White Ties Career-High in Loss at SMU

Monday, December 1

Dallas, Texas / Moody Coliseum

6:30 p.m.

Southern Miss

6-3,0-0Sun Belt

SMU

3-5,0-0ACC

Southern Miss.

SMU

White Ties Career-High in Loss at SMU

12/1/2025 10:06:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Game Book

DALLAS – Southern Miss women's basketball suffered an 83-70 setback against SMU Monday night at Moody Coliseum to fall to 6-3 on the year. The Lady Eagles pick up their third loss in as many games to close a three-game streak away from home.

Sakyia White (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) posted a 24-point, 13-rebound double-double to lead both teams in both categories. A trio of Lady Eagles finished with double-figures, led by White's 24 and followed by Meloney Thames (Philadelphia, Miss.) and Jakayla Johnson (Clinton, Miss.) with 15 and 10 points, respectively.

SMU (3-5, 0-0 ACC) struck first and opened a 4-0 run with a basket and trip to the free throw line before Southern Miss (6-3, 0-0 Sun Belt) finally found the basket with just under seven minutes left in the first quarter. White ignited an 8-0 Lady Eagle run, giving Southern Miss its first lead of the day with a pair of Carly Keats (Philadelphia, Miss.) free throws with 5:04 left in the frame.

In the meantime, Southern Miss held SMU scoreless for four minutes and without a basket for over four-and-a-half. The run got its eight points with a Keats jumper before SMU snapped the Lady Eagles' effort with 3:42 left in the first quarter. Hayleigh Breland (Wiggins, Miss.) drilled a three to put Southern Miss up 11-6 for the Lady Eagles' largest lead of the game to that point.

SMU cut the game back to one point after a Southern Miss turnover before Johnson put the cushion back to three. The Mustangs found the basket on two of their next three possessions to take the lead back with a Sanyah Jah bucket.

Ramiah "Moonie" Augurson (Monroe, La.) cut the game's margin to one with a running jumper in the final minute of the frame, giving SMU a one-point, 18-17 lead heading into the second quarter. The Mustangs got the first points of the second frame as well before Johnson score Southern Miss' first three points of the frame to make it a 22-21 ball game.

Thames connected on a three-point basket with 7:35 left in the frame to grab the lead 24-22. SMU tied the game and then took the lead in the next minute before White finished 2-of-2 at the free throw line to tie the game once again at 26-26. SMU took a five-point lead into the media break before Thames once again cut the margin to one with 2:29 until the half.

SMU fended off the Lady Eagles' efforts and took a 38-34 lead into the locker rooms. White led all scorers at the half with 10 points on a 4-of-6 shooting line.

An offensive foul ended Southern Miss' first possession of the second half and led to an SMU three ball to take a seven-point lead. Thames responded with a three to cut the margin to four and reached double-figures after two free throws to make it a two-point game. SMU ran off a quick 4-0 run, leading Southern Miss to call a timeout down six with 7:09 left in the third quarter.

After Thames' free throws, Southern Miss did not score for over three minutes when White broke through for a layup with 5:15 left in the frame. SMU closed out the third quarter with a string of runs to lead 57-46 heading into the fourth quarter.

Southern Miss forced a turnover on the Mustangs' first possession of the quarter and got a Breland bucket to make it a nine-point margin. SMU, though, was able to rally and draw 11 fouls off the Lady Eagles in the fourth frame.

The Mustangs turned those 11 Lady Eagle fouls into 18 free throw attempts, hitting 14. SMU made just five baskets in the fourth quarter to Southern Miss' nine, but the 14-of-18 finish at the line sealed the victory for the home-standing Mustangs. SMU grabbed it largest lead of the night with a 19-point margin with 5:02 to play before Southern Miss cut into the deficit to end the game.

White fouled out of the game with 33 seconds left but not before tying her career-high of 24 points and 10 made field goals. She finished 10-of-13 (76.9 percent) on the night along with 13 total rebounds with four offensive boards.

SMU's Zahra King led the way for four Mustang double-figure scorers with 23 points. Tyi Skinner scored 18, Kyla Deck 11 and Miriam Ibezim 10 to round out the bunch.

With the road trip finally coming to a close, Southern Miss returns to action on Sunday, Dec. 7, at Reed Green Coliseum to take on UAB at 2 p.m.

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