Jan. 3, 2005
MOBILE, Ala. - A pair of 15-point outings by Lamar's Audrea Samuel and LaToya Carson were not enough to overcome a hot-shooting South Alabama squad on Monday night, as the Lady Cardinals fell to the Jaguars 74-57 at USA's Jaguar Gym.
Lamar lost for the third straight time and fell to 6-5, while South Alabama improved its record to 6-6 on the season. The game was played in the Jaguar Gym after a ruptured water main flooded the Mitchell Center, the originally scheduled site of play.
Samuel, a junior from Beaumont, posted one of her most productive games of the season, sinking 5-of-16 shots and grabbing a team-high six rebounds. She also blocked a shot and recorded a steal. Carson, a native of nearby Long Beach, Mississippi, connected on 6-of-10 field goals and hauled in four rebounds in front of several friends and family members.
LU was within striking distance for much of the second half, but the Lady Cardinals were never able to muster enough offense to close their deficit. After falling behind by 11 (40-29), with 19:29 left to play, on a three-pointer by USA's Whitney Woodard, the Lady Cards scrapped their way back to within five (46-41) after a pair of free throws by Megan McDougald and a trey by Carson.
Unfortunately, that was as close as Lamar would get for the remainder of the contest, though the Lady Cards trailed by only single-digits for much of the second frame. USA built as much as a 19-point advantage down the stretch before winning by the eventual 17-point margin, 74-57.
The teams started the game by trading baskets until the Jaguars used a 9-0 run to erase an early 8-6 Lamar lead. The Lady Cardinals ended the run and broke a 2:37 scoreless streak moments later on a jumper by senior Demela Lowe.
With the score 17-10, the Lady Cards used back-to-back baskets by Aida Bakhos and Carson to trim the USA lead to 17-14 with 13:05 left in the opening half. A jumper by South Alabama's Kimyatta Viverette was the only score during the next 4:15, pushing the Jaguars advantage to five (19-14). Qiana Mitchell followed with a short jumper to push the lead to 21-14 with 9:52.
Over the next four minutes both teams traded buckets until USA expanded the lead with its second 9-0 run of the half. Down 37-22 with 2:02 left in the first half, Lamar was able to chip away with a pair of baskets by McDougald and one of two free throws from Shayla Lacy. The teams entered the intermission with USA leading 37-27.
McDougald finished the game with eight points and four rebounds for Lamar, while Valeisa Crenshaw and Lowe both chipped in with four points apiece.
LU finished the game shooting 39.6 percent from the floor on 21-of-53 field goals, while only managing a 53.8 percent clip from the charity stripe on 14-of-26 attempts, including 11-of-20 in the second half.
JoAnna Williams led the Jaguars with game-highs of 16 points and nine rebounds. She dropped in 6-of-14 field goals, including 4-of-8 from beyond the arc. Williams added game-highs of three blocks and four steals. Mitchell and Woodard each scored 13 points for USA, and Genevieve Delk pitched in with 10 points and eight rebounds.
The Jaguars finished the game with a 48.4 field goal percentage (31-of-64), including 7-of-22 from long range. USA also held a 47-39 edge on the boards.
The Lady Cardinals open Southland Conference play in their next game, taking on Southeastern Louisiana at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 6 in Hammond, Louisiana.
