Friday, November 25
Reed Green Coliseum
3 p.m.
Southern Miss
vs
Nicholls
Lady Eagles Ready to Celebrate Thanksgiving at Lady Eagle Thanksgiving Classic
11/24/2022 1:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Southern Miss women's basketball opens play tomorrow at 3 p.m. against Nicholls at Reed Green Coliseum in the 35th edition of the Lady Eagle Classic and 12th as the Lady Eagle Thanksgiving Classic. The Black & Gold welcome Nicholls, Lamar and Mississippi Valley State for a weekend swing, bookending the tournament with Lamar at 5 p.m. on Saturday.
Last Time Out
Southern Miss (2-2, 0-0 Sun Belt) found a way last Friday, Nov. 18., overcoming injuries and a cold start to outlast North Alabama 72-67 in Reed Green Coliseum. The game was the first of a four-game homestand in the Hub City.
Domonique Davis (DeRidder, La. // LSU) had another stellar performance, producing 25 points on 38 minutes, leaving the floor just once. Davis also dished out six assists.
Lani Cornfield (Gowanda, N.Y. // Northwest Florida State) dropped a career-high 15 points and finished 6-of-8 from the floor.
Lauren Gross (Southaven, Miss. // North Florida) grabbed nine boards, a career high, complimented by Ashja Leake's (Cibolo, Texas // Steele HS) 11.
The Nicholls Series
The Black & Gold own, quite literally, a 16-2 record over Nicholls (2-3, 0-0 Southland) in a series dating back to the 1976-77 season.
Southern Miss won 10-straight games from 1978-87 before the series went on a 11-year hiatus, briefly resuming in 1998 at Louisiana Tech's State Farm Holiday Classic in Ruston, La. The Colonels collected their second win in Ruston and have since been winless in the last five meetings.
The squads last faced off in Southern Miss' season opener in the 2020-21 season. The Colonels were playing their sixth game of the year as the Lady Eagles' struggles with COVID-19 delayed their season debut until mid-December.
Led by Fess Hawkins' double-double in her first game as a Lady Eagle, Southern Miss prevailed 63-50.
Under Joye Lee-McNelis, the Lady Eagles are undefeated in five tries against Nicholls.
The Lamar Series
Lamar (2-1, 0-0 Southland) and Southern Miss first met in 1980 in the Cardinal's old McDonald Gymnasium in Beaumont, Texas. Southern Miss won the first two matchups in 1980 and 1983.
Interestingly enough, the next two meeting against the Cardinals came in the same season and both were at neutral site tournaments.
The first was a season-opening loss to Lamar on Nov. 30, 1990, at Stephen F. Austin's Ladyjack Dial Classic. Five games later, the two met again, this time in Tuscaloosa, Ala. as part of Alabama's Shoney's Classic. Lamar won both games, accounting for both of the Lady Eagles' losses in their 4-2 start.
Lamar and Southern Miss last took the floor against one another in the first round of the 2-14 WNIT in Reed Green Coliseum. Southern Miss took a 75-60 decision and advanced to play Mississippi State.
The WNIT meeting was the only meeting against Lamar under Coach McNelis.
The Lady Eagle Thanksgiving Classic
Entering its 35th year, the Lady Eagle Thanksgiving Classic has become a holiday staple for the Lady Eagles, the first coming in 1982.
Southern Miss is 56-11 all-time in the Classic and 26-9 under Coach McNelis. Lamar becomes the 63rd unique team to make an appearance with Mississippi Valley State making their 10th, most by any team other than Southern Miss.
Nicholls will be making its third appearance in the tournament.
Follow Along
As always, both games can be heard on the Southern Miss Gameday App or at 92.7 FM with the Voice of the Lady Eagles, Jason Baker, and Kay James on the call.
The games can be streamed via ESPN+ with Ben Milam and Larry Boyd calling Friday's game and Clay Sweet joining Boyd for Saturday's.
A link to the tournament homepage is provided as well.
Last Time Out
Southern Miss (2-2, 0-0 Sun Belt) found a way last Friday, Nov. 18., overcoming injuries and a cold start to outlast North Alabama 72-67 in Reed Green Coliseum. The game was the first of a four-game homestand in the Hub City.
Domonique Davis (DeRidder, La. // LSU) had another stellar performance, producing 25 points on 38 minutes, leaving the floor just once. Davis also dished out six assists.
Lani Cornfield (Gowanda, N.Y. // Northwest Florida State) dropped a career-high 15 points and finished 6-of-8 from the floor.
Lauren Gross (Southaven, Miss. // North Florida) grabbed nine boards, a career high, complimented by Ashja Leake's (Cibolo, Texas // Steele HS) 11.
The Nicholls Series
The Black & Gold own, quite literally, a 16-2 record over Nicholls (2-3, 0-0 Southland) in a series dating back to the 1976-77 season.
Southern Miss won 10-straight games from 1978-87 before the series went on a 11-year hiatus, briefly resuming in 1998 at Louisiana Tech's State Farm Holiday Classic in Ruston, La. The Colonels collected their second win in Ruston and have since been winless in the last five meetings.
The squads last faced off in Southern Miss' season opener in the 2020-21 season. The Colonels were playing their sixth game of the year as the Lady Eagles' struggles with COVID-19 delayed their season debut until mid-December.
Led by Fess Hawkins' double-double in her first game as a Lady Eagle, Southern Miss prevailed 63-50.
Under Joye Lee-McNelis, the Lady Eagles are undefeated in five tries against Nicholls.
The Lamar Series
Lamar (2-1, 0-0 Southland) and Southern Miss first met in 1980 in the Cardinal's old McDonald Gymnasium in Beaumont, Texas. Southern Miss won the first two matchups in 1980 and 1983.
Interestingly enough, the next two meeting against the Cardinals came in the same season and both were at neutral site tournaments.
The first was a season-opening loss to Lamar on Nov. 30, 1990, at Stephen F. Austin's Ladyjack Dial Classic. Five games later, the two met again, this time in Tuscaloosa, Ala. as part of Alabama's Shoney's Classic. Lamar won both games, accounting for both of the Lady Eagles' losses in their 4-2 start.
Lamar and Southern Miss last took the floor against one another in the first round of the 2-14 WNIT in Reed Green Coliseum. Southern Miss took a 75-60 decision and advanced to play Mississippi State.
The WNIT meeting was the only meeting against Lamar under Coach McNelis.
The Lady Eagle Thanksgiving Classic
Entering its 35th year, the Lady Eagle Thanksgiving Classic has become a holiday staple for the Lady Eagles, the first coming in 1982.
Southern Miss is 56-11 all-time in the Classic and 26-9 under Coach McNelis. Lamar becomes the 63rd unique team to make an appearance with Mississippi Valley State making their 10th, most by any team other than Southern Miss.
Nicholls will be making its third appearance in the tournament.
Follow Along
As always, both games can be heard on the Southern Miss Gameday App or at 92.7 FM with the Voice of the Lady Eagles, Jason Baker, and Kay James on the call.
The games can be streamed via ESPN+ with Ben Milam and Larry Boyd calling Friday's game and Clay Sweet joining Boyd for Saturday's.
A link to the tournament homepage is provided as well.
Players Mentioned
Guard
/ Women's Basketball
Guard
/ Women's Basketball
Guard
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