Southern Miss
FIU
Lady Eagle Hoops Defeat FIU 78-65
2/12/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
MIAMI, Fla. - Senior Voche' Martin recorded her first career 20-point performance with 22 points in leading Southern Miss past FIU 78-65 Thursday night in the FIU Arena.
The Lady Eagles improved to 16-7 overall and 9-3 in C-USA play while FIU dropped to 3-19 and 0-11.
"FIU played unbelievable tonight," head coach Joye Lee-McNelis said. "They played with a lot of poise, they got the ball inside and they hit the three-ball. They had several players in the first half that shot the ball very well.
"We had to switch our defenses and it gave us some effectiveness," McNelis said. "They ran some offenses that we had not seen in game film and it took us a couple of plays to adjust."
Tamara Jones added 16 points and Brittanny Dinkins chipped in 14 points off the bench for the Lady Eagles. Jerontay Clemons, Kierra Jordan and Jones pulled down six rebounds apiece. Martin also had four blocks.
"Offensive player of the game for us is Voche' Martin," said McNelis. "As much as she battled against their post players, she gave us a lot offensively and really scored the ball around the basket. Brittanny Dinkins and Tamara Jones came off the bench and gave us a surge."
Southern Miss opened the game scoring the first five points before FIU answered with the next six points. Martin then sparked a 7-0 run with a basket underneath followed by a Jordan bucket before Dinkins hit a three from the right side. After the Lady Eagles held a 16-8 lead, FIU countered with a 9-2 run in getting the score down to 18-17. The teams traded baskets and battled to a 22-22 tie before the Lady Eagles scored the next 12 points while hold FIU scoreless for 6:16. The Panthers regrouped and answered with a 15-2 run in taking a 37-36 lead with 2:28 before the half. FIU led 43-42 at the half.
Both teams got off to a slow start to start the second half. Southern Miss regained the lead off back-to-back baskets by Martin. Southern Miss pulled ahead 49-45 before FIU tied the game using an 8-2 run. Over the next six minutes, the teams battled back and forth and tied the game at 60-60 with 6:47 remaining. Dinkins scored on a layup to ignite a 13-2 run over a three-minute span in taking a 73-62 lead. Southern Miss converted 5-of-8 free throws in the final 1:17 to seal the win.
Taylor Shade led FIU with 22 points followed by Marita Davydova with 17 points and 10 rebounds and Destini Feagin added 10 points.
The Lady Eagles finished the game shooting 52.7 percent from the field and 73.7 percent from the line. Southern Miss outscored FIU 36-18 on points in the paint and had 35 points off 24 FIU turnovers.
Southern Miss returns to action Saturday against Florida Atlantic with a 4 p.m. central time tip.
