
Photo by: Joe Harper/bgnphoto.com
Women’s Basketball Hosts William Carey in a Battle for the Mayor’s Cup
11/10/2024 3:19:00 PM | Women's Basketball
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Crosstown foe William Carey makes the short trip up Highway 49 to Reed Green Coliseum as the Lady Eagles take on the Lady Crusaders for the 22nd all-time meeting between the two. Southern Miss puts its 19-game series winning streak on the line and looks to retain the Mayor's Cup once again. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:02 p.m. at Reed Green Coliseum.
Game Three // Southern Miss (1-1) vs. William Carey (3-0)
Monday, Nov. 11, 2024 // 6 p.m. CT
TV: ESPN+ // Lee Roberts (PxP) and Larry Boyd (Color)
Radio: Southern Miss Sports Network (92.7 FM) // Jason Baker (PxP) and Kay James (Color)
Reed Green Coliseum (8,095) // Hattiesburg, Miss.
Starting Five
1) Southern Miss returns just five from last season's WNIT Super 16 squad, including four starters from the postseason run. In total, the Lady Eagles lost 55 percent of their scoring from last season and 44 percent of minutes played. Melyia Grayson (Hattiesburg, Miss.) leads the group of five returners while riding a 59-game starting streak dating back to the 2022-23 season. Grayson is joined by fellow Mississippian Jacorriah Bracey (Drew, Miss.) and sophomore sharpshooter Morgan Sieper (Tampa, Fla.) as the three Lady Eagles to start the majority of their games last year. Also returning is postseason point guard Nyla Jean (Tampa, Fla.) and reserve guard Mikaylah Manley (Lake Charles, La.).
2) With just five returners, Southern Miss added eight newcomers in the offseason spread between high school signees, junior college transfers and one Sun Belt Conference veteran. Freshmen include Micah Cooper (Carrollton, Texas), Jaime Gallatly (Maffra, Australia), Whitney Hart (Baton Rouge, La.), Trinity Rowe (Pikeville, Ky.) and Ava Shields (Hammond, La.). From the junior college ranks comes Je'Mya Evans (Gulfport, Miss.) via Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and Samantha Shanks (Webbers Falls, Okla.) from Connors State College. Former ULM Warhawk and Arkansas State Red Wolf Bre Sutton (New Orleans, La.) reunites with her former coaches for her final season of eligibility to lead the newcomers.
3) Manley and Rowe have started both of Southern Miss' games thus far and have met, if not exceeded, their early expectations. Manley dropped 17 points against Blue Mountain Christian on Nov. 7 to shatter her career scoring high. Rowe dished out seven assists against BMC as well and currently holds a season assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.6.
4) Southern Miss has won seven-straight at Reed Green Coliseum – which is celebrating its 60th season of competition this year – and nine of their last 11. The Lady Eagles have not lost out-of-conference at RGC since Dec. 11, 2022.
5) Head coach Joye Lee-McNelis is back for her 21st season at the helm of the Lady Eagle program. She sports a 330-288 record at Southern Miss and a 559-444 career record in 34 seasons as a head coach. Bowling Green was the 161st opponent McNelis has coached against in her 34-season career. Tomorrow's game will be her 16th against William Carey.
About the Lady Crusaders
William Carey is 3-0 on the young season after sweeping the Faulkner University Classic and beating Talladega College on the road. While not a home game, tomorrow's contest will be Carey's first game in Hattiesburg of the year. The Lady Crusaders will not play at home Monday, Nov. 18, with another two games between that game and their meeting against Southern Miss.
The Lady Crusaders return 11 letterwinners from last year's 22-win squad that advanced to the NAIA Tournament Second Round. Four starters return from last year's squad as well with Shaneal Corpuz leading the team in points (13.7 per game) and rebounds (7.0 per game). William Carey is averaging just over 67 points per contest and is hitting 46.8 percent of their overall shots.
The William Carey Series
Southern Miss first met William Carey in former head coach Kay James' first season, playing twice in 1977-78 and splitting the two games. The two programs met again a decade later, playing twice in 1987-88 before taking another hiatus. The series was resurrected in 2008 and has been played in 14 of the 15 seasons since.
Southern Miss is 20-1 all-time against William Carey and a perfect 18-0 at Reed Green Coliseum. Lady Eagle head coach Joye Lee-McNelis is 15-0 against the Lady Crusaders with tomorrow being her 16th meeting against both Carey and Carey head coach Tracy English.
After This
Southern Miss hits the road for the first of five games away from home with a trip to Hammond, La., to take on the Southeastern Lions.
Tipoff at the Pride Roofing University Center is set for 6 p.m. CT on Friday, Nov. 15.
Celebrating 50 Seasons of Southern Miss Women's Basketball
The 2024-25 season of Southern Miss Lady Eagle Basketball marks a major milestone for the program and for The University of Southern Mississippi as the women's basketball program celebrates its 50th season of competition. Following the adoption of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Southern Miss added women's basketball and women's tennis as official athletic programs beginning in the 1975-76 season. Since then, the Lady Eagles have laid out five decades of excellence on and off the court. To celebrate this golden jubilee, Southern Miss women's basketball will host its 50th Season Celebration and Reunion on Saturday, January 18, against South Alabama at Reed Green Coliseum.
Follow The Lady Eagles
Follow the Lady Eagles on Twitter (@SouthernMissWBB), Instagram (@southernmisswbb) or on Facebook (/SouthernMissWBB) to stay up-to-date on Southern Miss women's basketball. Fans can visit Southern Miss.com or download the Southern Miss GameDay app to see full schedules, releases and more.
Game Three // Southern Miss (1-1) vs. William Carey (3-0)
Monday, Nov. 11, 2024 // 6 p.m. CT
TV: ESPN+ // Lee Roberts (PxP) and Larry Boyd (Color)
Radio: Southern Miss Sports Network (92.7 FM) // Jason Baker (PxP) and Kay James (Color)
Reed Green Coliseum (8,095) // Hattiesburg, Miss.
Starting Five
1) Southern Miss returns just five from last season's WNIT Super 16 squad, including four starters from the postseason run. In total, the Lady Eagles lost 55 percent of their scoring from last season and 44 percent of minutes played. Melyia Grayson (Hattiesburg, Miss.) leads the group of five returners while riding a 59-game starting streak dating back to the 2022-23 season. Grayson is joined by fellow Mississippian Jacorriah Bracey (Drew, Miss.) and sophomore sharpshooter Morgan Sieper (Tampa, Fla.) as the three Lady Eagles to start the majority of their games last year. Also returning is postseason point guard Nyla Jean (Tampa, Fla.) and reserve guard Mikaylah Manley (Lake Charles, La.).
2) With just five returners, Southern Miss added eight newcomers in the offseason spread between high school signees, junior college transfers and one Sun Belt Conference veteran. Freshmen include Micah Cooper (Carrollton, Texas), Jaime Gallatly (Maffra, Australia), Whitney Hart (Baton Rouge, La.), Trinity Rowe (Pikeville, Ky.) and Ava Shields (Hammond, La.). From the junior college ranks comes Je'Mya Evans (Gulfport, Miss.) via Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and Samantha Shanks (Webbers Falls, Okla.) from Connors State College. Former ULM Warhawk and Arkansas State Red Wolf Bre Sutton (New Orleans, La.) reunites with her former coaches for her final season of eligibility to lead the newcomers.
3) Manley and Rowe have started both of Southern Miss' games thus far and have met, if not exceeded, their early expectations. Manley dropped 17 points against Blue Mountain Christian on Nov. 7 to shatter her career scoring high. Rowe dished out seven assists against BMC as well and currently holds a season assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.6.
4) Southern Miss has won seven-straight at Reed Green Coliseum – which is celebrating its 60th season of competition this year – and nine of their last 11. The Lady Eagles have not lost out-of-conference at RGC since Dec. 11, 2022.
5) Head coach Joye Lee-McNelis is back for her 21st season at the helm of the Lady Eagle program. She sports a 330-288 record at Southern Miss and a 559-444 career record in 34 seasons as a head coach. Bowling Green was the 161st opponent McNelis has coached against in her 34-season career. Tomorrow's game will be her 16th against William Carey.
About the Lady Crusaders
William Carey is 3-0 on the young season after sweeping the Faulkner University Classic and beating Talladega College on the road. While not a home game, tomorrow's contest will be Carey's first game in Hattiesburg of the year. The Lady Crusaders will not play at home Monday, Nov. 18, with another two games between that game and their meeting against Southern Miss.
The Lady Crusaders return 11 letterwinners from last year's 22-win squad that advanced to the NAIA Tournament Second Round. Four starters return from last year's squad as well with Shaneal Corpuz leading the team in points (13.7 per game) and rebounds (7.0 per game). William Carey is averaging just over 67 points per contest and is hitting 46.8 percent of their overall shots.
The William Carey Series
Southern Miss first met William Carey in former head coach Kay James' first season, playing twice in 1977-78 and splitting the two games. The two programs met again a decade later, playing twice in 1987-88 before taking another hiatus. The series was resurrected in 2008 and has been played in 14 of the 15 seasons since.
Southern Miss is 20-1 all-time against William Carey and a perfect 18-0 at Reed Green Coliseum. Lady Eagle head coach Joye Lee-McNelis is 15-0 against the Lady Crusaders with tomorrow being her 16th meeting against both Carey and Carey head coach Tracy English.
After This
Southern Miss hits the road for the first of five games away from home with a trip to Hammond, La., to take on the Southeastern Lions.
Tipoff at the Pride Roofing University Center is set for 6 p.m. CT on Friday, Nov. 15.
Celebrating 50 Seasons of Southern Miss Women's Basketball
The 2024-25 season of Southern Miss Lady Eagle Basketball marks a major milestone for the program and for The University of Southern Mississippi as the women's basketball program celebrates its 50th season of competition. Following the adoption of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Southern Miss added women's basketball and women's tennis as official athletic programs beginning in the 1975-76 season. Since then, the Lady Eagles have laid out five decades of excellence on and off the court. To celebrate this golden jubilee, Southern Miss women's basketball will host its 50th Season Celebration and Reunion on Saturday, January 18, against South Alabama at Reed Green Coliseum.
Follow The Lady Eagles
Follow the Lady Eagles on Twitter (@SouthernMissWBB), Instagram (@southernmisswbb) or on Facebook (/SouthernMissWBB) to stay up-to-date on Southern Miss women's basketball. Fans can visit Southern Miss.com or download the Southern Miss GameDay app to see full schedules, releases and more.
– #McNelisStrong | #SMTTT –
Players Mentioned
Missy Bilderback Presser - March 27, 2025
Thursday, March 27
Jeremy McClain Presser - March 27, 2025
Thursday, March 27
Missy Bilderback Introductory Press Conference
Thursday, March 27
Thank You Coach Joye Lee-McNelis
Saturday, March 01