[November 15, 2007]

Contact: Houston Taylor, SID

MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Leading 32-20 at the half, Southern Arkansas overcame a second half lull to hold off Jarvis Christian, 63-59, Thursday in their season opener at the W.T. Watson Athletic Center.

The Lady Muleriders (1-0) got a game-high 22 points from junior guard Shanaye Davis, who led four SAU players in double-figure points. A first-year transfer from Detroit, Mich., via Marygrove College, Davis hit six of nine shots from the floor and was 10 of 12 at the free throw line.

Southern Arkansas bumped their second half lead to 36-22 when Shardae Thompson hit a jumper at 18:12, but the Lady Bulldogs used a 10-0 run to pull within four (36-32) on Lacy Monroe’s three-pointer at 14:13. The Lady Muleriders recovered and reclaimed a double-digit lead (50-39) on Kayla Jones’ lay-up at 8:27 and then took a 12-point advantage, their largest lead of the second half, 31 ticks later when Davis hit one of two at the line.

JCC never gave up, using a 10-4 run over 1:35 late in the game to pull within four, 62-58, with 10 seconds left, but a free throw from each side settled the final margin.

Thompson gave SAU a 2-0 lead to start the game and Southern Arkansas quickly jumped out to a 23-7 advantage for their largest lead of the game on Goldie White’s jumper at 10:30. The Lady Muleriders maintained a double-digit lead for the rest of the first frame.

Other than Davis, SAU got 12 points from Jones and 10 each from Thompson and Calisha Kirk. White finished with nine, with all of Southern Arkansas’ scoring coming from their starters, and had game-highs of 13 rebounds and four assists.

Monroe put up 19 points to lead Jarvis Christian (1-1), and Ashley Brooks added 12. Levietta McCullough and Niocha Hishaw each pulled down five boards, and McCullough added six steals.

The Lady Muleriders hit 46.7 percent (21-45) from the field, but only knocked down one of 11 trey attempts. They were 20 of 30 from the charity stripe for 66.7 percent. The Lady Bulldogs shot 33.3 percent (18-54), including just four of 17 (23.5) from downtown, and were 19 of 35 (54.3) at the line.

SAU overcame 31 turnovers, while JCC committed 20.

Southern Arkansas returns to action Saturday when they host Texas A&M-Commerce in a 5:30 p.m. tip-off.