LARAMIE, Wyo. — The University of South Alabama women's basketball team's season came to an end with a 71-78 loss to the Wyoming Cowgirls in the second round of the Women's National Invitation Tournament on Sunday afternoon at the Arena-Auditorium.
South Alabama outscored the Cowgirls 21-15 to take a two-point lead into halftime, but Wyoming came out firing in the third quarter and shot 50 percent from the floor to take the lead from the Jaguars. The Cowgirls took a seven-point lead into the final quarter of action, but the Jaguars did not go down without a fight.
Christen Carter hit a jumper to put the Jaguars within one of Wyoming with just under six minutes left to play, but that was the closest the Jags got to the Cowgirl's lead in the fourth. Wyoming got hot and went on a 9-0 run that extended their advantage to 10 and they held on for the win.
South Alabama's 2018-19 season comes to an end with the Jags setting the program record for wins in a season with 25.
GAME FACTS
South Alabama hit seven of their last nine field goal attempts but Wyoming matched that by nailing six of their last seven shots from the floor and by going 7-of-8 from the free-throw line in crunch time. Marta Gomez of Wyoming went for a game-high 22 points and shot 7-of-12 from the floor.
Savannah Jones hit a pair of back-to-back three pointers in the second quarter that put the Jags up 31-23. That eight-point lead was the highest advantage the Jags had on the day. Jones went 4-of-9 from behind the arc and became South Alabama's all-time single season leader in made three-pointers with 81 for the year. Shaforia Kines knocked down two threes on the day, finishing with 75 on the season and fourth all-time on the same list as Jones. Jones finished with 14 points, while Kines finished with a team-high 15 for the Jaguars.
South Alabama outscored Wyoming 28-20 in the paint thanks in large part to Antoinette Lewis and Kennedi Centers. Lewis posted her 13th double-double of the season with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Lewis shot 7-of-13 from the floor this afternoon and finishes up the season with an outstanding .584 field-goal percentage and is tied for second on the all-time single season list with that mark.
Centers went for 12 points and went 2-for-2 from behind the arc, with both threes coming in crucial moments for the Jags. Centers fouled out of the game with 4:29 left to play in the fourth quarter.
South Alabama turned the ball over just 13 times in the game, but the Cowgirls capitalized off the mistakes for 20 points off turnovers in the game.
The Jaguars and Wyoming shot pretty even for the game. South Alabama went 27-for-61 (.443) from the floor and 8-of-18 (.444) from the three point line, while Wyoming shot 26-of-54 (.481) from the floor and 7-of-18 (.389) from three. Wyoming made 10 more free throws than the Jags as they went 19-for-25 from the charity stripe.
NOTES
Damaya Telemaque had four assists for the ballgame to lead the Jaguars in helpers for the 19th time this season. Telemaque finished with seven points and five rebounds.
Christen Carter played in her last game for the Jaguars and went 4-for-9 from the floor to finish with nine points, five rebounds, and one assist.
This was the first ever matchup between the two programs. The Jaguars won their opening round of the WNIT for the first time in program history to get to this second round matchup with the Cowgirls.
THEY SAID IT
Head Coach Terry Fowler
On the atmosphere, the crowd, and the game today: "No doubt. Great atmosphere and a hostile environment here. Our kids fought until the buzzer went off. I couldn't be more proud of them today and throughout the season. This is what we have done. We went against a great Wyoming team. They made their free-throws down the stretch. We had the spurt where we couldn't score and they were able to get some easy buckets. Tip my hat to them, but I'm so proud of our kids."
On the season: "Everyone kept saying when are you guys going to get tired. At breakfast this morning, the kids were up, energetic, ready to go. We just kept bouncing back. Right now, our kids are hurting, we really thought we had a chance to come in here and win the ballgame."
On next season with four starters coming back: "Yeah, were optimistic. But I always tell people, "Hey, this year is this year and next year is next year." Roles change, those types of things that happens. We have to come out and play every year as it's a new year.
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).
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—
