Back to Business: Lady Jags get back in the win column against Alabama A&M

After their previous loss at the hands of Jackson State, the lady Jags were hungry to get back to their winning ways against the Bulldogs of Alabama A&M. On Saturday afternoon; the Jaguars looked to make a statement with conference play well underway. Then, going into the game, the Jag’s looked to begin a new winning streak as their previous three-game streak came to an end last Monday. Then, with their conference record resting at seven wins and two losses, Southern looked to notch another victory on the season.
The first half was a strong performance for the Jags as they took an 8-point lead going into halftime. The theme of the first half was defense, as the Jags and the Bulldogs held each other to low scoring percentages throughout the first half. With the Jag’s controlling the game’s pace, they seemed to weather the storm of their struggling offense. One part of the game they excelled in was the fast break, where they made the most of their opportunities. They finished the game with ten more fast-break points than their opponents.
The second half was much of the same, with both teams battling tirelessly to take control of the game. In the third quarter, the Jag’s put up a game-high 22 points and began to apply pressure on the Bulldogs. The Bulldog’s scored 17 to try to match Southern and quickly made the game a slugfest going into the fourth quarter. As both teams looked to gain an edge, it quickly became apparent that this fourth quarter would define this game.
The fourth quarter quickly became a display of pure effort as both teams gave it their all to secure the win. Then, as the game went deeper into the fourth, Southern seemed to get stops when they needed them. As a result, the Jag’s were able to subdue their opponents in the fourth quarter and secure the win 65-58.
After the game, Head Coach Carlos Funchess shared his thoughts on the team’s effort. “ It was important that we got off to a good start, especially defensively.” The Jag’s seemed to take a great measure of pride on the defensive side of the ball as they held their opponents to 43% shooting overall and just 33% from the three-point line. “Everything they got, they had to earn.” Junior Guard Tyeniesha Metcalf led the team in scoring with a season-high 18 points. Coach Funchess spoke to her offensive skill set during the game. “She rose to the occasion and knocked those shots down.”
This win brings the Jag’s record to 8-2 in conference play. Their next game will take place on Monday, facing Alabama State University. Alabama State is coming off a loss against Grambling in their previous outing. Southern will look to continue their winning streak to solidify their place in the SWAC.