University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Lady Eagles Open Conference Play at UTEP
12/31/2020 9:20:00 PM | Women's Basketball
El Paso, Texas. – After nearly two weeks off, the Southern Miss women's basketball team returns to action, opening up the new year at UTEP on Friday at 2 p.m. CT and Saturday at 1 p.m. CT from the Don Haskins Center.
"To start conference play, we're fired up," head coach Joye Lee-McNelis said. "We're ready to play. We're just excited to get the opportunity to be on the floor and compete. We're going to have to rely on a lot of our young players."
The matchups will be broadcast on CUSA.tv. Jason Baker will be on the call for the Southern Miss Radio Network, broadcast on 92.7 the Score and presented by Learfield IMG College.
Scouting the Miners
• Head Coach Kevin Baker enters his 4th season at the helm of the Miners.
• The Miners are off to a 3-2 start in the 2020-21 season with a pair of victories over New Mexico State and a 67-63 victory over Incarnate Word.
• UTEP dropped its second game of the season on Dec. 17 against a rising power in the Big Sky Conference in NAU, 83-75. The Miners overcame two double-digit deficits but could not prevail in the fourth quarter.
• The Miners were picked to finish sixth in the Conference USA annual preseason poll.
• Baker's squad returns three starters from a 2019-20 team that finished the year 16-14.
• Sophomore guard Katia Gallegos was also selected to the 2020-21 C-USA Preseason Team, making her the first Miner to appear on the list since Jenzel Nash and Sparkle Taylor in 2016-17. Gallegos currently paces the squad in scoring, averaging 18.8 points per game
Scouting the Lady Eagles
• The Lady Eagles are 12-13 all-time in conference openers.
• Under McNelis, Southern Miss is 9-7 to start conference play, including winning four straight from 2013 to 2016.
• The Golden Eagles defeated LA Tech, 66- 60, a season ago.
• The Lady Eagles were tabbed to finish 11th in the league in the preseason coaches poll.
• Hometown product Melyia Grayson showed no signs of fear in her first two games out of high school. The Hattiesburg, Miss. native scored a combined 31 points en route to being named the C-USA Freshman of the Week. Grayson is the first Lady Eagle to receive a weekly award from the conference since 2018.
Series History
Overall: UTEP leads 9-15
In El Paso: UTEP leads 6-4
Current Streak: UTEP, W2
Last Meeting: UTEP, 80-72, 2/29/20
"To start conference play, we're fired up," head coach Joye Lee-McNelis said. "We're ready to play. We're just excited to get the opportunity to be on the floor and compete. We're going to have to rely on a lot of our young players."
The matchups will be broadcast on CUSA.tv. Jason Baker will be on the call for the Southern Miss Radio Network, broadcast on 92.7 the Score and presented by Learfield IMG College.
Scouting the Miners
• Head Coach Kevin Baker enters his 4th season at the helm of the Miners.
• The Miners are off to a 3-2 start in the 2020-21 season with a pair of victories over New Mexico State and a 67-63 victory over Incarnate Word.
• UTEP dropped its second game of the season on Dec. 17 against a rising power in the Big Sky Conference in NAU, 83-75. The Miners overcame two double-digit deficits but could not prevail in the fourth quarter.
• The Miners were picked to finish sixth in the Conference USA annual preseason poll.
• Baker's squad returns three starters from a 2019-20 team that finished the year 16-14.
• Sophomore guard Katia Gallegos was also selected to the 2020-21 C-USA Preseason Team, making her the first Miner to appear on the list since Jenzel Nash and Sparkle Taylor in 2016-17. Gallegos currently paces the squad in scoring, averaging 18.8 points per game
Scouting the Lady Eagles
• The Lady Eagles are 12-13 all-time in conference openers.
• Under McNelis, Southern Miss is 9-7 to start conference play, including winning four straight from 2013 to 2016.
• The Golden Eagles defeated LA Tech, 66- 60, a season ago.
• The Lady Eagles were tabbed to finish 11th in the league in the preseason coaches poll.
• Hometown product Melyia Grayson showed no signs of fear in her first two games out of high school. The Hattiesburg, Miss. native scored a combined 31 points en route to being named the C-USA Freshman of the Week. Grayson is the first Lady Eagle to receive a weekly award from the conference since 2018.
Series History
Overall: UTEP leads 9-15
In El Paso: UTEP leads 6-4
Current Streak: UTEP, W2
Last Meeting: UTEP, 80-72, 2/29/20
Players Mentioned
Center
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