Women's Basketball Team Advances to Second Round of WNIT, Host Mississippi State

March 23, 2008

HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- The Southern Miss women's basketball team advanced to the second round of the WNIT, recording its first postseason win since defeating Utah 74-66 in the 1996 NCAA regional tournament.

The game will be broadcast over WXHB-FM 96.5 with the "Voice of the Lady Eagles" Jason Baker providing play-by-play action with former coach Kay James as the color analyst. Free Live video streaming will also be available on Southernmiss.com.

Southern Miss (20-13) comes into the game after a first round win over UALR, 67-57. Stephanie Helgeson led four Lady Eagles in scoring with 17 points. Kendra Reed added 12 points, Tanesha Washington and Amber Eugene chipped in 11 and 10 points, respectively. Southern Miss finished the game shooting over 50.0 percent from the field for the 14th-time this season. Andrea Barber just missed a double-double with nine points and 11 rebounds.

Pauline Love, a first team all-conference performer, continues to lead the team in scoring and rebounding, averaging 16.4 and 10.4, respectively, while Kendra Reed, Stephanie Helgeson and Amber Eugene are averaging double digit points, 12.0, 12.0 and 10.2, respectively. Andrea Barber also leads the team in assists with a season-best 202 and 50 steals. Reed has connected 63-of-139 three-pointers, shooting 46.0 percent. Six players are shooting 45.0 percent from the field, led by Eugene at 53.3 percent.

As a team, the Lady Eagles are averaging 72.5 points and 38.8 rebounds, while shooting 46.9 percent from the field and 77.6 percent from the line. Southern Miss has connected on 165-of-460 threes for 35.9 percent. Mississippi State comes in with a 16-14 record following a 54-49 first-round loss at the SEC Tournament to Ole Miss. Tysheka Grimes recorded a double-double with 11 points and 14 rebounds.

As a team, State is averaging 66.3 points and 39.5 rebounds per game, while shooting 37.9 percent from the field and 67.5 percent from the line. Head Coach Sharon Fanning has guided the Lady Bulldogs make their ninth postseason bid under her tenure at Mississippi State. The Lady Bulldogs have two players averaging in double figures led by Alexis Rack at 11.7 points followed by Tysheka Grimes at 11.0. Grimes also leads the team in rebounding at 6.6 per game. State has lost five of its last six games.

This is the 34th meeting between the two schools. Southern Miss leads the series with Mississippi State, 20-13. State won the first meeting between the two teams in November.

The winner of this game will face the Michigan/VCU winner in the round of 16.