AUBURN, Ala. – Unique Thompson finished with 21 points and 14 rebounds on Sunday to lead Auburn to a 74-66 non-conference women's basketball victory over the University of South Alabama at Auburn Arena.

Annie Hughes and Sania Wells added 11 points each for the Tigers (4-1), while Kira Lowery scored 10.  The Tigers connected on 8-of-11 three-pointers after missing their first 11 attempts from long range.

Antoinette Lewis also recorded a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds for the Jaguars (3-2), with both Devyn Lowe and Mahogany Vaught supplying 13 points apiece and Jadona Davis chipping in with 10.  Vaught also contributed eight steals and six assists in the contest.

Auburn 74, South Alabama 66 (box score)

GAME FACTS
-South hit its first four attempts from three-point range in the opening two minutes and 45 seconds in building a 12-2 lead, and was ahead 17-12 at the end of the first period.
-The Jag advantage grew to 12, 24-12, as they held the Tigers without a field goal over the first six minutes of the second quarter before USA took a 34-28 lead to the locker room.
-AU used a 13-2 run late in the third period to go ahead 53-50 at the end of the quarter.
-The Tigers made 9-of-11 shots at the free-throw line while limiting USA to three field goals in the final period.
-The Jaguars made seven three-point field goals in the first half but were 0-of-10 from beyond the arc after the intermission.
-Auburn forced South into 21 turnovers while outrebounding the Jags by a 44-37 margin.

NOTES
-This was the first meeting in Auburn between the two teams since Dec. 2, 2010, a contest that was also decided by a single-digit margin.
-It was the first time this season that the Jaguars were on the road.
-Lewis recorded her third double-double of the year and the 35th of her career with the effort.
-Vaught — who has now scored in double figures in each of her four appearances this season — tied the third-highest steal total in a game in the school's record books, as it was the first time a Jaguar has been credited with eight or more since JoAnna Williams did so at Florida International on Feb. 16, 2006.
-Her assist total also matched a career high first set in a Dec. 17, 2018, win over Faulkner.
-It was Lowe's first outing with 10-plus points since posting a career-best 22 against Tulane on Dec. 1, which was also her most recent outing with multiple three-point field goals prior to facing the Tigers.
-Davis' three contests with a double-digit point total rank third on the team.
-Jayla Morrow has now made more than one three-pointer in two of the last three outings, a feat she accomplished once in her final 11 appearances of the 2019-20 season.

THEY SAID IT
Head coach Terry Fowler
On the team's start to the game: "It was very important that we get off to a fast start, three-pointers are a crucial part of our offense and we were able to knock down some open ones early.  And I thought we were really good on the defensive end to start the game."
On the difference in the third quarter: "We had opportunities — some three-on-two and two-on-one situations — where we could've extended the lead or kept them at bay that we didn't take advantage of, and then they were able to go down and convert.  They started making three-pointers as well and we didn't make any the entire second half, that was huge."
On what he learned about the team in the game: "What this team showed me today is that we can fight.  We were down two of our bigger guards without Casey Ferguson and Savannah Jones, who would've given us some length against their size.  Once we get them back in the lineup and in the flow of things I feel good about this team.  They are coming together, you can see the camaraderie and the fight.  We played until there were triple zeroes on the scoreboard and the horn blew, I was proud of the fight although it was not the result we wanted.  We'll learn from this game and move on to be ready to play UNO a week from today."

Up next: The Jaguars close out non-conference action with a noon (CST) tip at New Orleans next Sunday.

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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