MOBILE, Ala. – South Alabama women's basketball dropped their second conference game on Saturday, losing to Southern Miss 58-37 at the Mitchell Center.
Kiana Anderson led the Jags with 13 points, her sixth game this season in double figures.
Jordan Rosier totaled nine points in the loss.
Anderson led the team in rebounding with eight, her third game in a row leading the team in rebounds.
The Lady Eagles were led by Lauren Gross, who totaled 13 points.
The Jags now hit the road for a four-game road stretch, starting with a match up at Georgia State on Jan. 5 at 5:30 p.m.
GAME FACTS
- The Jags and the Lady Eagles got off to a slow start, with Southern Miss leading 3-0 with six minutes to go in the first quarter.
- Kelsey Thompson had four points early, but South still trailed 11-4 at the first quarter.
- The Jags hit a five minute scoring drought to open the second quarter, with their first points coming from a Nadia Howard layup to cut Southern Miss's lead to 17-6.
- Southern Miss continued to extend their lead late in the second quarter, leading South Alabama 26-8 with three minutes to go in the second quarter.
- Nadia Howard made a layup right at the end of the first half, cutting the Lady Eagles lead to 26-10.
- Southern Miss started the third with a 11-4, leading 37-14 with five minutes left in the third quarter.
- South scored just four more points in the third quarter, compared to Southern Miss's 10, which extended the Lady Eagle's lead to 47-18 at the end of the third.
- South tried to cut into Southern Miss's lead in the fourth, but the hole was too deep and the Lady Eagles momentum was too much, resulting in a 58-37 loss.
NOTES
- Nadia Howard earned her 13th start of the season, making her the only Jag to start all games this season.
- Howard currently has the longest starting streak on the team, starting 32 games, dating back to last season.
- Kiana Anderson led the Jags with 13 points, her sixth double-digit game of the season and her third time leading the team.
- Anderson recorded eight rebounds, her sixth time leading the team in rebounding and her third straight.
- The loss was the first time South Alabama and Southern Miss met as conference opponents.
- South's 37 points were the fewest of any game this season.
QUOTABLE
Head Coach Terry Fowler:
Opening statement:
"We just got off to such a bad start. Our pace wasn't good enough and we didn't handle their physicality on the offensive end. I thought defensively, we were fine, we gave up 26 points in the first half and we'll take that all day every day. We just weren't able to put the ball in the basket. They changed defenses on us multiple times, and gave us different looks and were just weren't able to figure it out soon enough to get in the right play. I thought in the second half, we came out and played a little better, we were able to get the ball moving side to side, we got some better looks, but at the end of the day it's about pace of play. That's on me as the head coach, we've got to do better in practice and those things can translate into game night. It's just really disappointing after playing so well on Thursday night against Marshall and then to come in here and not be able to perform at the same level or higher. I take full responsibility for that."
On going on a four-game road stint:
"We go to Georgia State next week in their new building and then we head to Old Dominion. That's a tough stretch for us right there, and then following it up the next week with trips to Louisiana and Coastal Carolina. It was huge for us to get off to a great start at home and we just weren't able to do it. Now we've got to take it on the road and try to make up some ground."
UP NEXT
The Jaguars travel to Georgia State on Jan. 5 at 5:30 p.m.
FOLLOW THE JAGS
For complete coverage of South Alabama women's basketball, follow the Jags on social media @SouthAlabamaWBB (Twitter), /SouthAlabamaAthletics (Facebook), @southalabamawbb (Instagram) or visit the official home of South Alabama athletics at usajaguars.com.
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