MOBILE, Ala. – Shanice Steenholdt and Erin McGarrachan scored in double figures and Monet Neal grabbed a career-high nine rebounds as HBU defeated South Alabama, 54-51, Monday evening from the Mitchell Center.

Steenholdt led HBU (3-3) with 18 points, while McGarrachan followed with 13. Both players grabbed seven rebounds. Neal had a solid game, as she scored nine points – one shy of her career high and set new career highs with nine rebounds and four steals.

South Alabama (0-4) was led by Meghan Dunn with 13 points, while Ronneka Robertson and Taylor Jenkins each grabbed a game-high 10 boards.

The teams tied 6-6 before Rachel Cumbo nailed a three-pointer to give the Jaguars a 9-6 lead with 15:54 remaining in the opening half. McGarrachan hit two layups and made a free throw, and Heidi Sihvola hit a jumper, as HBU used a 7-0 run to take a 13-9 lead with 11:41 remaining.

The Jaguars battled back to take the lead, as Colby Davis swished a three, followed by two free throws by Brittany Webb, as USA led, 14-13, with 9:35 to go in the first half. But the Huskies used another run to take a 19-14 lead, ended by a Neal steal and layup at the 7:22-mark.

The Jaguars chipped away at the deficit and had a one-point lead on two separate occasions before taking a three-point lead at halftime, 26-23, following a layup by Jennifer Johnson.

McGarrachan led all players in the first half with 11 points, while Cumbo led the Jaguars with six points.

USA's Breanna Dunn opened the second half with a trey to give the Jaguars a six-point lead, 29-23, before the Huskies battled back. Steenholdt had four quick points sandwiched by a steal, as the Huskies used a 12-5 run to take a 35-34 lead with 15:51 remaining in the second half.

After Johnson hit a jumper to give the Jaguars a one-point lead, Steenholdt answered with two layups to give the Huskies a three-point lead with 14:38 remaining; one they would not relinquish. 

HBU led by as many as seven, but the Jaguars tried to come back. Neal made one of two free throws to give the Huskies a four-point lead, 53-49, with 28 seconds left. Dunn made a layup to cut the Huskies' lead to just two with 11 seconds remaining. Tayler Jefferson made one of two free throws to give the Jaguars an opportunity to tie, but Webb's three-pointer missed the mark and the Huskies prevailed.

HBU returns home to face former Great West Conference foe UT-Pan American on Tuesday, Dec. 3 at 5:30 pm.