Exhibition Game - vs. Mobile Game Notes (.pdf)

MOBILE, Ala. – First-year University of South Alabama women's basketball head coach Terry Fowler will get the first glimpse of his 2013-14 squad on Saturday when the Jaguars welcome the University of Mobile to the Mitchell Center for an exhibition contest.  

"Any time you have an exhibition game, it's the first time to really see your team," Fowler said.  "We call it our dress rehearsal, so we're excited to get out there and play on our home court at the Mitchell Center.  We're looking forward to seeing another opponent.  The lights are on and we get the chance to play a real game for the first time.  It's an exciting time as a player and as a coach."

 Tip-off versus the Lady Rams is set for 1:05 p.m.  Live stats and video will be available at www.USAJaguars.com.

South Alabama returns eight players and one starter from last season's team which finished with a 17-13 overall mark and a 10-10 record in the league.  The Jaguars were picked to finish tied for fifth with Louisiana-Monroe in the league's preseason poll.

"The league knows some things that we've gone through and that we don't return a lot of players," Fowler said.  "We lost 70 percent of our scoring, but it's a testament to what South Alabama's done in the past.  Even though we've lost a lot of players, the conference still has a lot of respect for our returners.  It's just now up to us to come out and to continue to work hard every day and represent South Alabama the way it needs to be represented."

As Fowler alluded, USA will be in search of some new offensive weapons as the Jags lost their top three scorers – Mary Nixon (11.1), Mansa El (9.6) and Brianna Wright (8.7) – and five of their top six.

Highlighting the list of returnees looking at filling those roles are seniors Meghan Dunn and Ronneka Robertson.  Dunn ranks as the top returning scorer from a year ago, as she averaged 6.9 points per game.  Dunn also led the team with 45 three-pointers and knocked down 32.4 percent of her three-point attempts – 11th in the Sun Belt.  The Hoover, Ala., native also ranked in the Sun Belt in three-pointers per game (1.5 – T-6th) and recorded double figures nine times.

Robertson - who was selected to SBC's preseason all-conference second team on Tuesday - is coming off her best season in a Jag uniform.  The 6-0 forward averaged 4.6 points per game and led the club on the glass with 7.2 rebounds per outing.  She ranked seventh in the Sun Belt in that category and was seventh in defensive rebounding (4.6) and ninth in offensive rebounding (2.6) during the 2012-13 season.  Robertson led USA in rebounding 17 times and posted double-figure tallies on six occasions.

Sophomore guard Brittany Webb is the frontrunner for the starting point guard duties.  Webb played in all 30 games a year ago and had 29 assists.  She also led USA with a 37.5 three-point field-goal percentage.

The return of Jennifer Johnson could be key for the Jaguars this season.  The senior forward has had her season cut short each of the past two seasons due to injury, but she has been cleared to return and her play in the post should help.  The Tulsa, Okla., has the ability to score down in the post, as well as extend the defense out to the perimeter.  

USA also returns guards Breanna Hall and Sharon Sanders, as well as post players Rachel Cumbo and Taylor Jenkins.

Freshman guard Colby Davis should also help out offensively for the Jaguars.  As a senior, Davis averaged 14.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 4.0 steals per game and received TABC all-region honors, as well as being named the 4A Defensive Player of the Year.

Mobile enters the 2013-14 season after compiling a 16-15 overall record and a 9-9 mark in the Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC) a year ago.  The Rams will have almost a completely new look this season as they return just two players from last season's roster.

To offset that, UM welcomes 13 newcomers to this season's squad - five freshman and eight transfers.  Junior forward Kyera Rowe averaged 15 points and 12 rebounds per game last season at Bishop State Community College.  Jakela Johnson - a 6-3 post player - was a second-team all-state selection at East Central Community College.

Senior guard Deonica McCormick leads the way offensively for the Rams as the senior guard averaged 14.2 points per game last season.  McCormick Shot 40.3 percent from the floor and also led the club in blocks (29) and steals. (72). She was 10th in the SSAC in both scoring and field-goal percentage and her 2.48 steals per game were fourth-best in the conference.  

The Rams other returning player, Molly Speed, averaged 7.3 ppg and was the top shooter for the club from the outside.  Speed knocked down 42 treys last season and connected on 33.1 percent of her attempts from outside the arc.  The sophomore guard was 13th in the conference in three-pointers made and her 1.91 treys per game average were seventh highest.

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

NOTES:  The meeting between South Alabama and Mobile will be the sixth in the all-time series. USA holds a 5-0 advantage in the all-time series, including a 4-0 mark in home games.  The last meeting in the series came back during the 2010-11 season when the Jaguars defeated the Rams 93-54 at the Mitchell Center.   The meeting between South Alabama head coach Terry Fowler and Mobile head coach Billy Evans will be the first between the two coaches. Evans has faced USA once, back during the 2006-07 season while he was at Belhaven College.  The Jags won that meeting 92-71.

—USA—