Box Score MOBILE, Ala. – For the second time in two weeks, the UALR women's basketball team played stifling defense against South Alabama. For the second time in two weeks, a blowout victory was the result.
The Trojans allowed the Jaguars to score just 10 points in the first half and rolled to a 56-34 win at the USA Mitchell Center on Monday night.
Taylor Gault and Shanity James combined to provide more than enough offense for the Trojans, with Gault leading UALR with 23 points. James added a season-high 17 points while also bringing down 11 rebounds for her second double-double of the season. No other Trojan had more than 4 points.
On defense, UALR (14-2, 7-0 Sun Belt Conference) held South Alabama (3-14, 0-8) to 27.5 percent shooting including a lowly 16 percent in the first half. The Jaguars committed 18 turnovers and were doomed by their 10-point first half.
With the win, UALR completed the season sweep of South Alabama following a 71-37 victory over the Jaguars in Little Rock two weeks earlier that included an 11-point first half from South Alabama. The Trojans continue to have the best start in program history, winning 14 games in 16 tries.
The team has also won 10 consecutive regular-season league games, won eight straight games this season and evened the all-time series with South Alabama at 12-12. UALR's streak of winning every Sun Belt game by at least 20 points remains alive, the Trojans are 7-0 in conference play for the first time since 2010-11 and the team remains in sole possession of first place in the league standings.
South Alabama scored the game's first four points over a three-minute stretch, but UALR came back in a hurry. The Trojans went on a 15-0 run over the next seven minutes sparked by two consecutive baskets by Gault to tie the game. After that, James added two free throws and a layup and Keanna Keys had two layups of her own to force the Jaguars into a timeout trailing 12-4 with 12:30 left in the half. Gault hit a 3-pointer to score the 15th point of the run before South Alabama made a jumper to end UALR's scoring streak.
The UALR defense was excellent in the first 10 minutes as well, forcing South Alabama to miss 12 of its 14 shots and turn the ball over six times.
By the end of the first half, the Trojans were still cruising offensively and defensively. The Jaguars made just 4 of their 25 field-goal attempts (16 percent) and turned the ball over 13 times. UALR, meanwhile, got 15 points from Gault and 10 from James and were well on their way to victory with a 31-10 lead at the break.
The Jaguars' 10 points scored was one fewer than they managed in Little Rock on Jan. 5. That total is the fewest UALR has allowed in a half since Feb. 28, 2007 when it allowed 9 points to New Orleans. Those 10 points also marks the second-fewest points allowed in a half by UALR since the team began playing Division I basketball in 1999.
South Alabama came out strong in the second half, beginning the period on a 9-2 run that cut the Trojans' lead down to 13 points and forced a UALR timeout.
But UALR regained control shortly after that, getting the lead back up to 20 points as Lexus Williams got two layups and a career-best two blocks in her seven minutes of action. UALR emptied the bench in the final two minutes, giving Sharde' Collins and Monique Townson some playing time as well.
Besides James' 11 rebounds, UALR got seven rebounds apiece from Kaitlyn Pratt and Ka'Nesheia Cobbins. During the contest, James moved up to ninth all-time at UALR in career rebounds and also moved up to ninth in attempted free throws. Gault became UALR's fifth-leading stealer all-time.
Cobbins led the Trojans with four assists while Alexius Dawn added three while scoring 4 points. Dawn and James had three steals each.
UALR controlled the fast-break game, scoring 10 points on the break while allowing none for the Jaguars.
The Trojans return home on Thursday for their next Sun Belt contest when they take on their Trojan counterparts from Troy. Game time is set for 5:30 p.m.
