Women's Basketball Hosts Annual Thanksgiving Classic
11/27/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 27, 2008
HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- The Southern Miss women's basketball team hosts the 20th Annual Lady Eagle Thanksgiving Tournament, Nov. 28-29, in Reed Green Coliseum. Teams included are Alcorn State, Belmont and Michigan.
Southern Miss opens play with Alcorn State at 5 p.m., Friday, followed by Michigan versus Belmont at 7 p.m. The consolation game is set for a 2 p.m., start followed by the championship game at 4 p.m.
Both Southern Miss games will be broadcast over WXHB-FM 96.5 with the new "Voice of the Lady Eagles" Josh West providing play-by-play action with former coach Kay James as the color analyst.
The first Classic was played in 1982, but was not played again until 1988 and 1989. After a two-year absence, the Classic resumed in 1991 and has been played each year thereafter. Southern Miss has won 15 of the 19 Classics, playing in all but one championship game and owns a 33-5 record.
Southern Miss (2-2) is coming off a 75-57 loss at Louisiana-Monroe. Pauline Love scored a team-high 12 points, while Amber Eugene recorded her first double-double of the season with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Love leads the team in scoring and rebounding, averaging 11.5 points and 10.3 rebounds, Stephanie Helgeson at 10.5. In four games, Southern Miss is averaging 68.0 points and 42.2 rebounds, while shooting 45.0 percent from the field and 68.7 percent from the line.
Alcorn State comes into the tournament with an 0-4 record following a loss at 63-40 loss at Ole Miss, while Belmont (2-1) is coming off a 49-48 loss at Austin Peay. Michigan (2-2) comes into the tournament following a 50-42 win over No. 13 Vanderbilt.
Southern Miss trails the series with Alcorn State, 3-2, and Michigan, 1-0. Belmont and Southern Miss have never played.
Following the Classic, Southern Miss returns to the road, playing at Arkansas-Little Rock, Dec. 3.
