University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Saturday, January 3
Reed Green Coliseum
2 p.m.
Southern Miss
vs
Troy
Photo by: Joe Harper/bgnphoto.com
Lady Eagles Close Homestand Against Troy
1/2/2026 6:44:00 PM | Women's Basketball
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Southern Miss women's basketball finishes off a four-game Sun Belt homestand on Saturday, Jan. 3, against Troy (11-2, 2-0 Sun Belt). The Lady Eagles (9-5, 2-1 Sun Belt) look to rebound after dropping their first home game of the season in their last time out and to grab their 10th win of the season, tying last year's total. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. with broadcasts on ESPN+ and the Southern Miss Sports Network.
Southern Miss will also hold its annual Pink Game in support of the Play4Kay Foundation. Fans are encouraged to wear pink to the game in honor of those fighting breast cancer. Free pink pom poms will be given out to fans as supplies last with the Lady Eagles donning their pink alternate uniforms for the first time this season.
The Lady Eagles face the tall task of taming a potent Troy attack. The Trojans lead the Sun Belt Conference with 84.9 points per game (17th nationally), plus-18.8 scoring margin (38th), 49.00 rebounds per game (third), 17.1 offensive rebounds per game (12th), 31.9 defensive rebounds per game (sixth), plus-11.3 rebounding margin (19th) and 15.9 assists per game (65th). The Trojans have reached 80 points in both their league wins so far and have won by an average of 24 points in each.
Three Trojans are scoring in double-figures, led by breakout star Fortuna Ngnawo's 14.8 points per game. Emani Jenkins (13.2) and Zay Dyer (12.7) round out the group, with all five Trojan starters scoring at least 8.7 points per game. Dyer averages an impressive 12.7 points and 12.0 rebounds per game through 13 games. An All-Sun Belt Preseason First Team selection, Dyer is one of three Trojans represented on the Preseason Team along with Ashley Baez (third) and South Alabama transfer Rachel Leggett (Second).
Trojans head coach Chanda Rigby is 10 wins away from becoming the program's all-time wins leader. She enters the weekend with 266 victories in Troy, trailing Joyce Sorrell's 275. Sorrell led the Trojans from 1975 until 1995 for a total of 20 seasons. Rigby is in her 14th season at the helm and looks to post her 10th winning season in the last 12.
As for Southern Miss, the Lady Eagles' core group of starters – Jakayla Johnson (Clinton, Miss.); Meloney Thames (Philadelphia, Miss.); Carly Keats (Philadelphia, Miss.); Sakyia White (Tuscaloosa, Ala.); and Hayleigh Breland (Wiggins, Miss.) – are all still averaging double-figure scoring efforts. Breland leads the team with 12.4 but is closely followed by Johnson (12.1), White (12.1), Thames (11.7) and Keats (11.6). Alongside Princeton, Southern Miss is one of two programs in Division I with five double-figure scoring starters.
Johnson has scored at least 20 points in all three Sun Belt games so far, making her one of four players in Division I to score at least 20 points in at least three conference games this season. The other three are Grace Sullivan (Northwestern, Big Ten Conference), Alana Nelson (Purdue Fort Wayne, Horizon League) and Sidni Middleton (UT Martin, Ohio Valley Conference).
The Lady Eagles are looking to bounce back from last game's 91-83 defeat to Arkansas State. The Red Wolves forced Southern Miss into 29 turnovers in the contest, the most in a game by Southern Miss since Nov. 11, 2018. Alongside the turnover mark, Southern Miss made just two three-pointers and none after the first quarter. However, the Lady Eagles managed to win the rebounding battle against Arkansas State, a strong sign ahead of Saturday's game against Troy.
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.
Southern Miss will also hold its annual Pink Game in support of the Play4Kay Foundation. Fans are encouraged to wear pink to the game in honor of those fighting breast cancer. Free pink pom poms will be given out to fans as supplies last with the Lady Eagles donning their pink alternate uniforms for the first time this season.
The Lady Eagles face the tall task of taming a potent Troy attack. The Trojans lead the Sun Belt Conference with 84.9 points per game (17th nationally), plus-18.8 scoring margin (38th), 49.00 rebounds per game (third), 17.1 offensive rebounds per game (12th), 31.9 defensive rebounds per game (sixth), plus-11.3 rebounding margin (19th) and 15.9 assists per game (65th). The Trojans have reached 80 points in both their league wins so far and have won by an average of 24 points in each.
Three Trojans are scoring in double-figures, led by breakout star Fortuna Ngnawo's 14.8 points per game. Emani Jenkins (13.2) and Zay Dyer (12.7) round out the group, with all five Trojan starters scoring at least 8.7 points per game. Dyer averages an impressive 12.7 points and 12.0 rebounds per game through 13 games. An All-Sun Belt Preseason First Team selection, Dyer is one of three Trojans represented on the Preseason Team along with Ashley Baez (third) and South Alabama transfer Rachel Leggett (Second).
Trojans head coach Chanda Rigby is 10 wins away from becoming the program's all-time wins leader. She enters the weekend with 266 victories in Troy, trailing Joyce Sorrell's 275. Sorrell led the Trojans from 1975 until 1995 for a total of 20 seasons. Rigby is in her 14th season at the helm and looks to post her 10th winning season in the last 12.
As for Southern Miss, the Lady Eagles' core group of starters – Jakayla Johnson (Clinton, Miss.); Meloney Thames (Philadelphia, Miss.); Carly Keats (Philadelphia, Miss.); Sakyia White (Tuscaloosa, Ala.); and Hayleigh Breland (Wiggins, Miss.) – are all still averaging double-figure scoring efforts. Breland leads the team with 12.4 but is closely followed by Johnson (12.1), White (12.1), Thames (11.7) and Keats (11.6). Alongside Princeton, Southern Miss is one of two programs in Division I with five double-figure scoring starters.
Johnson has scored at least 20 points in all three Sun Belt games so far, making her one of four players in Division I to score at least 20 points in at least three conference games this season. The other three are Grace Sullivan (Northwestern, Big Ten Conference), Alana Nelson (Purdue Fort Wayne, Horizon League) and Sidni Middleton (UT Martin, Ohio Valley Conference).
The Lady Eagles are looking to bounce back from last game's 91-83 defeat to Arkansas State. The Red Wolves forced Southern Miss into 29 turnovers in the contest, the most in a game by Southern Miss since Nov. 11, 2018. Alongside the turnover mark, Southern Miss made just two three-pointers and none after the first quarter. However, the Lady Eagles managed to win the rebounding battle against Arkansas State, a strong sign ahead of Saturday's game against Troy.
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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