Friday, March 3
Pensacola, Fla. / Pensacola Bay Center
5 p.m.
Southern Miss
vs
(11) Arkansas State
Lady Eagles Make Sun Belt Conference Tournament Debut
3/2/2023 6:10:00 PM | Women's Basketball
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Southern Miss faces off against Arkansas State for the third time this season in the quarterfinals of the Sun Belt Conference Tournament. Tipoff against the Red Wolves is set for 5 p.m. from the Pensacola Bay Center in Pensacola, Fla.
The game marks the first time Southern Miss has played one opponent at home, away and on a neutral floor in one season since 2012-13 with East Carolina.
Last Time Out
Southern Miss (20-9, 13-5 Sun Belt) tied a program record with 13 conference wins in a season and reached the 20-point plateau for the first time since 2016-17 and for the sixth time under the helm of Joye Lee-McNelis and 15th time in program history.
The 20th win of the year came in an overtime thriller against Louisiana in Lafayette. Southern Miss led the entire first half but Louisiana managed to keep things close and eventually take the lead in the third quarter.
The Lady Eagles pushed back in the fourth frame to force overtime where Southern Miss clinched a share of the Sun Belt regular-season title with a 69-64 win.
Domonique Davis led all scorers with 24 points while Melyia Grayson picked up her second double-double of the season and ninth of her career.
Noting the Lady Eagles
Southern Miss clinched a share of the regular-season title for the third time in program history and first since 1993-94. 13 conference wins ties the most in program history and is the fourth time to reach the mark.
Coach McNelis collects her sixth 20+ win season of her Lady Eagle head coach career and 12th overall as a head coach. In total, McNelis has been a player, assistant coach or head coach for 16 20+ win seasons.
Domonique Davis earned All-Sun Belt Conference First-Team Honors, marking the 26th time a Lady Eagle has found herself on top of a postseason shortlist.
Davis also moved up the list of greatest junior seasons in Southern Miss history after her 24-point outburst at Louisiana. Her 499 points now place her sixth all-time for points scored as a junior, 28 points behind Portland McCaskill's 1983-84 season.
The Arkansas State Series
Southern Miss sits at 4-2 against Arkansas State after sweeping the regular season against the Red Wolves. The Lady Eagles won the first matchup at home, 61-36, and followed it up with a 68-59 win in Jonesboro, Ark.
Arkansas State has won six of their last eight and seven of their last 10 games to lock up the 11th seed in the conference tournament. The Red Wolves beat the (14) ULM in the First Round and then upset (6) Georgia Southern in the Second Round to meet the Lady Eagles in the quarterfinals.
Southern Miss and Arkansas State have never met on a neutral floor.
Follow Along
The Voice of the Lady Eagles, Jason Baker, and former Lady Eagle Hall of Fame head coach Kay James will be on the radio broadcast which can be heard at 92.7 FM in Hattiesburg or on the Southern Miss Sports Network and Southern Miss Gameday App.
Noah Frary and Kelly Deyo will be providing talent on the ESPN+ broadcast with Shelby Coppedge serving as the sideline reporter.
The Lady Eagle Basketball Pregame Show with Jason Baker begins at 4:30 p.m. with a message from Coach McNelis and interview of a member of the Lady Eagles team.
Links to all broadcasts can be found at SouthernMiss.com.
The game marks the first time Southern Miss has played one opponent at home, away and on a neutral floor in one season since 2012-13 with East Carolina.
Last Time Out
Southern Miss (20-9, 13-5 Sun Belt) tied a program record with 13 conference wins in a season and reached the 20-point plateau for the first time since 2016-17 and for the sixth time under the helm of Joye Lee-McNelis and 15th time in program history.
The 20th win of the year came in an overtime thriller against Louisiana in Lafayette. Southern Miss led the entire first half but Louisiana managed to keep things close and eventually take the lead in the third quarter.
The Lady Eagles pushed back in the fourth frame to force overtime where Southern Miss clinched a share of the Sun Belt regular-season title with a 69-64 win.
Domonique Davis led all scorers with 24 points while Melyia Grayson picked up her second double-double of the season and ninth of her career.
Noting the Lady Eagles
Southern Miss clinched a share of the regular-season title for the third time in program history and first since 1993-94. 13 conference wins ties the most in program history and is the fourth time to reach the mark.
Coach McNelis collects her sixth 20+ win season of her Lady Eagle head coach career and 12th overall as a head coach. In total, McNelis has been a player, assistant coach or head coach for 16 20+ win seasons.
Domonique Davis earned All-Sun Belt Conference First-Team Honors, marking the 26th time a Lady Eagle has found herself on top of a postseason shortlist.
Davis also moved up the list of greatest junior seasons in Southern Miss history after her 24-point outburst at Louisiana. Her 499 points now place her sixth all-time for points scored as a junior, 28 points behind Portland McCaskill's 1983-84 season.
The Arkansas State Series
Southern Miss sits at 4-2 against Arkansas State after sweeping the regular season against the Red Wolves. The Lady Eagles won the first matchup at home, 61-36, and followed it up with a 68-59 win in Jonesboro, Ark.
Arkansas State has won six of their last eight and seven of their last 10 games to lock up the 11th seed in the conference tournament. The Red Wolves beat the (14) ULM in the First Round and then upset (6) Georgia Southern in the Second Round to meet the Lady Eagles in the quarterfinals.
Southern Miss and Arkansas State have never met on a neutral floor.
Follow Along
The Voice of the Lady Eagles, Jason Baker, and former Lady Eagle Hall of Fame head coach Kay James will be on the radio broadcast which can be heard at 92.7 FM in Hattiesburg or on the Southern Miss Sports Network and Southern Miss Gameday App.
Noah Frary and Kelly Deyo will be providing talent on the ESPN+ broadcast with Shelby Coppedge serving as the sideline reporter.
The Lady Eagle Basketball Pregame Show with Jason Baker begins at 4:30 p.m. with a message from Coach McNelis and interview of a member of the Lady Eagles team.
Links to all broadcasts can be found at SouthernMiss.com.
Players Mentioned
Guard
/ Women's Basketball
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