HATTIESBURG, Miss. (Interstat) — Hayleigh Breland scored 25 points to lead Southern Mississippi to an 81-73 women’s basketball victory over UAB on Sunday at Reed Green Coliseum. The Lady Eagles improved to 7-3 overall, while the Blazers fell to 4-5. Southern Mississippi used a decisive 29-point second quarter to build a halftime lead and held off a late UAB rally. Breland’s performance topped a balanced effort. Monae Duffy posted a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds for UAB, and Sofia Munoz added a team-high 24 points. Attendance was 1,576. The win avenged a 77-72 road loss to UAB just 10 days prior.

HATTIESBURG, Miss. (Interstat) — A quick rematch with regional bragging rights on the line is set for Sunday when the Southern Mississippi Lady Eagles host the UAB Blazers in a nonconference women’s basketball clash at Reed Green Coliseum. The Lady Eagles (6-3) will be looking for redemption after falling 77-72 at UAB just 10 days prior, on Nov. 27. That result is part of a recent skid for Southern Miss, which has dropped three of its last four, including an 83-70 loss at SMU on Monday. In that game, Sakyia White scored a season-high 24 points, showcasing the offensive punch she will need against UAB. White had 15 points in the first meeting. UAB (4-4) arrives with momentum from a dominant 81-54 win over Southern Illinois on Wednesday. Guard Molly Moffitt erupted for 25 points in that victory, continuing a streak of strong performances. Moffitt, who scored 19 against Southern Miss in November, is averaging 20.4 points over her last five games and is the focal point of the Blazers’ offense. The matchup features two teams heading in opposite directions since their first contest. UAB has won two of three, while Southern Miss seeks to stabilize after its promising 5-0 start was dampened by losses to Power Five opponent North Carolina State, UAB and SMU. Southern Miss will rely on its home court advantage, where it is 4-1 this season, to counter UAB’s backcourt speed. Containing Moffitt will be a primary defensive focus for the Lady Eagles, while UAB must account for White’s interior scoring and the support of guards Jakayla Johnson and Meloney Thames, who combined for 25 points against SMU. Tipoff is scheduled for Sunday afternoon. For Southern Miss, it’s a chance to even the season series and regain momentum before a tough road test at Mississippi State next week. For UAB, a win would secure the home-and-home sweep and push its record above .500 for the first time this season.