University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Lady Eagles Draw Buffalo for the Second Game of the MAC-SBC Challenge
1/22/2024 1:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
NEW ORLEANS – The Sun Belt Conference announced the pairings for the second-round games of the 2023-24 MAC-SBC Challenge today. Southern Miss women's basketball will travel to face Buffalo on Saturday, Feb. 10, at 1 p.m. CT (2 p.m. ET) at Buffalo's Alumni Arena. The Lady Eagles defeated Akron 77-60 as part of the first round of games on Nov. 11.
Southern Miss (9-8, 2-5 Sun Belt) is one of 12 teams from the Sun Belt Conference participating in this year's MAC-SBC Challenge. The Sun Belt won the first round of the Challenge 9-3 over the MAC. A full listing of second round games is below.
The Lady Eagles are 3-0 all-time against the MAC, beating Akron, Eastern Michigan and Ohio. The game will mark the seventh time Southern Miss will play in New York and the first time since the 2010 Saint John's – Chartwell's Holiday Classic in Queens, N.Y.
Southern Miss' first trip to New York came in 1994 at Syracuse's Carrier Classic. The Lady Eagles are 1-2 against Empire State programs and 3-3 within the state lines.
ABOUT BUFFALO
The Bulls are 9-7 on the year and hold a 3-3 record in the MAC. Buffalo is led by head coach Becky Burke, who is 21-23 in her second year in Buffalo. Burke holds a career record of 134-78 and a 51-56 record at the Division I level. Burke was hired by the Bulls after turning around USC Upstate from eight wins in her first season to 22 wins in her second. Her first season netted the Bulls a 12-16 record.
Chellia Watson leads the charge for the Bulls, ranking sixth nationally and pacing the conference with 22.9 points per game. Watson, a volume shooter also leads the MAC with 320 field goal attempts and is shooting 40.7 percent from three and 45.6 percent overall. Kirsten Lewis-Williams is Buffalo's No. 2 option on the floor, averaging 11.9 points and leading the team in boards with 6.9 per game.
FOLLOW ALONG
The game will be streamed via a Buffalo Athletics production of ESPN+. Jason Baker, the Voice of the Lady Eagles, will be on the call at Alumni Arena for the game as well.
2023-24 MAC-SBC Challenge Second Round Schedule
Feb. 10 Appalachian State (10-8, 4-3 SBC) at Western Michigan (7-9, 2-4 MAC)
Feb. 10 Arkansas State (10-7, 4-3 SBC) at Akron (6-10, 1-5 MAC)
Feb. 10 Georgia Southern (13-6, 3-4 SBC) at Northern Illinois (9-8, 3-3 MAC)
Feb. 10 Georgia State (10-7, 4-3 SBC) at Miami (4-12, 2-4 MAC)
Feb. 10 Louisiana (6-10, 2-5 SBC) at Central Michigan (3-13, 1-5 MAC)
Feb. 10 Old Dominion (12-5, 4-3 SBC) at Kent State (11-5, 5-1 MAC)
Feb. 10 South Alabama (7-12, 0-7 SBC) at Eastern Michigan (5-11, 2-4 MAC)
Feb. 10 Southern Miss (9-8, 2-5 SBC) at Buffalo (9-7, 3-3 MAC)
Feb. 10 Texas State (10-9, 1-6 SBC) at Ohio (5-11, 2-4 MAC)
Feb. 10 Troy (9-8, 6-1 SBC) at Bowling Green (10-6, 4-2 MAC)
Feb. 10 ULM (13-5, 5-2 SBC) at Toledo (12-4, 5-1 MAC)
Feb. 11 James Madison (14-5, 6-1 SBC) at Ball State (16-2, 6-0 MAC)
Southern Miss (9-8, 2-5 Sun Belt) is one of 12 teams from the Sun Belt Conference participating in this year's MAC-SBC Challenge. The Sun Belt won the first round of the Challenge 9-3 over the MAC. A full listing of second round games is below.
The Lady Eagles are 3-0 all-time against the MAC, beating Akron, Eastern Michigan and Ohio. The game will mark the seventh time Southern Miss will play in New York and the first time since the 2010 Saint John's – Chartwell's Holiday Classic in Queens, N.Y.
Southern Miss' first trip to New York came in 1994 at Syracuse's Carrier Classic. The Lady Eagles are 1-2 against Empire State programs and 3-3 within the state lines.
ABOUT BUFFALO
The Bulls are 9-7 on the year and hold a 3-3 record in the MAC. Buffalo is led by head coach Becky Burke, who is 21-23 in her second year in Buffalo. Burke holds a career record of 134-78 and a 51-56 record at the Division I level. Burke was hired by the Bulls after turning around USC Upstate from eight wins in her first season to 22 wins in her second. Her first season netted the Bulls a 12-16 record.
Chellia Watson leads the charge for the Bulls, ranking sixth nationally and pacing the conference with 22.9 points per game. Watson, a volume shooter also leads the MAC with 320 field goal attempts and is shooting 40.7 percent from three and 45.6 percent overall. Kirsten Lewis-Williams is Buffalo's No. 2 option on the floor, averaging 11.9 points and leading the team in boards with 6.9 per game.
FOLLOW ALONG
The game will be streamed via a Buffalo Athletics production of ESPN+. Jason Baker, the Voice of the Lady Eagles, will be on the call at Alumni Arena for the game as well.
2023-24 MAC-SBC Challenge Second Round Schedule
Feb. 10 Appalachian State (10-8, 4-3 SBC) at Western Michigan (7-9, 2-4 MAC)
Feb. 10 Arkansas State (10-7, 4-3 SBC) at Akron (6-10, 1-5 MAC)
Feb. 10 Georgia Southern (13-6, 3-4 SBC) at Northern Illinois (9-8, 3-3 MAC)
Feb. 10 Georgia State (10-7, 4-3 SBC) at Miami (4-12, 2-4 MAC)
Feb. 10 Louisiana (6-10, 2-5 SBC) at Central Michigan (3-13, 1-5 MAC)
Feb. 10 Old Dominion (12-5, 4-3 SBC) at Kent State (11-5, 5-1 MAC)
Feb. 10 South Alabama (7-12, 0-7 SBC) at Eastern Michigan (5-11, 2-4 MAC)
Feb. 10 Southern Miss (9-8, 2-5 SBC) at Buffalo (9-7, 3-3 MAC)
Feb. 10 Texas State (10-9, 1-6 SBC) at Ohio (5-11, 2-4 MAC)
Feb. 10 Troy (9-8, 6-1 SBC) at Bowling Green (10-6, 4-2 MAC)
Feb. 10 ULM (13-5, 5-2 SBC) at Toledo (12-4, 5-1 MAC)
Feb. 11 James Madison (14-5, 6-1 SBC) at Ball State (16-2, 6-0 MAC)
– #McNelisStrong –
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