MOBILE, Ala. — The South Alabama Lady Jaguars beat Troy 68-60 on Wednesday night at the Mitchell Center, as Ra’Shawna Sippio scored 22 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to help South Alabama snap a three-game losing streak.
The win improved South Alabama to 12-5 overall and 3-3 in the Sun Belt Conference. Troy dropped to 8-8 overall and 3-3 in league play.
Close First Half
Neither team led by much for the first 11 minutes. With the score tied 17-17, Shakira Nettles started a 7-2 run that gave the Lady Jaguars their largest lead of the half at 26-19. Troy answered and trailed 28-25 at halftime.
Sippio Takes Over After the Break
Troy scored the first four points of the second half to take a 29-28 lead. Sippio then scored South Alabama’s next 11 points, putting the Lady Jaguars back in front 41-36 with less than 15 minutes remaining.
The Trojans responded with 11 unanswered points over about two and a half minutes to regain the lead. South Alabama then went on a 10-0 run of its own to go up 51-47.
Troy went ahead for the final time at 54-53. South Alabama closed the game on a 15-6 run, and its defense held Troy to 2-of-15 shooting during that stretch.
Individual Leaders
Sippio finished 9-of-19 from the field and 4-of-8 at the free-throw line. Her 11 rebounds gave her the fifth double-double of her career.
Nettles added 16 points on 6-of-12 shooting, including 3-of-7 from 3-point range, and made 1 of 2 free throws. Jessica Starling scored 12 points on 4-of-7 shooting, going 2-of-5 from beyond the arc and 2-of-2 at the line.
Troy’s Kylie Morrissy led all scorers with 28 points. She shot 10-of-22 from the field, 1-of-3 from 3-point range and 7-of-7 from the free-throw line. Donette McNair scored nine points and pulled down 15 rebounds, 10 of them on the defensive end.
By the Numbers
South Alabama outscored Troy 32-22 in the paint and outshot the Trojans 44 percent to 33 percent from the field. The Lady Jaguars also held a 35 percent to 31 percent edge from 3-point range.
Troy was more accurate at the free-throw line, making 9 of 10 attempts. South Alabama went 9-of-16.
Up Next
The Lady Jaguars travel to Arkansas State for a Sun Belt game Sunday, with tipoff scheduled for 2:05 p.m.
