University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Saturday, January 17
Jonesboro, Ark. / First National Bank Arena
2 p.m.
Southern Miss
at
Arkansas State
Lady Eagles Close Out Road Trip with Rematch Against Arkansas State
1/16/2026 1:21:00 PM | Women's Basketball
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Southern Miss women's basketball hits the road for the third-straight game to take on Arkansas State (15-4, 6-1 Sun Belt) in the second meeting between the Sun Belt Conference foes this season. The Lady Eagles (11-6, 4-2 Sun Belt) are looking to avenge their loss to the Red Wolves and stay within a reach of the top of the conference table. Tipoff at First National Bank Arena in Jonesboro, Ark., is set for 2 p.m. with airings on the Southern Miss Sports Network beginning at 1:30 p.m. and on ESPN+ at 2 p.m.
Arkansas State took the first meeting between the two squads, 91-83, at Reed Green Coliseum on Jan. 1. The Red Wolves forced 29 Southern Miss turnovers and scored 30 points off of them to come from 12 points down and win. Arkansas State has posted a 3-1 record since playing Southern Miss, defeating ULM, South Alabama and Louisiana while suffering its lone Sun Belt defeat at Troy on Jan. 10.
The Red Wolves are led in scoring by senior guard Zyion Shannon, who averages 13.2 points per game in 19 starts. Crislyn Rose, a junior guard from Sachse, Texas, is averaging 12.0 points per game with starts in all 19 games as well. Mia Tarver notches just out of double-figure range with 9.3 points per contest. Arkansas State is under the direction of fifth-year head coach Destinee Rogers, who spent her first season as the interim in Jonesboro before taking the reins in 2022-23.
Rogers implemented a Grinnell-esque system last year and turned in the greatest season in program history, taking ASU to the NCAA Tournament for the first time. The system is back in tune this year and has helped the Red Wolves to their 15-4 start. ASU leads the Sun Belt in turnovers forced (27.74), turnover margin (+10.63), steals (15.8) and bench points (31.5).
Southern Miss is coming off its first road conference win in nearly a year after defeating Texas State 76-62 in the midst of nearly 3,000 local students at Strahan Arena. The Lady Eagles placed four in double-figures and built an early cushion to cruise to victory. Jakayla Johnson (Clinton, Miss.) and Carly Keats (Philadelphia, Miss.) each added 17 points to lead all scorers while Hayleigh Breland (Wiggins, Miss.) and Meloney Thames (Philadelphia, Miss.) chipped in 15 and 10, respectively.
All eyes were on the front court as Whitney Hart (Baton Rouge, La.) made her first career start in lieu of the injured Sakyia White (Tuscaloosa, Ala.). Hart and teammates Anaisha Carriere (Gulfport, Miss.), Je'Mya Evans (Gulfport, Miss.) and Timaya Thurman (Linden, Ala.) are tasked with supplementing White's 11.3 points and 7.9 rebounds per game as the Lady Eagles head deeper into conference play.
Johnson leads the Sun Belt Conference with 22.7 points per game in conference contests while the Lady Eagles sit a game-and-a-half back from first place, good enough for fifth place in the current Sun Belt standings. Arkansas State's 6-1 record places it in a tie for first with Marshall and Georgia Southern – both still on the schedule for Southern Miss this season.
Saturday's meeting is the 13th all-time between the Red Wolves and Lady Eagles. Southern Miss leads the all-time series 7-5 and 4-3 in Sun Belt Conference play. Despite Arkansas State's three-game winning streak, the Lady Eagles have taken five of the eight meetings since joining the Sun Belt in 2022-23, including a victory in the 2023 Sun Belt Conference Tournament.
Support Southern Miss Women's Basketball
Support Southern Miss women's basketball by purchasing your season tickets today for just $75. Visit smttt.info/WBBTix today to purchase your seats.
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.
Arkansas State took the first meeting between the two squads, 91-83, at Reed Green Coliseum on Jan. 1. The Red Wolves forced 29 Southern Miss turnovers and scored 30 points off of them to come from 12 points down and win. Arkansas State has posted a 3-1 record since playing Southern Miss, defeating ULM, South Alabama and Louisiana while suffering its lone Sun Belt defeat at Troy on Jan. 10.
The Red Wolves are led in scoring by senior guard Zyion Shannon, who averages 13.2 points per game in 19 starts. Crislyn Rose, a junior guard from Sachse, Texas, is averaging 12.0 points per game with starts in all 19 games as well. Mia Tarver notches just out of double-figure range with 9.3 points per contest. Arkansas State is under the direction of fifth-year head coach Destinee Rogers, who spent her first season as the interim in Jonesboro before taking the reins in 2022-23.
Rogers implemented a Grinnell-esque system last year and turned in the greatest season in program history, taking ASU to the NCAA Tournament for the first time. The system is back in tune this year and has helped the Red Wolves to their 15-4 start. ASU leads the Sun Belt in turnovers forced (27.74), turnover margin (+10.63), steals (15.8) and bench points (31.5).
Southern Miss is coming off its first road conference win in nearly a year after defeating Texas State 76-62 in the midst of nearly 3,000 local students at Strahan Arena. The Lady Eagles placed four in double-figures and built an early cushion to cruise to victory. Jakayla Johnson (Clinton, Miss.) and Carly Keats (Philadelphia, Miss.) each added 17 points to lead all scorers while Hayleigh Breland (Wiggins, Miss.) and Meloney Thames (Philadelphia, Miss.) chipped in 15 and 10, respectively.
All eyes were on the front court as Whitney Hart (Baton Rouge, La.) made her first career start in lieu of the injured Sakyia White (Tuscaloosa, Ala.). Hart and teammates Anaisha Carriere (Gulfport, Miss.), Je'Mya Evans (Gulfport, Miss.) and Timaya Thurman (Linden, Ala.) are tasked with supplementing White's 11.3 points and 7.9 rebounds per game as the Lady Eagles head deeper into conference play.
Johnson leads the Sun Belt Conference with 22.7 points per game in conference contests while the Lady Eagles sit a game-and-a-half back from first place, good enough for fifth place in the current Sun Belt standings. Arkansas State's 6-1 record places it in a tie for first with Marshall and Georgia Southern – both still on the schedule for Southern Miss this season.
Saturday's meeting is the 13th all-time between the Red Wolves and Lady Eagles. Southern Miss leads the all-time series 7-5 and 4-3 in Sun Belt Conference play. Despite Arkansas State's three-game winning streak, the Lady Eagles have taken five of the eight meetings since joining the Sun Belt in 2022-23, including a victory in the 2023 Sun Belt Conference Tournament.
Support Southern Miss Women's Basketball
Support Southern Miss women's basketball by purchasing your season tickets today for just $75. Visit smttt.info/WBBTix today to purchase your seats.
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.
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Players Mentioned
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