MOBILE, Ala. – Rutgers scored nine of the game's first 10 points in the opening two minutes Tuesday in earning a 77-56 non-conference women's basketball victory over the University of South Alabama in the season opener for both teams at the Mitchell Center.

Arella Guirantes scored 27 points and Tekia Mack added 21 — along with 11 rebounds — to lead the Scarlet Knights, who connected on nearly 52 percent in the opening half while limiting the Jaguars to just 3-of-21 shooting from three-point range in the contest.  Khadaizha Sanders recorded eight points, nine boards and three steals for RU as well.

Shaforia Kines and Damaya Telemaque paced the Jaguars with 15 points apiece, while Antoinette Lewis posted a double-double after scoring 14 points and grabbing 16 rebounds.  South held a 43-42 edge on the glass and committed only nine turnovers, but shot just over 27 percent from the floor.

GAME FACTS
-The Scarlet Knights jumped out to a 9-1 lead in the opening two minutes and were up 19-6 at the end of the first quarter.
-RU extended the lead to 18 points in the second quarter to take a 39-21 advantage to the locker room at the break.
-South missed its first 10 shots from the field, making only one field goal in the opening period while shooting 24 percent from the floor in the first half.
-The Jaguars trailed by 11, 52-41, at the end of three quarters after outscoring the Scarlet Knights by seven in the period.
-A 10-1 run early in the fourth quarter helped Rutgers pull away, with the Scarlet Knights limiting the Jags to 3-of-16 shooting from the floor over the final 10 minutes.
-RU scored 44 points in the paint while recording 22 on fast breaks.

NOTES
-This was the first meeting between the two programs.
-Rutgers' C. Vivian Stringer — beginning her 25th season with the Scarlet Knights — earned her 500th victory at the school.
-It marked the 20th time since the start of the 2017-18 season that Lewis has posted 10 or more rebounds, while the double-double was the 17th of her career.
-Kines has now scored in double figures on 40 occasions in her time at South as she has recorded 10-plus points in six of the last seven contests dating back to last season.
-It marked the fifth time since the start of last year that Telemaque has led the Jaguars or shared team-high scoring honors.
-Making her first career start, Jala Buster recorded career highs with six boards and a game-high-tying three steals.
-It was the first time since the regular-season finale last winter that the Jaguars have finished with fewer than 10 turnovers.
-The Jaguars' 38 free-throw attempts were the most they have shot since going to the line 43 times in a Nov. 21, 2005, victory over Southern Miss at the Mitchell Center.
-USA's three three-pointers were the fewest made by the team at home since connecting on three against Little Rock on Jan. 12 last season.
-The Jags were held under 30 percent shooting from the field just once last year.

THEY SAID IT
Head coach Terry Fowler
Opening statement: "I definitely want to congratulate Rutgers on the win and Coach Stringer on getting her 500th victory at the school.  Rutgers did the same thing they did last year, they were really good in the first and fourth quarters.  We were trying to just weather the storm in the first quarter, but we weren't able to do it as well as I would've liked.  We really came back and fought in the second and third quarters, I couldn't be more proud of how our team came out of halftime and cut the deficit to single digits to give ourselves an opportunity.  They always say that it is easy to come back but tough to come back and win; we spent so much energy during the comeback that they were able to go on a run and give themselves some breathing room.  We played makeshift lineups, we got in early foul trouble in the post and we had kids playing out of position, there were only so many things we could do offensively when that happens but I couldn't be more proud of our team's fight and effort.  We'll learn so much from this game tonight that can carry us through the rest of the season."
On how the team got back into the game in the third quarter: "I thought we got stops, and once we got stops we were able to push the ball.  We told our team at halftime that we weren't pushing the ball, whether it's off misses or makes we need to play in a flow with pace but we were walking the ball up and were stagnant.  Once we started getting stops and were able to push the ball, we didn't see the press so they couldn't slow us down that way.  It really started on the defensive end of the floor, that's what got us going."
On what he thinks the team can learn from the game: "When we play how we are capable of playing we're a good team, we don't need to hang our heads.  We have a quick turnaround heading into the WNIT on Friday so we don't have time to wallow in this game, we have to move forward and get ready to go.  Coming into this game if you had told me that we would have nine turnovers and were going to shoot 38 free throws and outrebound them I would've liked our chances.  Unfortunately it didn't go our way."
On being tested early in the season: "It's not a bad thing.  This stretch we have coming up is going to test us, UAB is one of the best mid-majors in the country; they are battle tested and really good on their home floor.  But that's why players come here, we want this schedule because this is fun.  The practices and preparation for these types of games make it worthwhile."

Senior G Shaforia Kines
On facing Rutgers' pressure: "It was tough because they are kind of long, we had to find ways to get the ball through and not try to pass over them.  I thought we did a good job of handling their pressure."
On what the team can use moving forward: "Offensively we have to move the ball more.  I thought we did pretty well defensively."

Up next: South opens up play in the Preseason WNIT at UAB on Friday, with opening tip scheduled for 4 p.m. (CST) at Bartow Arena.

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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