MOBILE, Ala. – The ULM women's basketball team struggled offensively to its fourth-straight loss of the season and its third-straight in Sun Belt Conference play as it dropped a 78-54 decision to South Alabama Saturday evening in The Mitchell Center.
Two separate runs of 9-0 and 11-2 points by South Alabama in the first half coupled with a solid defensive effort in the second half ultimately sealed the Warhawks' fate. The Jaguars were just the fourth team this season to outrebound ULM, grabbing 46 boards to 32 while utilizing hot shooting deep in the South Alabama line-up as they scored 27 points off the bench to just nine by the Warhawks.
Senior forward Sannisha Williams and junior guard Elizabeth Torres each tallied a team-high 13 points for the Warhawks while junior guard Kassie Courtney contributed nine points. Williams also grabbed a team-high eight rebounds while Torres handed out nine assists. As a team, ULM shot 35.6 percent from the field.
ULM (8-10, 2-3 SBC) grabbed an early 7-4 advantage highlighted by back-to-back baskets off two steals by Torres with 16:59 left in the first half before South Alabama used a 9-0 run to take its first lead 13-7 at the 14:05 mark.
An Alexar Tugler layup followed by a basket from long range sparked a narrow 14-12 spree for the Warhawks to bring them within four points of the Jaguars 25-21 with 6:00 remaining in the half.
ULM would score only one more basket during an 11-2 streak by South Alabama (11-7, 3-3 SBC) to finish the first half as the Jaguars took their biggest lead of the half 38-23 into the break.
An almost even 11-9 run started the second half to give South Alabama a 19-point lead 51-32 at the 15:11 mark. The Jaguars continued to pull away with aggressive defensive play that limited the Warhawks' shooting game, going on a 15-11 run over nine minutes to take its biggest lead of the game 66-43 with 6:34 left.
ULM mounted a late 9-2 run with baskets by Priscilla Mbiandja and Courtney to bring the score to 68-52 with 3:50 remaining in the game, but South Alabama took a final 9-2 run of its own to end the game with a win 78-54.
Four players scored in the double-digits for South Alabama as Christian Shelter totaled a game-high 22 points and 11 rebounds for one of two double-doubles by the Jaguars. Taylor Ammons scored 10 points while also grabbing 11 rebounds while Lauren Walker and Sarda Peterson had 11 and 10 points, respectively. Siedah Banks had a team-high four assists. The Jaguars shot 42.6 percent for the game.
ULM will return to Monroe for a mid-week home contest when it hosts North Texas Thursday at 5:30 p.m.
