HATTIESBURG, Miss. (Interstat) — Southern Mississippi used a decisive third-quarter surge to defeat Louisiana-Lafayette 76-58 in a women’s NCAA basketball game Saturday at Reed Green Coliseum. The Lady Eagles outscored the Ragin’ Cajuns 48-27 after halftime, turning a three-point lead into a comfortable victory. Jakayla Johnson led all scorers with 20 points for Southern Mississippi. Sakyia White added 16 points and eight rebounds. Imani Daniel paced Louisiana-Lafayette with 15 points and eight rebounds. Southern Mississippi improved to 9-4. Louisiana-Lafayette fell to 0-11.

HATTIESBURG, Miss. (Interstat) — A dominant second-half surge propelled the Southern Mississippi Lady Eagles to a 76-58 victory over the winless Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns in a nonconference women’s basketball game Saturday at Reed Green Coliseum. The game’s pivotal shift occurred in the third quarter, where Southern Mississippi outscored Louisiana-Lafayette 25-10, transforming a narrow four-point halftime lead into a commanding 19-point advantage. The Lady Eagles, who improved to 9-4, shot 50% from the field in the period while capitalizing on a stagnant Ragin’ Cajuns offense that committed seven turnovers and made just four field goals. Southern Mississippi’s offensive efficiency proved decisive. The Lady Eagles scored 76 points on 82 possessions for an offensive rating of 93.1, compared to Louisiana-Lafayette’s 58 points on 76 possessions and a rating of 76.7. Despite a frigid 4-of-27 performance from three-point range, Southern Mississippi compensated by shooting 43.5% overall from the floor and a sharp 12 of 14 from the free-throw line. They also converted 19 Louisiana-Lafayette turnovers into 22 points. Jakayla Johnson led all scorers with 20 points for Southern Mississippi, including two three-pointers. Sakyia White, the team’s top star, anchored the interior with 16 points and eight rebounds in just 24 minutes. Hayleigh Breland nearly recorded a double-double with 12 points and nine rebounds, while Meloney Thames filled the stat sheet with 13 points, five rebounds, three assists and two blocks. Louisiana-Lafayette, which fell to 0-11, was led by Imani Daniel’s 15 points and eight rebounds. Stephanie Mosley added 11 points and five rebounds off the bench, and Amijah Price contributed 12 points and five rebounds. The Ragin’ Cajuns struggled with their shooting all afternoon, finishing 22 of 65 from the field, and their 16 offensive rebounds yielded limited second-chance points. The first half was a tightly contested, albeit sloppy, affair. Both teams combined for 24 turnovers before the break. Louisiana-Lafayette built an early lead, ending the first quarter up 15-12 behind Daniel’s work inside. The Ragin’ Cajuns maintained a slight edge for much of the second quarter, but Southern Mississippi closed the half on a 9-2 run, capped by a Jakayla Johnson three-pointer, to take a 28-24 lead into the locker room. Any hope for a Louisiana-Lafayette rally was extinguished in the third quarter’s opening minutes. Southern Mississippi unleashed a 14-4 run over the first five minutes, fueled by transition baskets and interior scores from White and Johnson. The Lady Eagles’ defense tightened, forcing difficult shots and live-ball turnovers that fueled their break. By the time the quarter ended with Southern Mississippi leading 53-34, the outcome was effectively sealed. The Lady Eagles’ lead ballooned to as many as 24 points in the fourth quarter before settling at the final 18-point margin. Southern Mississippi’s depth was on display as nine players scored, with Brikayla Gray pulling down six rebounds in 17 minutes. The loss extends a difficult start to the season for Louisiana-Lafayette, which has now lost its 11 games by an average of 15.5 points. Southern Mississippi, meanwhile, bounced back from a road loss to Mississippi State earlier in the week and will now look ahead to Sun Belt Conference play. According to National Statistical’s ELO system, Southern Mississippi entered the game with an 84.10 percent probability to win, a forecast borne out by their decisive second-half performance. The Lady Eagles next host Arkansas State on Jan. 1 to open their conference schedule. Louisiana-Lafayette will seek its first win when it hosts Dillard on Dec. 29.

HATTIESBURG, Miss. (Interstat) — The Southern Mississippi Lady Eagles look to continue their winning ways when they host the struggling Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns in a nonconference women’s basketball game Saturday at Reed Green Coliseum. Southern Miss (8-4) is coming off an 84-65 home victory over South Alabama on Thursday. The Lady Eagles have won three of their last four, with the lone loss in that stretch coming on the road against a powerful Mississippi State team. Hayleigh Breland has been a consistent offensive force for Southern Miss. The guard is averaging 17.3 points over her last three games, including a 24-point performance in the loss at Mississippi State. She scored 17 points with three assists in the win over South Alabama, where she was joined by Jakayla Johnson (20 points) and Meloney Thames (16 points) in a balanced scoring effort. Louisiana-Lafayette (0-10) remains in search of its first win after a 62-55 loss at Texas State on Wednesday. The Ragin’ Cajuns have kept games closer recently, with their last three defeats all by single digits. Guard Imani Daniel has been a bright spot for Louisiana-Lafayette, averaging 15 points over her last five contests. She poured in a season-high 20 points in 32 minutes against Texas State. Her versatility was on display earlier in a 17-point, 10-rebound effort in a loss at Fresno State. The matchup pits one of the Sun Belt Conference’s most productive scorers in Breland against a Louisiana-Lafayette defense that has allowed 70.2 points per game. Southern Miss averages 77.8 points at home this season. This is the final nonconference tune-up for both teams before league play begins in January. Southern Miss opens Sun Belt action at home against Arkansas State on Jan. 1. Louisiana-Lafayette’s next chance for a win comes at home against Dillard on Dec. 29. Tipoff is set for Saturday afternoon.