
Photo by: Joe Harper/bgnphoto.com
Rowe Shoots Southern Miss Past Georgia State in Sun Belt Conference Opener
12/29/2024 3:47:00 PM | Women's Basketball
ATLANTA – Trinity Rowe's seven three-point baskets helped spark an early Southern Miss (5-7, 1-0 Sun Belt) rally and allowed the Lady Eagles to hang on down the stretch for a 73-59 win over Georgia State (6-6, 0-1 Sun Belt) at the GSU Convocation Center in Atlanta. The Lady Eagles start their third season as Sun Belt Conference members undefeated and collect their first win away from Reed Green Coliseum this season.
Georgia State took a 2-0 lead early on for their first and only lead of the day. Nyla Jean (Tampa, Fla.) tied it with a jumper of her own before Trinity Rowe (Pikeville, Ky.) gave the Lady Eagles their first lead of the afternoon. Georgia State tied the game 5-5 before Rowe hit her second three-point basket of the day.
Rowe made three, three-point baskets in three consecutive possessions to give the Lady Eagles an 11-5 lead. She finished the first quarter with five three-pointers and outscored the Panthers by herself in the frame. Southern Miss scored 26 first quarter points – most this season in the opening quarter – to take a commanding 17-point lead at the break.
Southern Miss did not let up in the second quarter, though their pace did slow. The Lady Eagles shot 59.3 percent (16-of-27) from the floor in the first half and forced 12 Georgia State turnovers. Entering the game, Georgia State led the Sun Belt with just 12 turnovers per contest.
The Panthers, though, were not out of the game yet despite trailing 21 at the half. Southern Miss took its largest lead of the day with 6:34 left to play in the frame. Georgia State reeled off 12 unanswered to end the quarter and cut the deficit to 17 ahead of the fourth quarter.
Georgia State's momentum carried over into the fourth quarter, cutting the deficit down to nine points with under a minute left to play. Bolstered by their early scoring success, the Lady Eagles were able to ride out the run and connected on 8-of-14 free throws to seal the win.
Rowe finished with 25 points on the day – the most by a Southern Miss freshman since Morgan Sieper's (Tampa, Fla.) 23-point outing against Akron last season. Rowe also joins Sieper as one of six Lady Eagles to make at least seven three-point baskets in a game. Both marks are career highs for Rowe, who led a trio of Lady Eagles in double-figure scoring.
Jean finished with 19 points in her first game back to her previous home arena since transferring to Southern Miss. Sieper rounding out the group with 11 points of her own.
Southern Miss' 10 three-pointers are the most in a game since Jan. 18, 2018, when the Lady Eagles also hit 10 against UAB.
Up Next
Southern Miss returns home to host two games this week, beginning on Thursday, Jan. 2, against Old Dominion at 6 p.m.
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.
Georgia State took a 2-0 lead early on for their first and only lead of the day. Nyla Jean (Tampa, Fla.) tied it with a jumper of her own before Trinity Rowe (Pikeville, Ky.) gave the Lady Eagles their first lead of the afternoon. Georgia State tied the game 5-5 before Rowe hit her second three-point basket of the day.
Rowe made three, three-point baskets in three consecutive possessions to give the Lady Eagles an 11-5 lead. She finished the first quarter with five three-pointers and outscored the Panthers by herself in the frame. Southern Miss scored 26 first quarter points – most this season in the opening quarter – to take a commanding 17-point lead at the break.
Southern Miss did not let up in the second quarter, though their pace did slow. The Lady Eagles shot 59.3 percent (16-of-27) from the floor in the first half and forced 12 Georgia State turnovers. Entering the game, Georgia State led the Sun Belt with just 12 turnovers per contest.
The Panthers, though, were not out of the game yet despite trailing 21 at the half. Southern Miss took its largest lead of the day with 6:34 left to play in the frame. Georgia State reeled off 12 unanswered to end the quarter and cut the deficit to 17 ahead of the fourth quarter.
Georgia State's momentum carried over into the fourth quarter, cutting the deficit down to nine points with under a minute left to play. Bolstered by their early scoring success, the Lady Eagles were able to ride out the run and connected on 8-of-14 free throws to seal the win.
Rowe finished with 25 points on the day – the most by a Southern Miss freshman since Morgan Sieper's (Tampa, Fla.) 23-point outing against Akron last season. Rowe also joins Sieper as one of six Lady Eagles to make at least seven three-point baskets in a game. Both marks are career highs for Rowe, who led a trio of Lady Eagles in double-figure scoring.
Jean finished with 19 points in her first game back to her previous home arena since transferring to Southern Miss. Sieper rounding out the group with 11 points of her own.
Southern Miss' 10 three-pointers are the most in a game since Jan. 18, 2018, when the Lady Eagles also hit 10 against UAB.
Up Next
Southern Miss returns home to host two games this week, beginning on Thursday, Jan. 2, against Old Dominion at 6 p.m.
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
GSU
FG%
.510
.345
3FG%
.556
.318
FT%
.591
.778
RB
40
23
TO
25
18
STL
10
13
Game Leaders
Scoring
Players Mentioned
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Missy Bilderback Introductory Press Conference
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Thank You Coach Joye Lee-McNelis
Saturday, March 01