University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Lady Eagle Hoops Host Eastern Michigan in WNIT Sweet 16
3/24/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - The Southern Miss women's basketball team advances to the WNIT Sweet 16 for the second time and will host Eastern Michigan on Wednesday, Mar. 25 at 7 p.m.
All seats will be general admission. Tickets are priced at $10 for adults and $5 for youth, children under 2 will be admitted free. All student tickets are free courtesy of the Student Eagle Club. Students must have a valid ID and need to enter at the West Gate. The first 300 students get a free hotdog courtesy of head coach Joye Lee-McNelis. For more information, contact the USM Ticket Office at 601-266-5418 or 1-800-844-TICK.
The Lady Eagle contests can be heard on WHXB-FM 96.5 or at www.SouthernMiss.com with Josh West, voice of the Lady Eagles providing play-by-play analysis with legendary coach Kay James as color analyst.
Southern Miss Preview
The Lady Eagles (24-10) are coming off a thrilling come-from-behind overtime win against TCU in the second round of the WNIT. Jerontay Clemons scored 12 of the final 14 points over a span of 2:31 in regulation. She scored the final seven points to tie the game and sending it into overtime. She finished with a double-double of 17 points and a career-high 13 rebounds. Tamara Jones led the team with 19 points while Voche' Martin added 12 and Brooke Rhodes chipped in 11, including back-to-back threes to in putting the Lady Eagles ahead for good. Alex Coyne came off the bench, handing out six assists.
Jones leads the team in scoring with 16.3 points while adding 7.0 rebounds per game. She ranks sixth in the Conference USA in scoring and ninth in field goal percentage. She is tied for 11th in rebounding. Clemons is next at 12.4 points and 6.3 rebounds per game.
Rhodes contributes 7.7 points and is third in the league in three-point field goal percentage and is fifth in 3-point field goals made in C-USA. Kierra Jordan contributes 6.9 points and 4.8 rebounds. The Lady Eagles are averaging 68.4 points on 45.0 percent shooting from the field and 38.0 rebounds per game. Southern Miss ranks second in field percentage and second in three-point field goal percentage. The Lady Eagles have connected on 168-of-485 from behind the arc.
Head Coach Joye Lee-McNelis is in her 11th season at the helm of the Lady Eagle program and her 24th season as a head coach. She recorded her 10th, 20-win season overall and her fourth at Southern Miss.
Scouting Eastern Michigan
Eastern Michigan enters tonight's contest with a record of 24-12 following a 69-59 win at Tulsa in the second round of the WNIT. Janay Morton and Cha Sweeney scored 18 points each and Jamaica Bucknor added 12. Bucknor and Brianna Puni grabbed nine rebounds apiece. Sweeney also dished out six assists.
Sweeney leads the team in scoring at 17.3 points while Morton adds 12.5 points. Bucknor chips in 9.9 points and is the top rebounder at 6.2 boards per game.
EMU is averaging 69.0 points per game while allowing 63.3 points. The Eagles are connecting on 38.7 percent from the floor, 32.2 percent from three, while allowing 37.8 percent from the field and 30.6 percent from beyond the arc. Eastern Michigan is pulling down 41.8 rebounds per game and connecting on 70.5 percent from the free throw line.
Series History: Southern Miss vs. Eastern Michigan
This is the first meeting between the two teams.
The winner of this game will play the winner of Michigan and Missouri.
