Jan. 22, 2006

Box Score

HATTIESBURG, Miss. -

Marshall-Southern Miss Box Score

The Southern Miss Lady Eagle basketball team won its fourth consecutive Conference USA game today, surviving a late Marshall run, to win 67-63 before 849 in Reed Green Coliseum.

With the win, Southern Miss improves to 8-10, 5-2 in league play, while Marshall falls to 10-6, 5-1.

"This is a huge win," Southern Miss Head Coach Joye Lee-McNelis said. "To beat the No. 1 team in Conference USA makes a statement for us. I'm proud of our fight and how far we've come."

In the first half, Marshall took its only lead of the game, 3-2 with 18:09 remaining. From there, Southern Miss took a 14-5 advantage, highlighted by a three-point bucket from Ashley Harrell, and again led by nine on another three-pointer from Harrell, giving the team a 19-10 led with 12:54 to play. Marshall would get within three points on two occasions in the first half, the last at 21-18 with 7:57 to play, before Southern Miss took a 36-29 advantage at halftime.

Marshall got within three, 36-33, 2:30 into the second half, before Southern Miss used a 5-0 run to take a 41-33 advantage with 16:04 to play, before Marshall cut the lead down to four, 45-41 with 11:05 to play.

Southern Miss again pushed its lead out to eight, 49-41 with 10:07 to play, before pushing the lead out to 13, 58-45, on a jumper by Harrell with 3:47 to play. Leading by 12, 61-49 with 1:54 to play, Marshall would cut the Lady Eagles' lead down again, getting within four, 63-59 with 29 seconds remaining. Marshall would get within three with eight seconds remaining, but a free throw by Harrell clinched the victory.

The Lady Eagles out-shot Marshall 44.9 (22-49) percent to 34.8 (24-69) percent. Rebounds were tied at 41 between the two schools.

Ashley Boehnel finished with a game-high 20 points for Southern Miss, while Kendra Reed and Harrell each had 13. Amber Eugene finished with 12 points for the Lady Eagles. Kristin Chaney finished with a game-high nine rebounds.

Sikeet Shepard-Hall finished with 15 points to lead Marshall, while Modupe Ishola added 14. KaShawna Curry and Bridget Chacon each had 10 points for Marshall.

Southern Miss returns to action on Jan. 27, in a 7 p.m., contest at UAB.