Lady Eagles Take Second Sun Belt Win in Defeat of Louisiana

Saturday, December 20

Reed Green Coliseum

1 p.m.

Southern Miss

9-4,2-0Sun Belt

Louisiana

0-11,0-2Sun Belt

Louisiana

Southern Miss.

Lady Eagles Take Second Sun Belt Win in Defeat of Louisiana

12/20/2025 5:31:00 PM | Women's Basketball

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HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Southern Miss women's basketball (9-4, 2-0 SBC) comes back from a slow start to remain undefeated in Sun Belt play with a 76-58 win over Louisiana. The Ragin' Cajuns fall 0-11 (0-2 SBC) to close out Sun Belt play before the holiday break.

The Lady Eagles opened the game with defensive pressure but struggled to convert early, as both teams went scoreless through the opening three minutes. The Lady Eagles capitalized on multiple turnovers to generate transition opportunities, with Carly Keats and Sakyia White scoring on fast breaks to briefly take the lead. After trading baskets midway through the quarter, Southern Miss continued to apply pressure, forcing several miscues, but second-chance points and a late surge by the opposition shifted momentum. Despite late looks inside and on the perimeter, the Lady Eagles trailed 15–12 at the end of the opening frame.

Southern Miss opened the period by leaning into its pressure, converting turnovers into early baskets to regain the lead behind White's finish inside and Breland's steady presence in the paint. The Lady Eagles continued to disrupt Louisiana's rhythm, forcing multiple miscues, but struggled to sustain momentum as empty possessions and fouls allowed the Ragin' Cajuns to respond. Louisiana capitalized on turnovers midway through the quarter to build a brief cushion, pushing the lead to six before Southern Miss answered. Thames sparked a late surge with two free throws and a key block, while Johnson knocked down a pair of transition threes in the final minutes to keep the Lady Eagles within striking distance. Despite the push, Louisiana carried a 31–28 advantage into halftime.

The Lady Eagles came out of the break with energy, using defensive pressure to generate early transition opportunities and briefly regain momentum. Gray and Keats sparked the opening run with back-to-back fast-break finishes off Cajuns turnovers, while Johnson took over offensively with a pair of baskets in the paint and a three to push the Lady Eagles in front. Breland and White extended the surge with second-chance scoring as Southern Miss built a double-digit cushion midway through the period. Louisiana responded late behind perimeter shooting, trimming the margin in the closing minutes, but the Lady Eagles maintained control through defensive rebounds and timely finishes. Southern Miss carried a 53–41 lead into the final quarter.

Southern Miss weathered an early push from the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns by leaning on defensive stops and transition scoring to keep control of the game. Thames and Johnson provided timely answers offensively, including a transition three from Johnson and steady finishes in the paint to maintain a double-digit lead. White anchored the interior down the stretch, converting second-chance opportunities and knocking down free throws as the Lady Eagles capitalized on Cajuns fouls and turnovers. Despite Louisiana finding late baskets in transition, Southern Miss continued to control the pace and glass in the final minutes, closing out the home win with consistent effort on both ends and the 76-58 win.

White led Southern Miss with 16 points and eight rebounds, shooting a perfect 6-for-6 from the field and finishing with a team-high efficiency rating of 25. Johnson added a game-high 20 points on 8-of-15 shooting while dishing out two assists. Thames chipped in 13 points, five rebounds and three assists, providing a steady presence on both ends of the floor. Gray rounded out the top performers with five points and six rebounds, going 2-for-2 from the field and anchoring the paint defensively.

The Lady Eagles kick off 2026 against Arkansas State at 6 p.m. on Jan. 1 in Reed Green Coliseum.

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