
Photo by: Joe Harper/bgnphoto.com
Georgia Southern Outlasts Southern Miss in Defensive Battle
2/5/2025 9:11:00 PM | Women's Basketball
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – A 13-0 Georgia Southern run in the fourth quarter turned a three-point Southern Miss lead into a 10-point margin with less than two minutes to play at Reed Green Coliseum. The visiting Eagles were able to hold off Southern Miss' late push, defeating the Lady Eagles 49-42 Wednesday night.
Southern Miss (8-15, 4-8 Sun Belt) got its first points of the game from a Trinity Rowe (Pikeville, Ky.) three-point basket. It was the second time this season Rowe scored Southern Miss' first points of the game and fifth time this season that Southern Miss' first points came from a three-point basket.
The Lady Eagles extended their lead on the next possession after a Morgan Sieper (Tampa, Fla.) dish to Melyia Grayson (Hattiesburg, Miss.). The two teams traded blows on the ensuing possessions with Georgia Southern (10-14, 3-9 Sun Belt) tying the game at five early on.
Nyla Jean (Tampa, Fla.) scored her first points of the night to break the 5-5 tie and helped Southern Miss lead 9-7 at the first quarter media break. Georgia Southern tied the game 9-9 on their first possession out of the break, starting a 10-0 Eagle run. The visiting Eagles took their first lead of the day with 2:31 left to play in the quarter and ended the first quarter with a 13-2 run.
In the second quarter, neither team scored in the first three-and-a-half minutes. Georgia Southern broke through with 6:35 left in the half to break a combined 0-of-8 start from the floor by both teams. Southern Miss' first points came at 5:58 off a Mikaylah Manley (Lake Charles, La.) jumper.
After the Eagles next basket, Southern Miss held Georgia Southern scoreless from the field in the final 5:28 of the quarter. Southern Miss trailed 25-19 heading into the locker room after a combined 4-of-24 performance from the floor in the second quarter.
Bre Sutton (New Orleans, La.) found Jean from half court for the first points of the second half, giving Jean her 14th game this season with double-figures. Sutton followed up the dish with a three-point basket to make it a three-point game before Jean dropped a layup in to bring the margin down to one.
Sieper drilled a three-point basket with 5:13 to play in the third quarter to add on to the Lady Eagle run. Georgia Southern called a timeout but Southern miss was able to extend its run to 10 unanswered points. The game entered the fourth quarter tied at 31-31 after Southern Miss doubled up Georgia Southern 12-6 in the third frame.
Rowe gave Southern Miss its final lead of the day with 8:16 to play in the form a three-point basket to make it 34-31. Rowe's three gave her 41 three-point baskets on the year, the second-most by a freshman in school history, passing Sieper's 40 makes last season. She trails only Danielle Johnson's 45 three-point baskets in the 2009-10 season.
Georgia Southern, though, was not out of the game by any means. After Rowe's go-ahead basket, the Eagles scored 13 unanswered over the next six minutes to take a 44-34 lead with 1:47 left in the game.
The Lady Eagles were able to cut the deficit to four with 25.8 seconds left, but Georgia Southern was in the bonus for over seven minutes in the fourth quarter. The Eagles closed out the game and collected the victory despite their 27.3 percent mark from the floor on the night.
Jean finished the night with 19 points to lead all scorers and as the Lady Eagles' only double-figure scorer. Rowe hit three three-point baskets to give her 42 on the year. As a team, Southern Miss scored a season-low 42 points and hit a season-low 15 baskets. The Lady Eagles' 42 points are the fewest in a game Jan. 30, 2016, when Southern Miss lost 47-41 at UTSA.
Up Next
The Lady Eagles will honor their seniors on Saturday, Feb. 8, in an afternoon meeting against Ohio at Reed Green Coliseum. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. in round two of the 2024-25 MAC-SBC Challenge.
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 hosted 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 (8-15, 4-8 Sun Belt) got its first points of the game from a Trinity Rowe (Pikeville, Ky.) three-point basket. It was the second time this season Rowe scored Southern Miss' first points of the game and fifth time this season that Southern Miss' first points came from a three-point basket.
The Lady Eagles extended their lead on the next possession after a Morgan Sieper (Tampa, Fla.) dish to Melyia Grayson (Hattiesburg, Miss.). The two teams traded blows on the ensuing possessions with Georgia Southern (10-14, 3-9 Sun Belt) tying the game at five early on.
Nyla Jean (Tampa, Fla.) scored her first points of the night to break the 5-5 tie and helped Southern Miss lead 9-7 at the first quarter media break. Georgia Southern tied the game 9-9 on their first possession out of the break, starting a 10-0 Eagle run. The visiting Eagles took their first lead of the day with 2:31 left to play in the quarter and ended the first quarter with a 13-2 run.
In the second quarter, neither team scored in the first three-and-a-half minutes. Georgia Southern broke through with 6:35 left in the half to break a combined 0-of-8 start from the floor by both teams. Southern Miss' first points came at 5:58 off a Mikaylah Manley (Lake Charles, La.) jumper.
After the Eagles next basket, Southern Miss held Georgia Southern scoreless from the field in the final 5:28 of the quarter. Southern Miss trailed 25-19 heading into the locker room after a combined 4-of-24 performance from the floor in the second quarter.
Bre Sutton (New Orleans, La.) found Jean from half court for the first points of the second half, giving Jean her 14th game this season with double-figures. Sutton followed up the dish with a three-point basket to make it a three-point game before Jean dropped a layup in to bring the margin down to one.
Sieper drilled a three-point basket with 5:13 to play in the third quarter to add on to the Lady Eagle run. Georgia Southern called a timeout but Southern miss was able to extend its run to 10 unanswered points. The game entered the fourth quarter tied at 31-31 after Southern Miss doubled up Georgia Southern 12-6 in the third frame.
Rowe gave Southern Miss its final lead of the day with 8:16 to play in the form a three-point basket to make it 34-31. Rowe's three gave her 41 three-point baskets on the year, the second-most by a freshman in school history, passing Sieper's 40 makes last season. She trails only Danielle Johnson's 45 three-point baskets in the 2009-10 season.
Georgia Southern, though, was not out of the game by any means. After Rowe's go-ahead basket, the Eagles scored 13 unanswered over the next six minutes to take a 44-34 lead with 1:47 left in the game.
The Lady Eagles were able to cut the deficit to four with 25.8 seconds left, but Georgia Southern was in the bonus for over seven minutes in the fourth quarter. The Eagles closed out the game and collected the victory despite their 27.3 percent mark from the floor on the night.
Jean finished the night with 19 points to lead all scorers and as the Lady Eagles' only double-figure scorer. Rowe hit three three-point baskets to give her 42 on the year. As a team, Southern Miss scored a season-low 42 points and hit a season-low 15 baskets. The Lady Eagles' 42 points are the fewest in a game Jan. 30, 2016, when Southern Miss lost 47-41 at UTSA.
Up Next
The Lady Eagles will honor their seniors on Saturday, Feb. 8, in an afternoon meeting against Ohio at Reed Green Coliseum. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. in round two of the 2024-25 MAC-SBC Challenge.
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 hosted 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
GS
USM
FG%
.273
.300
3FG%
.308
.357
FT%
.682
.778
RB
49
31
TO
16
19
STL
8
5
Game Leaders
Scoring
Players Mentioned
Missy Bilderback Presser - March 27, 2025
Thursday, March 27
Jeremy McClain Presser - March 27, 2025
Thursday, March 27
Missy Bilderback Introductory Press Conference
Thursday, March 27
Thank You Coach Joye Lee-McNelis
Saturday, March 01