It was a game of runs, and the Lady Eagles had the final say with a 10-0 run in the fourth quarter to pull away from South Alabama and open Sun Belt Conference play with a 84-65 win.
“To start 1-0 in conference play is what matters,” Southern Miss coach Missy Bilderback said. “This is what the nonconference is for — to get us ready for Sun Belt play. I thought South Alabama has a great team.”
The Lady Eagles (8-4, 1-0 Sun Belt) were fueled by a big night from Jakayla Johnson, who scored 20 points while shooting 3-for-5 from beyond the arc.
Johnson has endured a difficult couple of weeks, including the loss of family members.
“I had a chip on my shoulder,” Johnson said. “It’s been pretty rough on me these last couple weeks. I’ve dealt with death in my family back to back, so I knew coming into this game that I had something to prove. I had a conversation with Coach B early that day, and she told me I wasn’t starting, but I still attacked. She wanted to challenge me to be a leader for the team, and I felt like I did that coming off the bench.”
The win marked Bilderback’s first Sun Belt Conference victory as Southern Miss’ head coach.
South Alabama (7-4, 0-1) entered the game as one of the league’s top shooting teams and showed it early. The Jaguars opened the game on a 9-0 run to take an 11-5 lead in the first quarter.
The Lady Eagles struggled offensively in the opening minutes, allowing South Alabama to build a comfortable advantage, but Southern Miss found its footing late in the period.
Trailing 18-11, Carly Keats converted a layup before Johnson knocked down a 3-pointer. Johnson then came up with a steal in the closing seconds and finished at the rim to tie the game at 18 at the end of the first quarter.
“A lot of work went into prepping for them,” Bilderback said. “They run a lot of sets and early actions. For us to be able to defend in the half court and get back to pressing and playing faster — that’s what we’re going to need to do to win in this league.”
South Alabama responded with a 7-0 run early in the second quarter to reclaim a 25-18 lead.
Johnson helped pull Southern Miss back into the game, scoring five of the next eight points to tie it at 28.
Southern Miss closed the half on a 16-4 run to take a 36-32 lead into the break.
“We were able to fight and get stops in the half court, and that was a big difference for us,” Bilderback said.
Despite the deficit, South Alabama outrebounded Southern Miss 22-15 in the first half, leading to six second-chance points.
Johnson led all scorers with 12 points at halftime, while Amyah Sutton paced the Jaguars with 11.
Southern Miss shot 44% in the first half, compared to 46% for South Alabama.
After halftime, the Lady Eagles came out with renewed energy and took control in the third quarter. After scoring just 18 points in the first half, Southern Miss scored 20 points midway through the third period.
That surge pushed the Lady Eagles ahead 56-39. South Alabama answered with a 10-0 run to cut the deficit to five, but Southern Miss regained control and led 62-51 at the end of the third quarter.
“I thought our defensive intensity was key,” Bilderback said. “When we’re able to get stops, whether it’s creating turnovers or defending in the half court, that’s where we’re best offensively — in transition and the open floor. We’ve got so many weapons, and when we share the ball, we’re tough to defend.”
Southern Miss pulled away for good in the fourth quarter with a 10-0 run to extend the lead to 74-58, which proved insurmountable for the Jaguars.
“I feel like this is a different Southern Miss team,” Johnson said. “I’m excited to keep growing with this group and keep getting better.”
Keats led Southern Miss with eight assists, while Sakyia White recorded a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds.
Southern Miss women’s basketball returns to action Saturday at home against Louisiana. Tipoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.
