MOBILE, Ala. – Shaforia Kines scored a career-best 29 points on Thursday, but it was not enough to prevent the University of South Alabama from dropping a 74-62 non-conference women's basketball game to Alabama at the Mitchell Center.

The senior guard connected on 8-of-14 field goals, including hitting 6-of-12 from three-point range, while handing out four assists and adding three steals for the Jaguars (1-4).  Savannah Jones was 4-of-10 from long range as well in adding 15 points, and Antoinette Lewis finished with nine rebounds to pace South on the glass.

Cierra Johnson recorded a team-high 16 points and added eight rebounds for the Crimson Tide, who improved to 3-1.  Jasmine Walker just missed a double-double after collecting nine points and a game-best 11 rebounds.

Alabama 74, South Alabama 62 (box score)

GAME FACTS
-After the Jags tied the score 8-8 on a Kines three-pointer, they were held without a field goal over the final five-and-a-half minutes of the first period and were down 23-11 at the end of the opening quarter.
-South trailed by as many as 18 points midway through the second period, but was down just 41-30 at the half with Kines scoring eight of the team's last 11 points over the final two-and-a-half minutes before the break.
-The Crimson Tide scored 11 of the last 13 points of the third quarter to extend its margin to a 57-40 advantage heading to the final period.
-Alabama finished with a 49-29 rebounding edge while outscoring the Jags 46-10 in the paint.
-The Tide's reserves outscored South's bench by a 40-1 margin.

NOTES
-Alabama now owns a 22-5 advantage in the all-time series after ending a Jaguar three-game win streak.
-South connected on a season-high 11 three-point field goals, while its 42.3 percentage from beyond the arc was also the team's best figure thus far this year.
-The Jaguars also finished the night with a season-best eight blocks, with both Jones and Lewis contributing three apiece.
-It was the second time in the last three outings that USA has limited to opposition below 20 percent shooting from behind the three-point line.
-Kines has now finished in double figures in four of the Jaguars' first five outings this year.
-It was the first time since the senior posted 23 points in a win over Troy at the Sun Belt Conference Tournament on March 14 last year that she has scored more than 20 points in a contest.
-Not only did Jones equal her season high with the four three-pointers, the three blocks were the most she has recorded in her career.
-Lewis was one rebound shy of reaching double digits in the category for the fifth time in as many games this season.

THEY SAID IT
Head coach Terry Fowler
Opening statement: "I thought Alabama came out and was very aggressive on the defensive end of the floor, they were able to take away a lot of the things that we wanted to do offensively. In the second half we were able to settle down and do the things that we wanted to do coming into the game — drive, pitch and shoot three-point jump shots.  We weren't able to get the ball inside to Antoinette like we wanted to, they did a good job pinching down on her and showing double teams.  The key stat in the game was rebounding, they out rebounded us by 20.  It was evident that their bigger bodies wore down on us as the game went along."
On the positives the team can take from the game: "We shot the ball well.  We have been struggling to shoot the ball and tonight we shot the ball well from the three-point line.  In the second half we settled down, which gave us an opportunity to execute.  The fight and competitiveness of this team is something that will always be present when we step out onto the court."
On Shaforia Kines: "Sha had been playing well the first two games of the season before she hit a little lull, so it was good to see her get back to playing the way that she is capable of performing for this team.  She played a lot of minutes for us tonight.  On offense she dealt with the press majority of the game and then on defensive towards the end of the game she provided pressure in our press.  Overall, it was good to see her back in form."

Up next: South will return to action with a 7 p.m. (CST) game against Mobile Tuesday 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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—USA—