The Argonauts led for the majority of the 1st half and also led briefly in the 2nd period but were undone in the end by 30 giveaways. UWF shot 37.0% on the night but did show favorably on the glass, outrebounding the Lady Jaguars, 46-37.
South Alabama was led by Brittany Rutledge, who scored 15 points. The home team had their own offensive struggles, shooting just 30.3% from the floor.
UWF scored a layup from Howard on their second possession of the game and took a 5-2 lead on a three-point basket by Desiree Dotey with 18:38 left in the opening period. Shannan Bergen’s team went on to lead the game for 15:06 of the first stanza.
The largest lead of the game for West Florida came at the 13:12 mark of the 1st, when a driving basket from Keaundrea Merriewether gave the visitors a 14-6 edge. The Lady Jags tied the game at 15-15 on a jumper from Lauren Walker with 9:04 to play, but the Argos regained the lead regained the lead on a trifecta from Howard on their next possession.
The Argonauts did not score over the final 5:44 of the half, allowing eight unanswered points over the stretch. A jumper from Rutledge drew the home team even at 23-23 with 1:57 left before intermission, and Christian Shelter gave USA their first lead of the game, 25-23, with a bucket just seconds before the halftime whistle.
Howard led all scorers with eight points at the break, while 17 of UWF’s turnovers came in the opening half.
The Argos came out gunning to start the 2nd half and retook the lead. An offensive rebound led to a Bearden put-back, tying the game on UWF’s first trip of the half, and later the junior scored another deuce to give Bergen’s squad their largest lead of the half, 29-25, with 18:12 left in the game.
But the Argonauts would score just two points over the next 7:50, allowing South Alabama to slowly creep back into the battle. West Florida took their final lead of the night with 10:45 remaining, when Howard found a seam and scored a bucket at the 10:46 mark.
South Alabama regained the lead for good on their next possession, as a stick-back by Taylor Ammons put the Lady Jags up by a point. The home team stretched the lead to 48-39 on a Rutledge three-ball with 4:53 left, and they pushed the lead to double-digits for the first time with just six seconds left, as a pair of Sarda Peterson freebies gave USA the final points of the game.
Preseason All-GSC pick Jessica Young had a solid outing for the Argos, with six points and eight rebounds, while Merriewether added six markers and five boards. UWF tallied just six assists on the night, with Howard and Kirstin McIntyre collecting two each.
South Alabama has now beaten UWF in exhibition play nine years in a row. The Lady Jaguars open regular season play on Saturday, when they face Tulane in New Orleans, La.
West Florida, meanwhile, opens their regular season campaign on Friday night against Spring Hill College of the NAIA ranks. Tip-off is scheduled for 5 pm in Mobile, Ala.
For information on all UWF Athletics, visit www.GoArgos.com.
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