University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Thursday, January 16
Reed Green Coliseum
6 p.m.
Southern Miss
vs
ULM
Photo by: Joe Harper/bgnphoto.com
Women’s Basketball Hosts ULM at Reed Green Coliseum
1/15/2025 4:35:00 PM | Women's Basketball
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Southern Miss returns home after a two-game road swing to host ULM on Thursday, Jan. 16. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. at Reed Green Coliseum.
Southern Miss (5-11, 1-4 Sun Belt) is looking for its second win in Sun Belt Conference play after winning its opener against Georgia State. The Lady Eagles have not won a game since the calendar changed to 2025, losing four-straight games. ULM (6-10, 2-3 Sun Belt) are much like the Lady Eagles as of late as they, like Southern Miss, hold a 3-7 record over their last 10 games. ULM owns a four-game streak in the series, but Southern Miss still leads 18-12 all-time.
The Voice of the Lady Eagles, Jason Baker, begins his broadcast at 5:30 p.m. with the Lady Eagle Courtside Show before being joined by Coach Kay James for the game. ESPN+ will also host the game to a stream audience with Lee Roberts and Larry Boyd on the call. Live coverage on the ESPN app begins at 6 p.m.
Game 17 // Southern Miss (5-11, 1-4 Sun Belt) vs. ULM (6-10, 2-3 Sun Belt)
Thursday, January 16, 2025 // 6 p.m.
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.
About the Warhawks
ULM enters the game with a 6-10 record and 2-3 mark in Sun Belt play. Last week, the Warhawks defeated Southern Miss 84-75 before falling to Arkansas State. ULM is now 4-4 at home and 1-5 away from Fant-Ewing. Thursday will be ULM's second Sun Belt game away from home after playing four-straight. The last road win for ULM was on Nov. 13, 2024, at Southern Illinois.
Second-year head coach Missy Bilderback owns a 27-24 record in Monroe after taking the job last season. Her debut saw her lead the team to a 21-14 record and a finish in the Postseason WNIT Great Eight.
This year, the Warhawks were selected to finish fourth overall in the preseason coaches poll with Jakayla Johnson (first) and Katlyn Manuel (second) earning spots on the All-Sun Belt Preseason Teams.
Johnson leads the Warhawks with 15.0 points per game and has started in all 16 contests so far. She is joined in double-figure scoring by Meloney Thames, who averages 12.8 points per game.
As a team, the Warhawks are efficient from the free throw line, hitting a Sun Belt-best 76 percent of their shots. ULM also rarely turns the ball over, just 13.6 times per game, which ranks first in the league and 37th nationally.
The ULM Series
Southern Miss leads the all-time series 18-12, though ULM has won four consecutive games since last season. The Lady Eagles' last win was in 2022-23 in the form of an 84-82 overtime comeback over ULM in Monroe.
This will be the 15th meeting between the two in Hattiesburg where Southern Miss is 12-2 against ULM.
Against Louisiana Teams
Southern Miss is 164-96 all-time against Louisiana programs as the Lady Eagles have played all 12 Division I teams in the state. The Lady Eagles' 260 games against Louisiana teams are the most games played against opponents from any state.
The Lady Eagles are 54-66 on the road in Louisiana but hold a 106-26 record at Reed Green Coliseum. Southern Miss is 41-35 in conference play against Louisiana teams. Southern Miss has played four Louisiana teams in conference play: Louisiana (3-2 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 107-64 all-time against current Sun Belt teams and 40-32 all-time in conference play. Since 2022-23, Southern Miss is 24-17 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 5.81 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 is now tied for eighth in games played (122) and ninth in starts (105). She also ranks top 10 in rebounds (fifth), blocks (third), field goal percentage (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.
Southern Miss (5-11, 1-4 Sun Belt) is looking for its second win in Sun Belt Conference play after winning its opener against Georgia State. The Lady Eagles have not won a game since the calendar changed to 2025, losing four-straight games. ULM (6-10, 2-3 Sun Belt) are much like the Lady Eagles as of late as they, like Southern Miss, hold a 3-7 record over their last 10 games. ULM owns a four-game streak in the series, but Southern Miss still leads 18-12 all-time.
The Voice of the Lady Eagles, Jason Baker, begins his broadcast at 5:30 p.m. with the Lady Eagle Courtside Show before being joined by Coach Kay James for the game. ESPN+ will also host the game to a stream audience with Lee Roberts and Larry Boyd on the call. Live coverage on the ESPN app begins at 6 p.m.
Game 17 // Southern Miss (5-11, 1-4 Sun Belt) vs. ULM (6-10, 2-3 Sun Belt)
Thursday, January 16, 2025 // 6 p.m.
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.
About the Warhawks
ULM enters the game with a 6-10 record and 2-3 mark in Sun Belt play. Last week, the Warhawks defeated Southern Miss 84-75 before falling to Arkansas State. ULM is now 4-4 at home and 1-5 away from Fant-Ewing. Thursday will be ULM's second Sun Belt game away from home after playing four-straight. The last road win for ULM was on Nov. 13, 2024, at Southern Illinois.
Second-year head coach Missy Bilderback owns a 27-24 record in Monroe after taking the job last season. Her debut saw her lead the team to a 21-14 record and a finish in the Postseason WNIT Great Eight.
This year, the Warhawks were selected to finish fourth overall in the preseason coaches poll with Jakayla Johnson (first) and Katlyn Manuel (second) earning spots on the All-Sun Belt Preseason Teams.
Johnson leads the Warhawks with 15.0 points per game and has started in all 16 contests so far. She is joined in double-figure scoring by Meloney Thames, who averages 12.8 points per game.
As a team, the Warhawks are efficient from the free throw line, hitting a Sun Belt-best 76 percent of their shots. ULM also rarely turns the ball over, just 13.6 times per game, which ranks first in the league and 37th nationally.
The ULM Series
Southern Miss leads the all-time series 18-12, though ULM has won four consecutive games since last season. The Lady Eagles' last win was in 2022-23 in the form of an 84-82 overtime comeback over ULM in Monroe.
This will be the 15th meeting between the two in Hattiesburg where Southern Miss is 12-2 against ULM.
Against Louisiana Teams
Southern Miss is 164-96 all-time against Louisiana programs as the Lady Eagles have played all 12 Division I teams in the state. The Lady Eagles' 260 games against Louisiana teams are the most games played against opponents from any state.
The Lady Eagles are 54-66 on the road in Louisiana but hold a 106-26 record at Reed Green Coliseum. Southern Miss is 41-35 in conference play against Louisiana teams. Southern Miss has played four Louisiana teams in conference play: Louisiana (3-2 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 107-64 all-time against current Sun Belt teams and 40-32 all-time in conference play. Since 2022-23, Southern Miss is 24-17 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 5.81 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 is now tied for eighth in games played (122) and ninth in starts (105). She also ranks top 10 in rebounds (fifth), blocks (third), field goal percentage (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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