Saturday, January 11
Lafayette, La. / Cajundome
2 p.m.
Southern Miss
at
Louisiana
Lady Eagles Take on Louisiana to Close Road Trip
1/10/2025 5:46:00 PM | Women's Basketball
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Southern Miss women's basketball's two-game trip through Louisiana comes to a close on Saturday, Jan. 11, in Lafayette, La. Southern Miss takes on Sun Belt rival Louisiana at 2 p.m. at the Cajundome.
The Lady Eagles (5-10, 1-3 Sun Belt) look to claim their second Sun Belt victory of the year and snap a three-game skid in league play. Louisiana (7-6, 3-1 Sun Belt) look to notch back-to-back wins over Southern Miss for the first time in their program's history. The Cajuns snapped an 11-game Lady Eagle streak in their last meeting. Southern Miss leads the all-time series 16-4.
Broadcasts from the Cajundome begin on Saturday with the Lady Eagle Courtside Show airing at 1:30 p.m. on the Southern Miss Sports Network with Jason Baker, the Voice of the Lady Eagles, and variety of guests. ESPN+ live coverage begins at 2 p.m. with the legendary Dan McDonald and Eric Mouton on the call.
Game 16 // Southern Miss (5-10, 1-3 Sun Belt) at Louisiana (7-6, 3-1 Sun Belt)
Saturday, January 11, 2025 // 2 p.m. CT
TV: ESPN+ // Dan McDonald (PxP) and Eric Mouton (Color)
Radio: Southern Miss Sports Network (92.7 FM) // Jason Baker (PxP)
Cajundome (11,550) // Lafayette, La.
About the Ragin' Cajuns
Louisiana enters the weekend 7-6 overall and 3-1 in Sun Belt Conference play after handing South Alabama a 76-50 loss in the Mitchell Center. The Ragin' Cajuns only Sun Belt Conference loss was at home to league-leading James Madison by a 68-63 final.
Thirteenth-year head coach Garry Brodhead is by far the winningest head coach in the Cajuns' history with 209 victories in Lafayette. A graduate of then-Southwestern Louisiana, Brodhead assumed the head job for the Cajuns in 2012 after five seasons with Lady Eagle associate head coach Brooks Donald Williams at McNeese.
With Williams at the helm of the Cowgirls program and Brodhead as an assistant coach (2007-10) and associate head coach (2010-12), McNeese won back-to-back Southland titles and made the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history and in back-to-back seasons. Brodhead left the Cowgirls to take the job at his alma mater after the 2012 season, which is where he has been since.
The Cajuns' look to transfer Erica Lafayette to run the offense as she averages 13.5 points per game. Jaylyn James (10.7) and Tamiah Robinson are the only other Cajuns to average double-figure scoring. Offense, however, is not the Ragin' Cajuns strong suit as they are last in the Sun Belt with 60.5 points per game. Juxtapose to their offensive struggles, the Cajuns lead the league and rank in the top 75 of Division I in scoring defense as they allow just 59.1 points per game.
Through 13 games, Louisiana has allowed 60 points just five times – two of which were to SEC opponents Auburn and #4 LSU. As a result of their defensive priority, Louisiana sacrifices offensive possessions and does not enjoy the benefit of volume shooting.
UL is top five in the league in defensive field goal percentage, three-point percentage, turnovers forced and turnover margin. Most impressive is their turnover margin of +4.92 – 40th in the nation – and their 22.08 forced turnovers per game – 26th in the nation.
The Louisiana Series
Southern Miss leads the all-time series against Louisiana 16-4 after the Ragin' Cajuns earned their fourth victory in overtime in the final game of the 2023-24 regular season. Prior to that, Southern Miss owned an 11-game win streak in the series since 1990 and had never lost to the Cajuns on their current home floor.
Louisiana mounted a fourth quarter comeback to force overtime and connected on an and-one free throw to win 58-57 in front of their home crowd.
Southern Miss is 4-3 all-time in Lafayette and 3-1 in the Cajundome. The first three games of the series played in Lafayette all took place in Blackham Coliseum, Louisiana's old home court.
Against Louisiana Teams
Southern Miss is 164-95 all-time against Louisiana programs as the Lady Eagles have played all 12 Division I teams in the state. The Lady Eagles' 259 games against Louisiana teams are the most games played against opponents from any state.
Southern Miss is 54-66 on the road in Louisiana and 41-34 in all-time conference play against Bayou State teams. Southern Miss has played four Louisiana teams in conference play: Louisiana (3-1 SBC); Louisiana Tech (11-6 C- USA); Tulane (25-24 overall; 14-4 Metro; 11-20 C-USA); and ULM (2-3 SBC).
Buckling the Sun Belt
Southern Miss is in its third season of Sun Belt Conference play after joining in 2022-23. With Southern Miss' addition to the league, the Sun Belt now spans 10 contiguous states from West Virginia to Texas. Six members of the league are within 400 miles of Hattiesburg with four less than a 300-mile drive away.
The Lady Eagles are 107-63 all-time against current Sun Belt teams and 40-31 all-time in conference play. Since 2022-23, Southern Miss is 24-15 in Sun Belt Conference games.
Joye Lee-McNelis is the league's longest tenured head coach and is the winningest active head coach in as well.
Leading Her Alma Mater
Joye Lee-McNelis is one of 40 active Division I head coaches currently leading their alma mater in women's basketball. She is one of 26 former women's basketball players currently leading the team she played for as well.
Three's Company
Southern Miss is on pace for a record-setting year beyond the arc. The 2024-25 squad is making an average of 5.60 three-point baskets per game, making them just the second team in the program's history to average more than five three-pointers per game.
Southern Miss' current record average was 5.03 in 2007-08 while Southern Miss made its most three-point baskets in 2014-15 with 178 makes.
#BurgBuilt
Fifth-year center Melyia Grayson is one of 45 players in Division I playing her fifth season at the one school. She entered the year already on the 1,000-point club's roster and has a chance to move into the top 10 by the end of the year.
Grayson also has a chance to move up the charts in multiple records. Against App State, Grayson played her 120th career game at Southern Miss and started her 103rd, moving her into the top 10 in both categories.
She moved up to tie for ninth in games played (121) and now has sole possession of ninth place in games started (104). She also ranks top 10 in rebounds (fifth), blocks (third), field goal percentage (tied-fifth), field goals made (eighth) and double-doubles (ninth)
30 Piece
Grayson tied her career high of 32 points at ULM on Jan. 9, collecting 14 rebounds en route to her 24th career double-double and third this season.
The game also moved her from 14th on the all-time scoring charts to 13th, passing Tanya Bullock (1990-94). She is just eight points away from tying Wilhelmina Smith (1981-85) for 12th all-time.
The Tampa Two
Former high school teammates Nyla Jean and Morgan Sieper reunited at the Division I level last season in Hattiesburg with Jean transferring from Georgia State and Sieper signing out of H.B. Plant High School in Tampa, Fla.
The two won the 2021 FHSAA Class 7A State Title with the Plant Panthers where Jean was a senior and Sieper a sophomore. The two started together for the first time in their careers together on Dec. 21, 2023, at Florida Gulf Coast and last season's run in the Postseason WNIT was the first postseason action for the two since their 2021 state title run in Tampa.
The duo has scored in double-figures together in three games this season.
New Year, Newcomers
The 2024-25 season saw Southern Miss sign eight newcomers to their squad. Je'Mya Evans (Mississippi Gulf Coast CC) and Samantha Shanks (Connors State) both signed from NJCAA while Bre Sutton transferred from Arkansas State after spending her first two seasons at ULM.
Five freshman – Micah Cooper, Jaime Gallatly, Whitney Hart, Trinity Rowe and Ava Shields – all inked their letters of intent with Southern Miss as well.
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 (5-10, 1-3 Sun Belt) look to claim their second Sun Belt victory of the year and snap a three-game skid in league play. Louisiana (7-6, 3-1 Sun Belt) look to notch back-to-back wins over Southern Miss for the first time in their program's history. The Cajuns snapped an 11-game Lady Eagle streak in their last meeting. Southern Miss leads the all-time series 16-4.
Broadcasts from the Cajundome begin on Saturday with the Lady Eagle Courtside Show airing at 1:30 p.m. on the Southern Miss Sports Network with Jason Baker, the Voice of the Lady Eagles, and variety of guests. ESPN+ live coverage begins at 2 p.m. with the legendary Dan McDonald and Eric Mouton on the call.
Game 16 // Southern Miss (5-10, 1-3 Sun Belt) at Louisiana (7-6, 3-1 Sun Belt)
Saturday, January 11, 2025 // 2 p.m. CT
TV: ESPN+ // Dan McDonald (PxP) and Eric Mouton (Color)
Radio: Southern Miss Sports Network (92.7 FM) // Jason Baker (PxP)
Cajundome (11,550) // Lafayette, La.
About the Ragin' Cajuns
Louisiana enters the weekend 7-6 overall and 3-1 in Sun Belt Conference play after handing South Alabama a 76-50 loss in the Mitchell Center. The Ragin' Cajuns only Sun Belt Conference loss was at home to league-leading James Madison by a 68-63 final.
Thirteenth-year head coach Garry Brodhead is by far the winningest head coach in the Cajuns' history with 209 victories in Lafayette. A graduate of then-Southwestern Louisiana, Brodhead assumed the head job for the Cajuns in 2012 after five seasons with Lady Eagle associate head coach Brooks Donald Williams at McNeese.
With Williams at the helm of the Cowgirls program and Brodhead as an assistant coach (2007-10) and associate head coach (2010-12), McNeese won back-to-back Southland titles and made the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history and in back-to-back seasons. Brodhead left the Cowgirls to take the job at his alma mater after the 2012 season, which is where he has been since.
The Cajuns' look to transfer Erica Lafayette to run the offense as she averages 13.5 points per game. Jaylyn James (10.7) and Tamiah Robinson are the only other Cajuns to average double-figure scoring. Offense, however, is not the Ragin' Cajuns strong suit as they are last in the Sun Belt with 60.5 points per game. Juxtapose to their offensive struggles, the Cajuns lead the league and rank in the top 75 of Division I in scoring defense as they allow just 59.1 points per game.
Through 13 games, Louisiana has allowed 60 points just five times – two of which were to SEC opponents Auburn and #4 LSU. As a result of their defensive priority, Louisiana sacrifices offensive possessions and does not enjoy the benefit of volume shooting.
UL is top five in the league in defensive field goal percentage, three-point percentage, turnovers forced and turnover margin. Most impressive is their turnover margin of +4.92 – 40th in the nation – and their 22.08 forced turnovers per game – 26th in the nation.
The Louisiana Series
Southern Miss leads the all-time series against Louisiana 16-4 after the Ragin' Cajuns earned their fourth victory in overtime in the final game of the 2023-24 regular season. Prior to that, Southern Miss owned an 11-game win streak in the series since 1990 and had never lost to the Cajuns on their current home floor.
Louisiana mounted a fourth quarter comeback to force overtime and connected on an and-one free throw to win 58-57 in front of their home crowd.
Southern Miss is 4-3 all-time in Lafayette and 3-1 in the Cajundome. The first three games of the series played in Lafayette all took place in Blackham Coliseum, Louisiana's old home court.
Against Louisiana Teams
Southern Miss is 164-95 all-time against Louisiana programs as the Lady Eagles have played all 12 Division I teams in the state. The Lady Eagles' 259 games against Louisiana teams are the most games played against opponents from any state.
Southern Miss is 54-66 on the road in Louisiana and 41-34 in all-time conference play against Bayou State teams. Southern Miss has played four Louisiana teams in conference play: Louisiana (3-1 SBC); Louisiana Tech (11-6 C- USA); Tulane (25-24 overall; 14-4 Metro; 11-20 C-USA); and ULM (2-3 SBC).
Buckling the Sun Belt
Southern Miss is in its third season of Sun Belt Conference play after joining in 2022-23. With Southern Miss' addition to the league, the Sun Belt now spans 10 contiguous states from West Virginia to Texas. Six members of the league are within 400 miles of Hattiesburg with four less than a 300-mile drive away.
The Lady Eagles are 107-63 all-time against current Sun Belt teams and 40-31 all-time in conference play. Since 2022-23, Southern Miss is 24-15 in Sun Belt Conference games.
Joye Lee-McNelis is the league's longest tenured head coach and is the winningest active head coach in as well.
Leading Her Alma Mater
Joye Lee-McNelis is one of 40 active Division I head coaches currently leading their alma mater in women's basketball. She is one of 26 former women's basketball players currently leading the team she played for as well.
Three's Company
Southern Miss is on pace for a record-setting year beyond the arc. The 2024-25 squad is making an average of 5.60 three-point baskets per game, making them just the second team in the program's history to average more than five three-pointers per game.
Southern Miss' current record average was 5.03 in 2007-08 while Southern Miss made its most three-point baskets in 2014-15 with 178 makes.
#BurgBuilt
Fifth-year center Melyia Grayson is one of 45 players in Division I playing her fifth season at the one school. She entered the year already on the 1,000-point club's roster and has a chance to move into the top 10 by the end of the year.
Grayson also has a chance to move up the charts in multiple records. Against App State, Grayson played her 120th career game at Southern Miss and started her 103rd, moving her into the top 10 in both categories.
She moved up to tie for ninth in games played (121) and now has sole possession of ninth place in games started (104). She also ranks top 10 in rebounds (fifth), blocks (third), field goal percentage (tied-fifth), field goals made (eighth) and double-doubles (ninth)
30 Piece
Grayson tied her career high of 32 points at ULM on Jan. 9, collecting 14 rebounds en route to her 24th career double-double and third this season.
The game also moved her from 14th on the all-time scoring charts to 13th, passing Tanya Bullock (1990-94). She is just eight points away from tying Wilhelmina Smith (1981-85) for 12th all-time.
The Tampa Two
Former high school teammates Nyla Jean and Morgan Sieper reunited at the Division I level last season in Hattiesburg with Jean transferring from Georgia State and Sieper signing out of H.B. Plant High School in Tampa, Fla.
The two won the 2021 FHSAA Class 7A State Title with the Plant Panthers where Jean was a senior and Sieper a sophomore. The two started together for the first time in their careers together on Dec. 21, 2023, at Florida Gulf Coast and last season's run in the Postseason WNIT was the first postseason action for the two since their 2021 state title run in Tampa.
The duo has scored in double-figures together in three games this season.
New Year, Newcomers
The 2024-25 season saw Southern Miss sign eight newcomers to their squad. Je'Mya Evans (Mississippi Gulf Coast CC) and Samantha Shanks (Connors State) both signed from NJCAA while Bre Sutton transferred from Arkansas State after spending her first two seasons at ULM.
Five freshman – Micah Cooper, Jaime Gallatly, Whitney Hart, Trinity Rowe and Ava Shields – all inked their letters of intent with Southern Miss as well.
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 –
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