PENSACOLA, Fla. - South Alabama continued the Day 1 trend of higher-seed victories Friday afternoon, as it wrapped up the morning session of the Sun Belt Conference Women's Basketball Championships with a 73-64 win over Arkansas State. The game was the final women's game of the day at Pensacola State College's Hartsell Arena.

Five Jaguars scored, and all in double-figures, as South Alabama produced 34 of its points inside the paint. Morrow and Lowe each scored 16 to lead South, while Vaught and Lewis scored 13 apiece and Jones finished with 15 points. 

Lewis posted a double-double with a tournament-best 19 rebounds to go with her 13 points, as well as a tournament-high six blocks and had six assists.

South Alabama never trailed, building a 15-point lead to close the first quarter. Though Arkansas State made it a five-point game, 25-20, with three minutes to go in the first half, USA carried a 31-25 lead into halftime. Four-straight free throws by Mya Love pulled Arkansas State within a point, 46-45, with 1:57 left in the third quarter, but a Jones 3-pointer and Vaughn jumper it was quickly back to eight points. The Jaguars out-rebounded the Red Wolves, 50-33.

Jada Stinson and Karolina Szydlowska each hit 3-pointers to pull Arkansas State within three points, the last being 67-64 with 2:06 to play, but South Alabama closed the game on a pair of layups and two free throws to ice the game.

Szydlowska led A-State with 16 points. Stinson and Peyton Martin each scored 12. 

South Alabama (13-12) will flip sites Saturday, coming to the Pensacola Bay Center at 1:30 p.m. to challenge West Division Champion Louisiana in the Sun Belt Quarterfinals. Arkansas State's season comes to a close at 9-12.