Box Score MOBILE, Ala. – Despite Jaylin Powell's 23 points and 12 rebounds, the University of South Alabama women's basketball team fell to Louisiana 71-64 at the Mitchell Center on Saturday. 

Powell's efforts were aided by Nadia Howard who posted 22 points and six rebounds. Combined, the duo put up 16 of the Jags' (7-8, 1-1 SBC) 23 field goals for the contest.

Louisiana (11-3, 3-1 SBC) place four players in double figures starting with Lanay Wheaton (17), followed by Makayia Hallmon (16), Ty'Reona Doucet (16) and Tamera Johnson (12). Doucet also had 18 rebounds for the day, the most of any player, including nine of the Ragin' Cajuns' 17 on the offensive glass. 

GAME FACTS
- For the first three minutes the teams traded buckets until South took off on an 8-0 run. 
- Louisiana responded with seven straight points of its own. In the final minute of the first, Powell's layup kept the Jags in the lead until Wheaton's layup with 17 seconds left in the first period tied the game at 14. 
- The teams spent the first five minutes of the period alternating buckets, tying the score three times. 
- South went on a 9-0 run over the next two minutes with Howard responsible for six of the points and Powell contributing a three-pointer. 
- Howard added three more points to her tally with three free throws and Powell ended the period with four additional points for a halftime advantage of 34-29 for South.
- The Rajun' Cajuns opened the third with a 9-2 run. Howard's layup tied the game at 36, however, the Jags were unable to recover the lead for the remainder of the contest. 
- Louisiana held control for the remainder of the period and led 50-48 heading.
- South was held without a field goal for the first four minutes of the fourth period as the ULL advantage grew to seven on two occasions over that stretch. 
- Mahogany Vaught drained a trey at the 5:35 mark, but Louisiana quickly stretched its lead back out to eight (64-56) over the next minute as Hallmon knocked down back-to-back three-pointers.
- South's defense was able to get stops over the next several minutes, but the Jaguars were unable to take advantage as they missed three field goals and three shots at the charity stripe.

NOTES
- Louisiana extends its win streak over South to two.
- Throughout the duration of the game the score was tied nine times, the most of any game this season. 
- The last time the Jags lost its first home conference game was in 2019 to Arkansas State. 
- This was the second consecutive game and third occasion this season that Powell has scored 20 plus points. 
- The graduate student also recorded the first double-double since Zena Elias' on Nov. 9 against Mobile.
- Powell's six three-pointer field goals left her one shy of the school record, last tied by Jordan Rosier on Dec. 14 against Faulkner.
- Howard grabbed a career-high six boards as well as shot a career-best six free throws.
- Dee Haymer was once again perfect from the free-throw line, shooting 3-of-3 at the stripe. 
- Tyrielle Williams had a career-best three steals, the most of any player, in addition to tying Vaught for most assists among the squad with four. 

THEY SAID IT
Head Coach Terry Fowler
-Opening statement: "Louisiana came in here coming off a big win over Troy and we were coming off a three-week layoff. We played really well in Monroe the other night and I thought we got off to a good start, which getting off to a fast start is something that we've been focusing on doing. I felt good about us going into the half up five. They came out in the second half and was able to even the game up and take the lead. We played back and forth with them from there and regained the lead, but I'm just very proud of our kids; they continue to fight. This team has shown so much improvement in probably the last six practices than any other time, and that's really promising for us as we get into late January and early February."

-On if he feels things are starting to fall into place despite the loss: "I think we're figuring it out. The one thing I've said about us all along is that we kind of peaked early, but this group has a chance to do some really special things late in the season and heading into the conference tournament, and that's exciting to me."

-On the second-chance opportunities for Louisiana: "[Opponent's second-chance opportunities] are something we've been battling all season with our lack of size. Key [Kiana Anderson] got in foul trouble and we had to go small and play zone. We had some of our guards playing along the back line and they aren't used to doing that so Louisiana was able to get offensive rebounds and score. They had 17 offensive rebounds and 19 second-chance points off of them and that was the difference in the game. We're not going to grow between now and the next time we play, so we will have to do some things to make us a better rebounding team."

Graduate F Jaylin Powell
-On the hard-fought game: "It's like I told the rest of the team in the locker room, each day we're making improvements and getting better. I just want us to keep making those improvements. Being a young team, we'll continue to grow and I'm excited for us to continue to grow as a team and develop our chemistry. We can only go up from here."

-On her performance: "I was just trying to be aggressive and take advantage of what the defense was giving me. I know I'm a pretty good shooter, so I just want to continue to get shots up. Whatever the defense gives me, I just want to be able to take advantage of that. If that helps the team, that's what I want to do."

UP NEXT
South Alabama will remain at home to host Arkansas State on Jan. 20 in 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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