Saturday, November 23
Paradise Island, The Bahamas / Imperial Arena
12:30 p.m. CT (1:30 p.m. ET)
Southern Miss
2-3,0-0Sun Belt
55
vs
101
Baylor
4-1,0-0Big 12
1
2
3
4
F
Southern Miss.
18
8
18
11
55
Baylor
25
27
26
23
101
Southern Miss Falls to No. 18/17 Baylor in Battle4Atlantis Opener
11/23/2024 3:18:00 PM | Women's Basketball
PARADISE ISLAND, The Bahamas – Baylor grabbed 42 rebounds and placed five in double-figures to prevail over the Southern Miss women's basketball team 101-55 in the first game of the 2024 Bad Boy Mowers Battle4Atlantis. The Lady Eagles stayed within a few possessions throughout the first quarter before the Bears opened up the lead in the second quarter.
The Lady Eagles (2-3) fall to the loser's bracket of the tournament and will take on the loser of the Columbia/Indiana game taking place later today. No. 18/17 Baylor (4-1) will take on the winner of that game with both games being played tomorrow, Nov. 24, in the Bahamas.
Je'Mya Evans (Gulfport, Miss.) earned her first start of the season in an effort to contain the Baylor front court. Southern Miss struck first after forcing an errant Baylor pass on the Bear's first possession of the game. Bre Sutton's (New Orleans, La.) floating jumper fell true to give Southern Miss its first lead of the day.
The two teams went back-and-forth in the first quarter as the game was tied on six different occasions before an 8-0 Baylor scoring run. The Bears' run helped them take a 20-12 lead with 2:31 left in the frame – a lead that Baylor did not surrender for the rest of the game.
At the end of the first, Melyia Grayson (Hattiesburg, Miss.) led Southern Miss with eight points while Baylor's Darianna Littlepage-Buggs led all scorers with nine. The difference early on, and throughout the first half, was on the offensive glass, where Baylor pulled down 12 offensive rebounds in the first quarter alone. The Lady Eagles had just three rebounds at the end of the first quarter and trailed 25-18 despite shooting 61.5 percent from the floor.
Southern Miss was able to limit the Bears' transition attack but gave up 12 second chance points. Without their transition offense working as intended, the Bears moved to a long-range attack as six of their 10 second quarter baskets were three pointers.
Baylor finished 15-of-34 from beyond the arc at the end of the game as three different Bears made at least three three-point field goals. The Bears were able to open up the game in the second quarter thanks to a 27-8 showing in the frame. The Lady Eagles did not find an answer for the Bears' long balls and did not score in the last 5:19 of the quarter.
Southern Miss' scoreless streak finally broke at the 9:17 mark of the third quarter thanks to a layup by Evans. Baylor did not let up in the second half, 53 second half points to reach their 101-point final score. The Bears will take on the winner of Columbia/Indiana tomorrow at 12:30 p.m. CT.
Evans and Grayson were the only Lady Eagles to finish with double figure scoring efforts, each finishing with 12 points. Evans played a career-best 33:44 while Grayson fouled out with 9:28 left in the game.
Up Next
Southern Miss awaits either Columbia or Indiana for a 5:30 p.m. CT (6:30 p.m. ET) meeting on day two of the Battle4Atlantis. The game will be streamed on FloCollege and broadcast on the Southern Mis Sports Network.
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.
The Lady Eagles (2-3) fall to the loser's bracket of the tournament and will take on the loser of the Columbia/Indiana game taking place later today. No. 18/17 Baylor (4-1) will take on the winner of that game with both games being played tomorrow, Nov. 24, in the Bahamas.
Je'Mya Evans (Gulfport, Miss.) earned her first start of the season in an effort to contain the Baylor front court. Southern Miss struck first after forcing an errant Baylor pass on the Bear's first possession of the game. Bre Sutton's (New Orleans, La.) floating jumper fell true to give Southern Miss its first lead of the day.
The two teams went back-and-forth in the first quarter as the game was tied on six different occasions before an 8-0 Baylor scoring run. The Bears' run helped them take a 20-12 lead with 2:31 left in the frame – a lead that Baylor did not surrender for the rest of the game.
At the end of the first, Melyia Grayson (Hattiesburg, Miss.) led Southern Miss with eight points while Baylor's Darianna Littlepage-Buggs led all scorers with nine. The difference early on, and throughout the first half, was on the offensive glass, where Baylor pulled down 12 offensive rebounds in the first quarter alone. The Lady Eagles had just three rebounds at the end of the first quarter and trailed 25-18 despite shooting 61.5 percent from the floor.
Southern Miss was able to limit the Bears' transition attack but gave up 12 second chance points. Without their transition offense working as intended, the Bears moved to a long-range attack as six of their 10 second quarter baskets were three pointers.
Baylor finished 15-of-34 from beyond the arc at the end of the game as three different Bears made at least three three-point field goals. The Bears were able to open up the game in the second quarter thanks to a 27-8 showing in the frame. The Lady Eagles did not find an answer for the Bears' long balls and did not score in the last 5:19 of the quarter.
Southern Miss' scoreless streak finally broke at the 9:17 mark of the third quarter thanks to a layup by Evans. Baylor did not let up in the second half, 53 second half points to reach their 101-point final score. The Bears will take on the winner of Columbia/Indiana tomorrow at 12:30 p.m. CT.
Evans and Grayson were the only Lady Eagles to finish with double figure scoring efforts, each finishing with 12 points. Evans played a career-best 33:44 while Grayson fouled out with 9:28 left in the game.
Up Next
Southern Miss awaits either Columbia or Indiana for a 5:30 p.m. CT (6:30 p.m. ET) meeting on day two of the Battle4Atlantis. The game will be streamed on FloCollege and broadcast on the Southern Mis Sports Network.
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 –
Team Stats
USM
Baylor
FG%
.436
.574
3FG%
.222
.441
FT%
.714
.615
RB
22
42
TO
13
8
STL
3
8
Game Leaders
Pts
12
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Pts
12
FGM
6
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Pts
8
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Pts
7
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
F
/ Women's Basketball
C
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballMissy 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