Women’s Rugby Recruiting Interested Players
Women’s Rugby at South Alabama is a strong possibility. Significant interest at JagFest has moved the rugby organizers to open the sport to women of South Alabama. The Lady Jag’s will be recruiting. Any interested girls should contact April Hill
All rugby players need to attend the first team meeting scheduled for Sept 14th at the new rec center meeting room at 6pm for practice and match schedules, officer elections, information about club dues, and also to fill out and exchange contact information. Go Lady Jags!
Latest ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll Honorably Mentions Lady Jags
The Lady Jaguars are starting to be recognized outside of the Sun Belt Conference for thier 10-2 start to the season. They have been rewarded with an honorable mention vote in the latest ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll and is the only Sun Belt school to receive a vote in the poll this week.
This marks only the fifth time in the schools history that USA has received a vote in a national poll. Last year the Lady Jags had at least one vote for 3 straight weeks in the national poll, receiving as many as 3 in one poll. Previously USA had a vote in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches preseason poll prior to the 2003-2004 season, during the 2003-2004 season they received two honorable mention votes in the AP poll and eight votes in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll.
Connecticut topped the polls this week with a perfect 10-0 record with 31 first-place votes.
The Lady Jaguars next game will be tonight at the Mitchell Center when they host Ohio University in its final non-conference game of the season. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:05pm.
Go Jags!
Lady Jaguars Win Big Over Houston Baptist
The Lady Jags cruise to a big win over Houston Baptist 83-48 at the Mitchell Center. The Lady Jags improve their record to 6-1 on the season and they will begin a three game road swing starting on Saturday when they visit Southern.
The Jags rolled up the points with Shakira Nettles leading the way with 21, falling one point shy of her career high but hitting on a career best five three pointers. The only other Jag in double figures scoring was Vontrice Dennis.
USA shot 42% from the floor compared to Houston Baptists 37%. USA also out rebounded Houston Baptist 52-32.
Both teams came out cold with USA only making one of their first seven shots but by the 10:42 mark in the first half they held a 22-10 lead.
Lady Jags Push Record To 3-0 With Win Over Southern Miss
The Lady Jags score four points in the final eight seconds to cap off a 10 point deficit to earn a hard fought 66-64 victory. The Jags shot a miserable 30% in the second half.
The Jags were down by six points when Shakira Nettles was fouled while hitting a layup. She missed the foul-shot but the rebound was grabbed by teammate Shaniece Brunner who hit Nettles for another layup to shrink the lead to two points. Jessica Starling tied the game with eight seconds left in the game on another layup after USM missed two foul-shots. After a USM time-out, Nettles stole an inbounds attempt and was fouled on a drive to the hoop. With 4.5 seconds left, she sunk both shots to win the game.
Only two Jags scored in double digits, Starling with 24 and Nettles with 16.
The win pushes the Jags to 3-0 (0-0) on the season, while USM falls to 2-1. The Jags round out their four game home season opening schedule when they host Mercer on Monday at the Mitchell Center. That game has a 7:05pm tip.
Lady Jags Stay Undefeated Against UAB
On Monday night the lady jags held off a second half rally to topple the Lady Blazers of UAB 77-64. The trio of Jessica Starling, Shakira Nettles and Karina Sproal combined for 48 points for the Jags. Nettles had the game high of 17, Starling had 16 and Sproal had 15 (a career best and all in the first half).
The Lady Blazers jumped out with two quick scores early then the Lady Jags went on a 14-2 run using three turnovers to help them do so. The run started with a trey from Sproal which was one of only three on the night for the Lady Jags.
After a 12 point lead at halftime, the Blazers scored two quick baskets in the second half to cut the lead to single digits which they had not seen since about the half-way mark of the first half. The Jags quickly pushed the lead by to 13.
With about nine minutes to go in the game the blazers cut the lead down to four points and the Jags would not let them get any closer during the rest of the game.
The Lady Jags have a 7:05pm tipoff set at the Mitchell Center when they take on the Golden Eagles of Southern Miss.
Lady Jags Top West Florida 82-52 In Exhibition Match
Senior Guard Jessica Starling scored 24 of her 27 points in the second half to lead the Lady Jags over West Florida Sunday evening. She was an outstaning 10 of 13 from the field and 6 of 8 from beyond the 3-point line.
USA dominated by forcing 27 turnovers with 12 of them being steals and recording 6 blocks.
The lady jags open the regular season on Friday, November 14th when Nicholls State visit the Mitchell Center for a 5pm tipoff.
Go Jags!