halftime in the locker room we were saying that we were not playing our basketball. We were very lax. It felt like we were just going through the motions. We knew that if we wanted to win this game, we needed to step our effort up defensively. That's what we did."

On getting into a rhythm where everything right is happening: "That's what I think gives the team the energy. Like Coach Fowler said, we were able to get into the diamond press. It's fun to see our players who like to press go out there and have fun and do what they like to do and bring the energy and effort that we need." 

On her 26-point performance: "Coach Travis challenged me. She said she needed 40 of something, whether it was points, rebounds, assists, blocks—whatever I could get, she needed 40-something and I tried to give it to her."

UP NEXT
South Alabama remains at home for a Saturday, Feb. 2 matchup with Troy. Tip-off vs. the Trojans is set for 3 p.m. at the Mitchell Center. 

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/WeAreSouth_JAGS. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

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