University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Women's Basketball Team Back In Action, Host SMU
2/4/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Feb. 4, 2009
HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- The Southern Miss women's basketball team is back in action, hosting SMU in a nationally televised game Thursday. The game also has been designated as the "Pack the House" game, admission is $1. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.
The Lady Eagle game can be heard on WXHB-FM 96.5 with the "Voice of the Lady Eagles" Josh West providing play-by-play action with former coach Kay James as the color analyst.
Southern Miss is 14-7 overall and 7-1 league play following a 68-60 win over East Carolina in which Pauline Love led the way with her 16th double-double with 23 points and 12 rebounds. Andrea Barber chipped in a career-high 17 to go with six assists.
Love continues to lead the team in scoring and rebounding, averaging 16.4 points and 10.9 rebounds per game, while Stephanie Helgeson is averaging 10.4 points.
As a team, Southern Miss is averaging 69.3 points and 40.7 rebounds per game, while shooting 45.8 percent from the field and 66.8 percent from the line. The Lady Eagles have connected on 88-of-270 from behind the arc.
SMU, winners of its last six, comes into the game with a 14-7 record overall and 7-1 in league play, after a 68-52 win over Rice. Brittany Gilliam paced four Mustangs in double figure scoring with 14 points, followed by Christine Elliott with 11, Delisha Wills and LaShandra Hill who each had 10 points.
Coach Rhonda Rompola is in her 18th season at the helm of SMU and returns eight letterwinners, including three starters from last year's team. Brittany Gilliam leads SMU in scoring and rebounding, averaging 14.2 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. Delisha Wills adds 12.0 points per game. The Mustangs are averaging 69.0 points and 40.6 rebounds per game, while shooting 42.6 percent from the field and 68.1 percent from the charity stripe.
This is the sixth meeting between the two teams and Southern Miss trails the series 4-1.
Following the SMU game, the Lady Eagles host Tulsa in a televised game on CSS, Sunday, Feb. 8, at 12 p.m. In honor of National Girls and Women in Sports Day, all females get into the game for $1. The first 100 females will receive a special gift.
