DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Interstat) — The Southern women’s basketball team built a commanding early lead and withstood a late push to defeat Bethune-Cookman 61-50 on Thursday night at Moore Gymnasium. The Lady Jaguars led 29-18 at halftime, capitalizing on a dominant first quarter where they held the Wildcats to just seven points. Southern’s defense forced 24 turnovers, converting them into 30 points. Demya Porter led Southern with 17 points, while Jaylia Reed added 15. Bethune-Cookman’s Kailyn Peters scored 15 points, and her team mounted a 20-point fourth quarter, but the early deficit proved too large to overcome. Southern improved to 7-7 overall, while Bethune-Cookman fell to 3-12.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Interstat) — The Southern women’s basketball team used a dominant defensive performance and a commanding early lead to secure a 61-50 victory over Bethune-Cookman in a Southwestern Athletic Conference game Thursday night at Moore Gymnasium. The visiting Lady Jaguars, who never trailed, improved to 7-7 overall and 3-0 in conference play. The Wildcats fell to 3-12 and 1-2. Southern established control from the opening tip, holding Bethune-Cookman to a single field goal in the first quarter and building a 13-7 lead. The defensive pressure never relented, as the Lady Jaguars forced 24 turnovers, converting them into 30 points. They also tallied 15 steals and limited the Wildcats to 40.5% shooting from the field. Demya Porter led all scorers with 17 points for Southern, adding six rebounds, four steals and a block. Jaylia Reed contributed 15 points, while Jestiny Dixon provided a crucial spark off the bench with 11 points, all in the first half, helping Southern extend its lead to 29-18 by halftime. The Lady Jaguars’ advantage grew to as many as 18 points in the third quarter before Bethune-Cookman mounted a late rally. The Wildcats outscored Southern 20-15 in the final period, cutting the deficit to single digits behind a team-high 15 points from Kailyn Peters. Sanai Tyler anchored the Wildcats’ interior defense with three blocks and seven rebounds. Southern’s ability to generate extra possessions proved decisive. They outrebounded Bethune-Cookman 45-28 overall and grabbed 17 offensive boards, leading to 15 second-chance points. The Lady Jaguars also dished out 15 assists, more than doubling the Wildcats’ total of six. Mykayla Cunningham orchestrated the Southern offense with five assists, and Zaria Hurston controlled the glass with a game-high 11 rebounds to go with nine points. For Bethune-Cookman, Daimoni Dorsey finished with seven points and three assists, and Madison Holden also scored seven. The most important sequence of the game occurred in the final minutes of the first half. With Southern leading 24-13, the Lady Jaguars closed the second quarter on a 5-0 run, capped by a Jestiny Dixon steal and driving layup just before the buzzer. This surge pushed the halftime margin to 11 points and stifled any budding momentum for the Wildcats, who had drawn within eight moments earlier. That closing burst solidified Southern’s control and set the tone for the second half, where they quickly expanded the lead. Southern travels to face Florida A&M on Saturday. Bethune-Cookman will host Grambling the same day.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Interstat) — The Southern women’s basketball team looks to build on its first winning streak of the season when it visits Bethune-Cookman in a nonconference matchup Thursday at Moore Gymnasium. The Lady Jaguars (6-7) enter on a two-game surge, including a 64-45 victory over Texas Southern on Saturday. Southern has relied on a balanced attack, but forward Zaria Hurston has been a consistent contributor. In the win over Texas Southern, she posted 11 points, eight rebounds and two blocks in 26 minutes. She is averaging 9.2 points and 5.8 rebounds over her last five games. Bethune-Cookman (3-11) snapped a five-game skid with a dramatic 57-56 win over Florida A&M on Saturday. Guard Daimoni Dorsey led the Wildcats with a season-high 22 points in that victory, showcasing the scoring punch she will need to provide against Southern. The Wildcats have struggled defensively, allowing an average of 73.4 points per game. This game, organized by the Southwestern Athletic Conference, pits two teams seeking momentum. Southern has shown resilience after a tough early schedule that included road losses to power conference opponents Baylor and UCLA. Bethune-Cookman, meanwhile, will aim to protect its home court and secure a second consecutive win for the first time this season. The matchup could hinge on interior play, where Hurston’s presence for Southern will be tested by a Bethune-Cookman frontcourt that includes Sanai Tyler, who had seven rebounds and two blocks in the Florida A&M game. Tipoff is set for Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in Daytona Beach. Southern visits Florida A&M on Saturday, while Bethune-Cookman hosts Grambling that same day.