MOBILE, Ala. — The South Alabama Lady Jaguars split their last four games, beating Louisiana-Lafayette and New Orleans while falling to Arkansas-Little Rock and, in overtime, to Denver. Through the stretch, forward Ra’Shawna Sippio extended her run of consecutive double-doubles to six games.
The Lady Jaguars won their 15th game of the season with a 68-60 home victory over New Orleans on Saturday and return to the Mitchell Center on Wednesday to host North Texas.
Arkansas-Little Rock 53, South Alabama 44
On Jan. 21 at the Mitchell Center, Sun Belt Conference West Division leader Arkansas-Little Rock held off South Alabama 53-44.
Sippio posted her third straight double-double, tying her career high with 22 points while grabbing 10 rebounds and blocking three shots. She was the only South Alabama player to reach double figures.
Chastity Reed led all scorers for UALR with 28 points and 13 rebounds, and Anshel Cooper added 11 points.
South Alabama entered the game averaging 8.2 3-pointers per game, the second-best mark in the league, but made just 2 of 15 attempts from beyond the arc. The Lady Jaguars shot 32 percent from the field and 71 percent from the free-throw line.
South Alabama Wins at Louisiana-Lafayette
South Alabama traveled to Lafayette, La., on Jan. 24 and earned a 14-point victory over the Ragin’ Cajuns, its 14th win of the season and fifth in Sun Belt play.
A strong first half set the tone. South Alabama outshot Louisiana-Lafayette 57 percent to 30 percent from the field and 47 percent to 17 percent from 3-point range before the break, though the Lady Jaguars missed both of their first-half free-throw attempts while the Ragin’ Cajuns made 6 of 8.
Four South Alabama players scored in double figures. Shakira Nettles led the way with 18 points, Sippio added 13 points and 12 rebounds for another double-double, and Shaniece Brunner and Jessica Starling scored 11 points apiece.
Denver 61, South Alabama 56 (OT)
On Jan. 29 at Magness Arena in Denver, the Pioneers outlasted the Lady Jaguars 61-56 in overtime.
Neither team scored for the first two and a half minutes of the extra period before Denver broke through. The Pioneers then added two more baskets to build a 60-53 lead before Karina Sproal put South Alabama on the board in overtime with three free throws. The Lady Jaguars could not convert in the closing seconds.
Denver went 3 of 6 from the field, 1 of 2 from 3-point range and 1 of 2 from the line in overtime. South Alabama was 0 for 6 from the field in the extra period, with all three of its overtime points coming on free throws.
Sippio led all scorers with 21 points and pulled down 10 rebounds, but no other South Alabama player reached double figures. Britteni Rice scored 18 points for Denver and Ketlyn Murdoch added 11.
South Alabama 68, New Orleans 60
Back home on Jan. 31, South Alabama beat New Orleans 68-60 in the second game of a doubleheader at the Mitchell Center for its 15th victory of the season.
Nettles led all scorers with 23 points, shooting 8 of 15 from the field, 5 of 9 from 3-point range and 2 of 2 from the free-throw line. Sippio finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds for her sixth consecutive double-double. Morriah Smith and Starling each scored 11 points.
Jada Frazier scored 17 points to lead New Orleans, Brittany Helm added 14 and Cookie Johnson had 11.
Up Next
South Alabama hosts North Texas on Wednesday night at the Mitchell Center, with tipoff scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
