HATTIESBURG, Miss. – South Alabama and Southern Miss battled back-and-forth Saturday afternoon in Hattiesburg, but the Lady Eagles held off the Jaguar attack just long enough to secure the 77-69 win. The loss was South Alabama's seventh in a row.
The contest was tied six times and had eight lead changes, but Southern Miss (8-7, 1-4) was able to close the game, earning their first conference win of the season.
Kelsey Thompson finished the afternoon with a season-high 20 points, going 6-of-15 from the field and 7-of-8 from the free throw line. Joining Thompson in double figures was
Emani Burks, who finished with 11 and
Rachel Leggett who added 10. The road game was Thompson's 10th double figure game, the second for Burks and the sixth for Leggett.
Thompson also led the team in rebounding, bringing down five boards.
Zena Elias and
Rachel Leggett added four rebounds each.
Three Lady Eagles finished in double figures, with Melyia Grayson leading the squad with 24 points and 12 rebounds. Jacorriah Bracey also recorded a double-double, finishing with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Leading scorer Domonique Davis totaled 22 points on the day, while adding four assists and four steals. Grayson and Bailey both recorded their third double-doubles of the season in the contest.
South Alabama finished the afternoon shooting 42.4%, a high for the squad in conference play.
GAME FACTS
- South Alabama and Southern Miss started off slow, before the Lady Eagles found their first point of the game with seven to go in the first quarter.
- South answered with two quick baskets before Southern Miss answered back, this time taking a 9-4 lead.
- Southern Miss led 15-12 at the end of the first quarter.
- South Alabama and Southern Miss traded baskets into the second, and South Alabama tied the game at 22 off a Naomi Smitherman jumper with five left in the first half.
- The teams battled back-and-forth to close out the first half, with Southern Miss up 31-29.
- The Jaguars took their first lead of the game on their first possession of the second half, taking a 32-21 lead off a Rachel Leggett three.
- The Lady Eagles retook the lead, and extended it, up 39-34 with six to play in the third quarter.
- South cut the Southern Miss lead to one, down 47-46 with a minute and a half in the third.
- South led 53-51 at the end of the third quarter.
- Rachel Leggett tied the game at 58 with a three pointer with six to play in the game.
- Southern Miss then tied it up at 61 with five to play.
- The Lady Eagles took a four point lead – up 67-61 – with 1:59 left in the game.
- South Alabama was unable to cut into the lead, falling 77-69 in the road game.
NOTES
- Jordan Rosier is the only player to start all 17 games this season.
- Kelsey Thompson led the Jaguar squad with 20 points, a season-high.
- The loss was the sixth time Thompson led the team in scoring.
- Thompson also led the team in rebounding, bringing down five rebounds.
- Emani Burks finished with 11, while Rachel Leggett added 10.
- South committed just 14 turnovers, tying a season low.
QUOTABLE
Head coach Yolisha Jackson:
"Today, the thing that really stood out is we have to stop fouling so much. I think Southern Miss took 29 free throws and it wasn't late game free throws. It was free throws throughout, it was and-ones. Our post defense has got to improve. We've got to figure out how to box out, hold and then go get. I thought we moved the ball well, we shot it well. We kind of limited Dom Davis, but Melyia Grayson owned the paint on us, and that is not a good feeling. Time to get back to work and get ready for our four games at home."
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