MOBILE, Ala. – Savannah Jones recorded one season high after scoring 26 points and matched another with nine rebounds Thursday to help lead the University of South Alabama to a 78-63 Sun Belt Conference women's basketball win over Louisiana at the Mitchell Center.

In addition to finishing 8-of-14 from the floor, Jones made all five attempts from three-point range and was 5-of-5 from the foul line to along with five assists as the Jaguars improved to 11-11 overall and 6-4 in league play.  Shaforia Kines chipped in with 16 points and Antoinette Lewis added 13, while Jaylen Mallard grabbed 10 rebounds and Kennedi Centers supplied nine.

The Ragin' Cajuns (13-8, 6-4 SBC) were led by Ty'Reona Doucet, who just missed a double-double after recording 19 points and nine rebounds, with Brandi Williams contributing 14 points as well.

South Alabama 78, Louisiana 63 (box score)

GAME FACTS
-Jones connected on three threes in the final minute and 16 seconds to give the Jags a 21-10 lead at the end of the first quarter.
-South used a 6-0 spurt midway through the second period to extend its advantage to 20 points before going to the break up 42-24.
-The Ragin' Cajuns cut into the lead and were down 55-41 at the end of three quarters after holding the Jaguars to 4-of-12 shooting in the period.
-UL opened the final quarter with an 8-0 run in the first 58 seconds to make it a six-point game, but Centers and Jones completed three-point plays in a 23-second span to get the lead back to double digits.
-The Jags ended up with a 40-29 rebounding edge.
-The Ragin' Cajuns were just 3-of-17 from beyond the three-point arc.

NOTES
-The win was the Jaguars' 40th in the series, as they now have claimed 23 of 28 meetings between the two teams in Mobile.
-It was the first time this year that South has faced a Sun Belt opponent in a rematch after the Ragin' Cajuns claimed a 73-68 win in Lafayette on Jan. 9.
-The Jags outrebounded the opposition for the first time since a Jan. 16 win at Georgia State, while it marked the first occasion they have finished with a double-figure advantage on the boards since recording a 51-36 edge at East Tennessee State on Dec. 20.
-UL's 17.6 percent mark from three-point range was the lowest against the Jaguars this season.
-It was the third time in the last five outings — and sixth occasion this season — has Jones scored 20-plus points.
-Jones never led all players in assists her first 90 games with the program, but she has now turned the trick in each of USA's last two contests.
-Lewis has now recorded 10 or more points in nine straight games, the longest current streak on the team.
-Mallard posted a new career high in rebounds, as it was the first time in her career she has reached double digits in the category.
-Making her first start since the Jags defeated William Carey on Dec. 17, Centers matched her previous season-best total on the boards first set in a Jan. 11 victory over ULM.
-Damaya Telemaque matched Jones for game-high honors in assists after posting a season-best total in the category.

THEY SAID IT
Head coach Terry Fowler
Opening statement: "We got off to a fast start, which was something we talked about in pregame.  The score was the exact opposite of what it was at their place to end the first quarter.  I thought we did a really good job of opening up the game with a play inside, and then we were able to kind of play off of Savannah and Antoinette in the first quarter.  But defensively is where the game was won for us; we held them to 63 points, and that is where we need to hold opponents to — somewhere in the low 60s. It was just a great job and total team effort.  I am so excited for Savannah.  We just shot the lights out today.  Jaylen Mallard came in and really contributed tonight while Antoinette was in foul trouble."
On the team's fast start: "We have to make sure that we get off to some fast starts, because if our offense is going then we tend to play a little better defense.  Today we were able to get it going, and we just feed off of that and play from there.  It's crucial that we do that.  We told the team before the game that we just have to bounce back from Saturday's game, and keep chewing and keep going for 40 minutes tonight.  I thought we really exemplified the examples we tried to give them in pregame today."
On rebounding: "We were gang rebounding.  We got nine rebounds from a guard, Jaylen Mallard comes in and gets 10 rebounds — I just thought we had a balanced attack of everybody going to the glass, and that was critical for us."
On team's three-point defense: "I thought we did a good job of taking up space, and did a really great job of just guarding personnel.  We got out on their shooters to make it difficult for them, and they weren't as open as they were at their place."

Redshirt junior Savannah Jones
On her performance: "They went under a couple of screens, and I just saw the space and took the shots.  I usually don't get that much space.  I was open so I just let it go."
On her rebounding: "It's honestly just effort.  Coach talked to us before the game and told us that our guards need to rebound more, so I made a conscious effort to go and find somebody and get the rebound."

Up next: South will visit ULM at noon (CST) on Saturday in the first of three straight road contests.

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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