Southern Miss
-147,64 CUSA
Florida Atlantic
-516,19 CUSA
Grayson’s Career Night Lifts Southern Miss Over FAU
2/5/2022 6:20:00 PM | Women's Basketball
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Sophomore Melyia Grayson scored the first six points of the contest and didn't look back on her way to a career-high 32 points to propel Southern Miss women's basketball, 79-60, over FAU on Saturday afternoon at Reed Green Coliseum.
"I thought she was very resilient," said McNelis of Grayson. "FAU really tried to get physical with her and knock her off the lines and I think she did a very, very good job of being able to still play low. I can't say enough about our guards really locking in on trying to get her the basketball."
Grayson recorded her fifth double-double of the season and sixth of her career, as the Hattiesburg native pulled down 10 rebounds to go along with her new career-best.
"It all paid off today," said Grayson. "I wanted to prove myself against them after not getting to play at their place last season. My teammates did a great job of getting me the ball and letting me go to work."
She was joined in double figures by senior Destiny Smith (13) and junior Domonique Davis (16). For Davis, it marks the 12th-straight game with 10 or more points for the DeRidder, LA. native having scored in double-digits in every Conference USA contest this season.
As a team, the Lady Eagles (14-7, 6-4 C-USA) turned the ball over just 12 times in the game, while dishing out their second-highest assist total on the year with 21 helpers.
FAU (5-16, 1-9 C-USA) had no answer for Grayson and Smith to open the contest, as the pair went for 17 of the Lady Eagles 23 points in the first 10 minutes. After the aforementioned 6-0 run from Grayson alone, Davis later connected on a shot beyond the arc to extend the Southern Miss lead to 13. Over the final two minutes, Smith went on a tear, connecting on three-straight trips down the court to push the USM advantage to 19 as the Black and Gold held the Owls to just 2-of-11 to start the game.
Southern Miss continued to pound the ball inside to Grayson, stretching their lead to as many as 26 behind her 11 points during the second period, before FAU responded with a 10-2 run to end the quarter and cut the halftime score to 37-19.
Davis came alive out of the break, going for 11 points in the third, as the two teams traded buckets for much of the period. She connected on a corner 3-ball with 35 seconds left to give Southern Miss the 22-point advantage going into the final 10 minutes.
With the game in hand, the Lady Eagles were able to get their freshman some much needed experience, as Emma Wallhoff and Ashja Leake both recorded their first points in conference play to close out the game.
Southern Miss continues a stretch of four home games in seven days with UTSA coming to Reed Green on Monday. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. CT.
