Sieper’s Breakout Performance Leads Lady Eagles to Dominate Win Over Akron

Saturday, November 11

Reed Green Coliseum

2 p.m.

Southern Miss

2-0,0-0Sun Belt

Akron

0-2,0-0MAC

Team	1	2	3	4	F
Akron	12	11	18	19	60
Southern Miss.	22	21	19	15	77

(12) Morgan Sieper Drains another three against Akron

Sieper’s Breakout Performance Leads Lady Eagles to Dominate Win Over Akron

11/11/2023 6:31:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score #McNelisStrong Game Book Joye Lee-McNelis Press Conference Domonique Davis/Morgan Sieper Press Conference Photo Gallery

HATTIESBURG, Miss. – It was truly 'can't miss basketball' at Reed Green Coliseum when Morgan Sieper was on the floor. The freshman from Tampa, Fla., drilled seven long balls today—tying herself second all-time in three-pointers in a game—to power Southern Miss to a 77-60 win over Akron as part of the inaugural slate of MAC-SBC Challenge games.

"We had an unbelievable start in that first quarter," said 20th-year head coach Joye Lee-McNelis. "Our defense was able to help us generate some offense early, which gave us the confidence to distribute the basketball and flow on the offensive side of the ball. In the first half, we were solid overall—we played well, rebounded the ball well, our turnovers were minimal. Morgan Sieper—unbelievable first half. She shot the cover off the ball. Dom Davis, she was able to put the ball where it needed to be. Outstanding game from both of them. Jacorriah Bracey had some great rips to the basket in the second half and Melyia Grayson really stepped her game up. We challenged Melyia at halftime. She struggled early and got in foul trouble, but she took control at the end of the game."

In stark contrast to last season and for the second game in-a-row, Southern Miss (2-0, 0-0 Sun Belt) immediately jumped out to a 9-0 lead after scoring and holding Akron (0-2, 0-0 Mid-American) off the board on four-straight possessions. The Lady Eagles put up 22 shots in the first quarter alone and connected on 40.9 percent of them.

After a quarter of play, Sieper (Tampa, Fla.) and Domonique Davis (DeRidder, La.) had nine points each and the team led 22-12. After another 10 minutes, Southern Miss pushed its advantage to 20, leading 43-23. Sieper and Davis led all scorers with 20 and 18 points, respectively, at the half.

The Lady Eagles' offensive outburst also came paired with an outstanding defensive performance. At the half, Southern Miss held Akron to 9-of-29 from the floor (31.0 percent) and forced 10 Zip turnovers. The Zips were able to make up some ground in the second half when the Lady Eagle starters checked out of the game. The Zips managed just two double-figure scorers to Southern Miss' four and finished the night 25-of-57 from the floor.

After finishing the day 7-of-9 from behind the arc and 8-of-10 overall, Morgan Sieper is no longer an unknown on opposing scouting boards. She also cemented herself in the Lady Eagles' historic charts. Her seven makes are tied with four other Lady Eagles for the second-most in a single game—most since Feb. 2, 2017 by Brittny Norris—and her 77.8 three-point percentage is the fourth-best ever by an Lady Eagle.

UP NEXT
Southern Miss hits the road for the first time this season for a Nov. 18 game against North Alabama. The Lady Eagles meet the Lions for the fifth time overall and second in as many years, holding a 3-1 series advantage. Southern Miss has not played in Florence, Ala., since Jan. 13, 1977.

Tipoff from North Alabama's CB&S Arena at Flowers Hall is set for 5 p.m. Jason Baker, the Voice of the Lady Eagles, will be on the call on the Southern Miss Sports Network. The game can also be streamed on ESPN+.

– #McNelisStrong –