MONROE, La. ? Seniors LaJeanna Howard and Shannon Lloyd scored 12 points a piece, but the Warhawks shooters went cold in the second half in a 61-51 loss against South Alabama at Fant-Ewing Coliseum on Saturday evening.
After scoring 41 points through the games first 28 minutes, the Warhawks hit a cool spell from the floor that would last until the final horn. ULM finished the game with 10 points over the final 12 minutes off 4-of-14 shooting, giving up a three point lead and falling at home for the third time in league play.
“We just didn't shoot the ball very well,” ULM head coach Mona Martin said. “We aren't finishing our inside shots and I just thought we played poorly. Defensively we had some major mistakes, but it comes down to the face that we just did a poor job on offense.”
Leading 41-38 at the 11:28 mark, the ULM (13-8, 6-4 Sun Belt) missed its next six shots over a span of four minutes to allow South Alabama (15-7, 6-5 Sun Belt) to grab an eight point lead it would not relinquish.
Lloyd stopped the bleeding with a lay-up at 6:46 to draw the Warhawks to within six points, but ULM could draw no closer.
Trailing 24-21 at the half, the Warhawks came out of the lockers on fire from the field, scoring seven straight and taking a four-point lead two minutes into the period. The two teams went back-and-forth, trading leads 10 times during an eight minute stretch, before the Jaguars were able to pull away.
Monique Jones finished with a game-high 17 points for USA to lead three players in double digits. Patriece Brunner added 10 and a game-high 11 rebounds.
ULM returns to action on Wednesday, Feb. 6 at 5:30 p.m. when it hosts Florida Atlantic at Fant-Ewing Coliseum in the opening game of a league doubleheader. The Warhawks are 7-0 in games following a loss on the season.
