University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Lady Eagles Defense Wins Regular Season Opener
11/21/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
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Box Score
Lady Eagles Defense Wins Regular Season Opener
Deondra Carter finished the game shooting, 6-of-8 from the field and free throw line |
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Southern Miss freshman Deondra Carter started her collegiate career in an impressive fashion, leading all scorers with a game-high 19 points, in a 46-36 victory over Troy State, Friday night.
Lana Lewis finished the game with eight points. Laura Lee Holman led Troy State with seven points.
"Our offense is way behind our defense right now," Head Coach Rick Reeves said. "There's no way we should've held them to 36 points; they're too good. We struggled offensively and the second half, they started figuring out what we were doing."
Both teams combined for four points over the first 3:29 of the game. The Lady Eagles then outscored Troy State, 19-0, over a six minute span, taking a 21-2 lead at the 6:39 mark. Southern Miss finished the first half shooting 50 percent from the field, while holding the Trojans to 30 percent.
"Right now, with all the young players, we don't have our system perfected yet," Reeves said. "Once we get to work on it more we'll just get better and better."
Troy State opened the second with a three-point by Holman, but the Lady Eagles answered with a three of their own from Lewis. Over a two-minute span both teams traded baskets before both teams failed to score a basket for five minutes.
With Southern Miss leading, 40-23, Troy State put together an 8-0 run, cutting the lead to nine, 31-40, with 5:31 remaining in the game. The Lady Eagles then reeled off six-straight points, all from the free throw line, to take a 15-point lead, 46-31. Troy State scored the final five points of the half.
Southern Miss returns to action Tuesday, Nov. 25, against Louisiana-Monroe. Game time is set for 5:30 p.m., as part of a doubleheader with the men.
