Game 19 - vs. Middle Tennessee Game Notes (.pdf)

MOBILE, Ala. – Coming off its first home loss of the season, the University of South Alabama women’s basketball team will look to bounce back when the Lady Jags welcome East Division leader Middle Tennessee to the Mitchell Center on Saturday night in game one of a double header with the men.

Tip-off between the Lady Jags and the Blue Raiders is set for 5:05 p.m.  Live stats and web streaming for the contest can be accessed at www.usajaguars.com.  Fans can also follow the action on twitter at www.twitter.com/#!/USAJaguarSports.

South Alabama comes into the weekend contest looking to bounce back from a difficult 50-48 defeat to Florida International on Wednesday.  USA led by with under a minute to play, but the Panthers were able to pick up the final three points for the victory.  With the loss, the Jaguars dropped to 11-7 overall and 4-2 in the Sun Belt.  The loss was also the first for USA at home this season.  The Jaguars are currently tied with Florida Atlantic for second place in the East Division.

Mansa El - who leads the Lady Jags with 11.3 points per game - paced the club with a game-high 18 points in the loss.  With her offensive output, El has now recorded double figures in 11 of her last 16 outings.  She ranks fifth in the league in free-throw shooting and fourth in three-pointers per game.

After double figures in each of her last four outings, including a pair of 23-point performances, FIU concentrated its defensive efforts on Sarda Peterson and held the reigning SBC Player of the Week to just three points.  Despite that game, Peterson continues to be on fire from beyond the arc as she has connected on 16 of 31 three-point attempts (.516) and averaged 14.0 ppg in four of her last five games.

In the post, senior forward Taylor Ammons continued her strong play of late as she pulled down 15 rebounds against the Panthers.  In Sun Belt action, Ammons has recorded nine rebounds or more five times, including double figures in that category three times.  In her six conference games, Ammons is averaging 11.3 boards per contest - which ranks first in the SBC.  Overall, she has climbed to second in the league with 8.7 rpg.  Her 5.9 offensive rebounds per game average is also second-best in the Sun Belt.

As a team, South Alabama continues to lead the league in field-goal percentage defense, allowing the opposition 56.1 points per game.  USA is also limiting opponents to just 37.0 percent shooting - second in the SBC.

Middle Tennessee (15-5, 7-0 SBC) enter the game versus the Lady Jags leading the Sun Belt’s East Division and riding a nine-game win streak.  On Wednesday, MTSU remained perfect in league play as it held on for a 71-62 victory at the Murphy Center over Arkansas State.  The Blue Raiders led by as much as 23 points in the first half, before the Red Wolves were able to get as close as seven in the final period of play.  

Preseason co-Player of the Year Ebony Rowe led the way with 29 points and 11 rebounds - her 10th double-double of the campaign, and 26th of her career.  Her 10 double-doubles this season are seventh-most by a player in the NCAA this season.  The sophomore was a perfect 13-for-13 from the field in the win over ASU and also added four steals.  She currently ranks second in the conference in scoring (17.3 ppg), and leads the league in field-goal percentage (.586), rebounds (9.7) and steals (2.5).  Her field-goal percentage is sixth-best in the latest NCAA rankings.

“To this point in the season, Middle Tennessee has shown themselves to be the best team in our league,” South Alabama head coach Rick Pietri said.  “Clearly, we’ve experienced what they can do first hand already.  The important thing for us is to know that while they are the best team in the league, all we control is bringing our best and we will do that and see what that yields at the end of the day on Saturday.”

USA led by two at the half in the first meeting this season back on Dec. 31, but the Lady Jags posted 16 second-half turnovers that led to 23 Blue Raider points as Middle Tennessee came back and took the 60-39 victory.

Junior guard Kortni Jones has also been instrumental in the success of the Blue Raiders this season.  Jones ranks second on the club and sixth in the conference in scoring with 15.5 points per outing.  She has also dished out 97 assists - third in the SBC - and leads the league in made treys with 69.  Jones is averaging 3.5 three-pointers per contest - fourth-most in the nation.  

Fellow junior Icelyn Elie has also been solid for MTSU this season.  The Lebanon, Tenn., native is 13th in the Sun Belt in scoring with 12.4 ppg, while she is also shooting 46.4 percent from the field.  

One other player that has elevated her game since the start of conference action has been freshman guard Shanice Cason.  In MTSU’s seven conference games, Cason is averaging 9.6 ppg.  She also has been tough at the defensive end of the floor, has her 2.3 steals per game are second in the SBC.  In the first meeting between the two clubs, Cason recorded all 12 of her points in the second half and had five of her career-high six steals in the period to spark the Blue Raider rally.

As a team, Middle Tennessee leads the Sun Belt in scoring offence (66.0 ppg), scoring margin (+8.8), three-point field goal defense (.254), steals (11.6), turnover margin (+4.5) and three-pointers per game (6.8), while also ranking second in scoring defense (57.2), field-goal percentage (.416) and assists (14.3).

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com.  Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

NOTES: The meeting between South Alabama and Middle Tennessee will be the 23rd meeting between the two programs in the all-time series.  The Blue Raiders hold a commanding 18-4 advantage in the series and have on 16-straight.  Under head coach Rick Pietri, USA is 2-17 in the series and 1-7 in Mobile.  USA’s last win in the series came back during the 2002-03 season when the Lady Jags defeated the Blue Raiders 72-58 in Mobile.  After trailing by two at the break, MTSU forced South Alabama into 16 second-half turnovers which led to 23 points as the Blue Raiders won the first meeting 60-39 in Murfreesboro earlier this season.  The meeting between Pietri and Middle Tennessee head coach Rick Insell will be the 16th between the two coaches.  Insell has won all 15 of the previous meetings.

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