Southern Miss
Alabama
Lady Eagle Basketball Team Falls To Alabama, 88-78
12/29/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 29, 2010
Box Score | Box Score in PDF Format 
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - The Southern Miss women's basketball team shot 50 percent from the field and two players scored 21 points apiece, but it wasn't enough as the Lady Eagles fell to Alabama, 88-78, Tuesday night.
"I think we made some steps tonight, we just couldn't get over that hump," Coach Joye Lee-McNelis said. "I thought Tanesha played well. She played well offensively and played with more of an attack mentality. Rachel is the best free throw shooter on this team and obviously we need to get the ball in her hands more. I applaud both of the team for their efforts. We just have to get better at taking care of the basketball."
Tanesha Washington and Rachel Vigers scored 21 points each and Jamierra Faulkner chipped in 10 points for Southern Miss as the Lady Eagles fell to 5-7 on the year. Vigers was perfect from the line at 11-of-11. Washington added a double-double with 13 rebounds.
Tierney Jenkins paced the Crimson Tide with 22 points followed by Jasmine Robinson with 19 and LaToya King added 15 points in helping Alabama to an 11-2 record.
Alabama opened the game scoring the first six points, but Southern Miss was able to cut the lead to two on baskets by Washington and Brittany Johnson. Jenkins, who scored the first 10 points for the Crimson Tide, added two more buckets before Carmen McCoy made it 12-6.
Southern Miss stayed with Alabama and eventually cut the lead to one, 17-16, but Alicia Mitcham put the Tide ahead, 20-16, with a three-point play at the 12:24 mark. From there, Alabama extended its lead to nine, 31-22, using an 11-5 run.
After Southern Miss cut the lead to five points with 8:14 to go before the half, Alabama answered with seven straight points in taking a double digit lead, 38-26. The Tide led 46-36 at the half. Both teams shot well as Southern Miss shot 59.3 percent from the field and Alabama had connected on 56.3 percent.
The teams traded baskets to start the second half, but Ericka Russell hit a three-pointer to give Alabama a 13-point advantage at 51-38. USM's Nia Bradford connected on two free throws with Faulkner and Vigers adding a bucket each to get within, 51-44. Alabama then outscored USM, 10-2, to push the lead to 61-46.
Alabama led by as many as 21 points with five minutes remaining, 83-62, when the Lady Eagles ended the game with a 16-5 run. Southern Miss finished the game shooting 50.9 percent while Alabama connected on 52.5 percent. USM won the battle of the boards, 38-31. However, the Tide forced the Eagles into 28 turnovers.
Next, Southern Miss opens the 2011 year at Louisiana Tech, Jan. 2, in a 2 p.m., tip.
