MONROE, La. (Interstat) — Louisiana-Monroe used a dominant first half to defeat South Alabama 61-44 in a Sun Belt Conference women’s basketball game Thursday at Fant-Ewing Coliseum. The Warhawks built a 38-12 halftime lead, holding the Jaguars to just five points in the first quarter and seven in the second. South Alabama found rhythm after halftime but could not overcome the early deficit. Marcavia Shavers led Louisiana-Monroe with 17 points and 17 rebounds. J’Mani Ingram and Nakiyah Mays-Prince each added 14 points. Amyah Sutton scored 12 points for South Alabama. Louisiana-Monroe improved to 6-6 overall. South Alabama fell to 7-6.

MONROE, La. (Interstat) — The Louisiana-Monroe women’s basketball team used a dominant defensive performance and a commanding effort on the glass to secure a 61-44 victory over South Alabama in a Sun Belt Conference game Thursday at Fant-Ewing Coliseum. The Warhawks improved to 6-6 overall, while the Jaguars fell to 7-6. The most important part of the game was Louisiana-Monroe’s ability to completely stifle the South Alabama offense from the opening tip. The Jaguars were held to a season-low in points, shooting just 26.2% from the field and committing 25 turnovers, which the Warhawks converted into 13 steals and numerous transition opportunities. Louisiana-Monroe set the tone early, opening the game on a 12-0 run before South Alabama managed its first field goal. The Warhawks’ defensive pressure never relented, consistently disrupting passing lanes and contesting shots. South Alabama’s offensive rating of 58.4 points per 100 possessions underscored the struggle, as they failed to find any sustained rhythm. Marcavia Shavers, a 6-foot-2 junior from Biloxi, Mississippi, was the catalyst for the Warhawks, delivering a powerful double-double with 17 points and 17 rebounds in just 29 minutes. Her work on the offensive glass, where she grabbed seven rebounds, provided crucial second-chance points and extended possessions that wore down the Jaguars. She was complemented by the backcourt duo of J’Mani Ingram and Nakiyah Mays-Prince. Ingram, a 5-7 guard from North Augusta, South Carolina, added 14 points, five rebounds and four assists. Mays-Prince, a 5-5 guard from Chicago, played a game-high 36 minutes, contributing 14 points, four rebounds and four assists. South Alabama was led by Amyah Sutton and Diawna Carter-Hartley, who each scored 12 points. Carter-Hartley, a 6-1 forward from Cincinnati, Ohio, also had six rebounds and two blocks. The Jaguars’ offense was plagued by poor shooting, connecting on only 8 of 32 attempts from three-point range. Despite committing 17 turnovers of their own, the Warhawks were more efficient with their opportunities, posting an offensive rating of 91.5. They also won the rebounding battle 46-41, including a 17-14 edge on the offensive boards, and outscored South Alabama 13-6 in assists. The victory marked a positive start to conference play for Louisiana-Monroe, which entered the game as a heavy favorite according to analytical projections. For South Alabama, the loss continued a difficult stretch, having dropped three of its last four games. Louisiana-Monroe will host Arkansas State on Saturday. South Alabama travels to face Louisiana-Lafayette, also on Saturday. The two teams will meet again in a rematch in Mobile on Jan. 10.

MONROE, La. (Interstat) — The Sun Belt Conference women’s basketball schedule opens the new year with a matchup of teams looking to reverse recent slides when South Alabama visits Louisiana-Monroe on Thursday. The Jaguars (7-5) enter having lost three of their last four, including a 74-61 defeat at Arkansas State on Dec. 20. The Warhawks (5-6) have dropped four straight, most recently a 79-69 loss at Texas State on the same date. South Alabama will lean on forward Cordasia Harris, who is coming off a dominant 22-point, 12-rebound performance in the loss to Arkansas State. Over her last five games, Harris is averaging 17.2 points and has recorded two double-doubles. Support comes from guard Diawna Carter-Hartley, who added 15 points, four rebounds and four assists against the Red Wolves. Louisiana-Monroe’s offense seeks consistency after being held under 60 points in three of its four consecutive losses. Guard Jazmine Jackson is a key, having scored 17 points against Texas State but managing just seven total points in the two games prior. The Warhawks’ last win was a 62-47 victory over Lamar on Nov. 23. Defense may be decisive. South Alabama has allowed 74 points or more in each of its last three losses. Louisiana-Monroe has struggled offensively against power conference opponents, scoring 54 and 38 points in blowout losses to Indiana and Alabama, respectively, this month. The game at Fant-Ewing Coliseum tips off a critical early conference stretch for both. South Alabama visits Louisiana-Lafayette on Saturday, while ULM hosts Arkansas State the same day. The teams will meet again in a rematch in Mobile on Jan. 10. Historically, the Jaguars have controlled the series, winning 12 of the last 15 meetings. Thursday offers the Warhawks a chance to start 2026 with a momentum-shifting home victory and level their conference record.