University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Southern Miss Welcomes Back the 1993-94 Lady Eagles 30 Years After Sweet Sixteen Run
1/30/2024 1:56:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Members of the 1993-94 Team will be Honored between the third and fourth quarter on Saturday
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Arguably the greatest team to ever take the floor in Reed Green Coliseum, the 1993-94 Lady Eagles are celebrating 30 years since taking Southern Miss and Lady Eagle Basketball to new heights. The Metro Conference Regular Season Champions finished year 26-5 after receiving an at-large bid and fourth seed to the NCAA Tournament, falling to 74-68 to No. 3 UConn in Piscataway, N.J.
Six members of the 1993-94 team have earned admission into the Southern Miss M-Club Hall of Fame led by head coach Kay James (1994) and former Lady Eagle and assistant coach for the season Portland McCaskill Brown (1992). Four players, Janice Felder (2000), Tanya Bullock (2003), Nedra Hosey (2014) and Patricia Nash Griffin (2015) were all eventually inducted as well.
Three Lady Eagles, Felder, Shell Joseph and Brandy Reed, played basketball at the professional level.
The Fall of 1993 was alive with chatter on just how far the Lady Eagles could go that season. In her 17th season, Coach James had assembled one of the nation's best rosters. Janice Felder already owned two conference MVP awards and scored 569 points as a junior in 1992-93.
Southern Miss got off to a hot start, opening the year with a 69-63 win over Florida at Reed Green Coliseum. The Lady Eagles' 8-0 start culminated in an 82-56 win over the reigning national champion and 12th-ranked Ohio State. The Buckeyes were unable to contain Coach James' balanced attack and her press defense shut down OSU's prolific offense. Florida exacted its revenge the next game, winning their Lady Gator Classic, but Southern Miss had established they were not to be messed with in that trip to Gainesville.
Southern Miss then took off on another run and won its first four Metro Conference games before falling at South Florida 80-74. Most impressive in the win streak, four of Southern Miss' six wins came on the road, including at VCU, Louisville, LSU and Tulane.
Southern Miss entered the AP Poll for the first time since 1990 on the Feb. 1 edition of the poll, ranking 24th nationally. The Lady Eagles proved their worth in their next game, knocking off No. 20/19 Auburn in Reed Green Coliseum to start another six-game streak. Southern Miss lost one more game before the postseason to Virginia Tech.
With a 23-3 regular season and 10-2 Metro Conference record, Southern Miss entered the conference tournament as the No. 1 overall seed and regular season champions. Felder, Bullock and Nash all earned All-Metro honors.
Termekia Buchanan earned All-Rookie team honors that year as well. Southern Miss' 10-2 finish in Metro play earned Coach James' Coach of the Year Honors for the third time in her career.
In a near dreamlike scenario, the conference tournament was in Biloxi – home territory for the 19th-ranked Lady Eagles. Southern Miss opened their portion of the tourney with a 72-69 squeaker over Tulane before Virginia Tech once again took down the squad, sending the Lady Eagles back to Hattiesburg after two games.
Felder and Buchanan earned All-Tournament Team honors. Janice Felder set a Metro Conference record with her third-straight MVP award, having won the award now as a sophomore, junior and senior.
The Lady Eagles awaited their fate on Selection Sunday and the committee rewarded the Lady Eagles' 24-4 (10-2) record. Southern Miss received the fourth overall seed in the East Region and earned the right to host the first and second round of the tournament at Reed Green Coliseum. The Coliseum had quickly become of the Metro's and most-feared home courts as Southern Miss went a perfect 12-0 in the regular season at home.
Felder scored 23 against 13th-seed Tennessee State in the opening round to lead Southern Miss to an 86-72 win. Three Lady Eagles with double-figure scoring and a 54.5 percent shooting performance from Southern Miss was enough to hold off TSU's 6-of-15 day from behind arc.
For just the second time in program history, Southern Miss had advanced past the opening round of the NCAA tournament. Now, 12th-seeded Western Kentucky was next for Southern Miss after upsetting the fifth-seed Rutgers Scarlet Knights in the first round. Janice Felder, as in many times before, rose to the occasion, turning in a 16-point, 13-rebound double-double to lead a group of four Lady Eagles starters that finished with double figures.
Buchanan also recorded a double-double, but it was Southern Miss' performance at the free throw line that made the difference. The Lady Eagles converted 14-of-20 shots at the line compared to WKU's 6-of-19 day. The Lady Toppers made up for the free throw deficiencies by hitting seven three-point baskets on the day, but the raucous Reed Green Coliseum crowd was enough to hold off their second half comeback.
Southern Miss hosts Western Kentucky in Second Round action of the NCAA Tournament
For the first time in program history, Southern Miss was in the Region Seminfinals, better known as the Sweet Sixteen. Their advancement took the Lady Eagles to Piscataway, N.J., for a date against the UConn Huskies. Unfortunately for Southern Miss, three Huskies combined for 61 of UConn's 78 points to knock out the Lady Eagles. Felder's 13-point, 11-rebound double-double was not enough to hold off UConn in the Huskies' 78-64 win. UConn's Rebecca Lobo put up 27 points and 15 rebounds to lead both teams in each category. Patricia Nash led Southern Miss with 19 points, but it was not enough to overcome UConn's 52 rebounds and 23 free throw attempts.
Southern Miss' dream season was over, but Southern Miss had been established as one of the 1990s best programs. Coach James' future in Hattiesburg included two more NCAA Tournament berths and a stint with the United State Olympic Team.
Janice Felder secured Southern Miss' first—and only—All-America honors, earning First Team laurels on the Kodak All-America team. She was drafted by and signed with the Richmond Rage of the ABL. She ended her career as the greatest player to ever wear the Lady Eagles' jersey and is still the program's all-time leading scorer and rebounder, with 2,275 points and 1,169 rebounds, respectively. In honor of her achievements, Felder's No. 33 jersey was retired at her final regular season home game in Reed Green Coliseum.
Clipping from the Hattiesburg American on Janice Felder's Jersey Retirement
Felder is one of four future 1,000-point scorers to play on the team. Also joining Felder on that squad was Patricia Nash, Nedra Hosey and Tanya Bullock, who scored 1,875, 1,616 and 1,408 points each.
Southern Miss ranked 19th in the Associated Press' final poll – just the second time the team had ever ended the year ranked and the program's best end of year ranking.
Though 30 years have passed, the 1993-94 Lady Eagles will and should live on in the annals of Southern Miss history. The women of the program were able to take Southern Miss to new heights and prove that the former teacher's college in Hattiesburg was a national player in more ways than one.
We welcome back these women as the true sporting heroes they are and will honor them throughout the night. Fans can receive koozies with replica jerseys from the era with the team being recognized on-court between the third and fourth quarter.
Six members of the 1993-94 team have earned admission into the Southern Miss M-Club Hall of Fame led by head coach Kay James (1994) and former Lady Eagle and assistant coach for the season Portland McCaskill Brown (1992). Four players, Janice Felder (2000), Tanya Bullock (2003), Nedra Hosey (2014) and Patricia Nash Griffin (2015) were all eventually inducted as well.
Three Lady Eagles, Felder, Shell Joseph and Brandy Reed, played basketball at the professional level.
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The Fall of 1993 was alive with chatter on just how far the Lady Eagles could go that season. In her 17th season, Coach James had assembled one of the nation's best rosters. Janice Felder already owned two conference MVP awards and scored 569 points as a junior in 1992-93.
Southern Miss got off to a hot start, opening the year with a 69-63 win over Florida at Reed Green Coliseum. The Lady Eagles' 8-0 start culminated in an 82-56 win over the reigning national champion and 12th-ranked Ohio State. The Buckeyes were unable to contain Coach James' balanced attack and her press defense shut down OSU's prolific offense. Florida exacted its revenge the next game, winning their Lady Gator Classic, but Southern Miss had established they were not to be messed with in that trip to Gainesville.
Southern Miss then took off on another run and won its first four Metro Conference games before falling at South Florida 80-74. Most impressive in the win streak, four of Southern Miss' six wins came on the road, including at VCU, Louisville, LSU and Tulane.
Southern Miss entered the AP Poll for the first time since 1990 on the Feb. 1 edition of the poll, ranking 24th nationally. The Lady Eagles proved their worth in their next game, knocking off No. 20/19 Auburn in Reed Green Coliseum to start another six-game streak. Southern Miss lost one more game before the postseason to Virginia Tech.
With a 23-3 regular season and 10-2 Metro Conference record, Southern Miss entered the conference tournament as the No. 1 overall seed and regular season champions. Felder, Bullock and Nash all earned All-Metro honors.
Termekia Buchanan earned All-Rookie team honors that year as well. Southern Miss' 10-2 finish in Metro play earned Coach James' Coach of the Year Honors for the third time in her career.
In a near dreamlike scenario, the conference tournament was in Biloxi – home territory for the 19th-ranked Lady Eagles. Southern Miss opened their portion of the tourney with a 72-69 squeaker over Tulane before Virginia Tech once again took down the squad, sending the Lady Eagles back to Hattiesburg after two games.
Felder and Buchanan earned All-Tournament Team honors. Janice Felder set a Metro Conference record with her third-straight MVP award, having won the award now as a sophomore, junior and senior.
The Lady Eagles awaited their fate on Selection Sunday and the committee rewarded the Lady Eagles' 24-4 (10-2) record. Southern Miss received the fourth overall seed in the East Region and earned the right to host the first and second round of the tournament at Reed Green Coliseum. The Coliseum had quickly become of the Metro's and most-feared home courts as Southern Miss went a perfect 12-0 in the regular season at home.
Felder scored 23 against 13th-seed Tennessee State in the opening round to lead Southern Miss to an 86-72 win. Three Lady Eagles with double-figure scoring and a 54.5 percent shooting performance from Southern Miss was enough to hold off TSU's 6-of-15 day from behind arc.
For just the second time in program history, Southern Miss had advanced past the opening round of the NCAA tournament. Now, 12th-seeded Western Kentucky was next for Southern Miss after upsetting the fifth-seed Rutgers Scarlet Knights in the first round. Janice Felder, as in many times before, rose to the occasion, turning in a 16-point, 13-rebound double-double to lead a group of four Lady Eagles starters that finished with double figures.
Buchanan also recorded a double-double, but it was Southern Miss' performance at the free throw line that made the difference. The Lady Eagles converted 14-of-20 shots at the line compared to WKU's 6-of-19 day. The Lady Toppers made up for the free throw deficiencies by hitting seven three-point baskets on the day, but the raucous Reed Green Coliseum crowd was enough to hold off their second half comeback.
Southern Miss hosts Western Kentucky in Second Round action of the NCAA Tournament
For the first time in program history, Southern Miss was in the Region Seminfinals, better known as the Sweet Sixteen. Their advancement took the Lady Eagles to Piscataway, N.J., for a date against the UConn Huskies. Unfortunately for Southern Miss, three Huskies combined for 61 of UConn's 78 points to knock out the Lady Eagles. Felder's 13-point, 11-rebound double-double was not enough to hold off UConn in the Huskies' 78-64 win. UConn's Rebecca Lobo put up 27 points and 15 rebounds to lead both teams in each category. Patricia Nash led Southern Miss with 19 points, but it was not enough to overcome UConn's 52 rebounds and 23 free throw attempts.
––––––
Southern Miss' dream season was over, but Southern Miss had been established as one of the 1990s best programs. Coach James' future in Hattiesburg included two more NCAA Tournament berths and a stint with the United State Olympic Team.
Janice Felder secured Southern Miss' first—and only—All-America honors, earning First Team laurels on the Kodak All-America team. She was drafted by and signed with the Richmond Rage of the ABL. She ended her career as the greatest player to ever wear the Lady Eagles' jersey and is still the program's all-time leading scorer and rebounder, with 2,275 points and 1,169 rebounds, respectively. In honor of her achievements, Felder's No. 33 jersey was retired at her final regular season home game in Reed Green Coliseum.
Clipping from the Hattiesburg American on Janice Felder's Jersey Retirement
Felder is one of four future 1,000-point scorers to play on the team. Also joining Felder on that squad was Patricia Nash, Nedra Hosey and Tanya Bullock, who scored 1,875, 1,616 and 1,408 points each.
Southern Miss ranked 19th in the Associated Press' final poll – just the second time the team had ever ended the year ranked and the program's best end of year ranking.
Though 30 years have passed, the 1993-94 Lady Eagles will and should live on in the annals of Southern Miss history. The women of the program were able to take Southern Miss to new heights and prove that the former teacher's college in Hattiesburg was a national player in more ways than one.
We welcome back these women as the true sporting heroes they are and will honor them throughout the night. Fans can receive koozies with replica jerseys from the era with the team being recognized on-court between the third and fourth quarter.
– #McNelisStrong | #SMTTT –
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