HATTIESBURG, Miss. (Interstat) — The Southern Mississippi Lady Eagles remained undefeated Tuesday night, using a dominant second quarter and a high-powered offensive performance to cruise past the Southeastern Louisiana Lions at Reed Green Coliseum.

Southern Mississippi improved to 5-0 on the young season, while Southeastern Louisiana fell to 1-3.

The game was a tale of contrasting offensive efficiency. The Lady Eagles shot a blistering 50 percent from the floor, connecting on 33 of 66 attempts, and were effective from beyond the arc, making 9 of 23 three-pointers. Their offensive execution was further highlighted by an offensive rating of 116.1 points per 100 possessions.

Southeastern Louisiana, conversely, struggled to find its shooting touch all evening. The Lions managed just 20 field goals on 60 attempts, a 33.3 percent clip, and were particularly cold from long range, hitting only 2 of 18 three-point attempts. Their offensive rating of 74.5 underscored the difficulty they faced in scoring against a stout Southern Mississippi defense.

The first quarter offered a glimmer of hope for the visiting Lions, who kept the contest close and trailed by only four points, 15-11. However, the game turned decisively in the second period. The Lady Eagles erupted for 24 points while holding Southeastern Louisiana to just 11, stretching their lead to 39-22 by halftime and never looking back.

Southern Mississippi continued to apply pressure after the break, outscoring the Lions 18-16 in the third quarter before putting the game completely out of reach with a 29-point explosion in the final period.

The Lady Eagles’ victory was a balanced effort, with four players scoring in double figures. Carly Keats, a guard from Philadelphia, Miss., led all scorers with 17 points and added three assists. Fellow guard Jakayla Johnson of Clinton, Miss., contributed 12 points and two assists, while forward Sakyia White of Tuscaloosa, Ala., controlled the paint with 14 points and a blocked shot.

Guard Hayleigh Breland from Wiggins, Miss., orchestrated the offense with a game-high five assists to go with seven points. The Lady Eagles also dominated the glass, pulling down 13 offensive rebounds compared to just seven for the Lions, and protected the rim with five total blocks, two each from White and Whitney Hart of Baton Rouge, La.

Southeastern Louisiana was led by Natalie Huff. The 5-foot-7 guard from San Antonio, Texas, shouldered the scoring load with 16 points in 26 minutes of action. Mia Ramos, also from San Antonio, provided a spark off the bench with 10 points. Lihi Azouri of Herzelia, Israel, added nine points for the Lions.

Southern Mississippi’s defense was active throughout, generating 13 turnovers from the Lions, which they converted into easy scoring opportunities. The Lions did manage to force 12 turnovers of their own and recorded seven steals, but could not capitalize sufficiently on the other end.

The win extends Southern Mississippi’s strong start as they prepare for a challenging stretch of their schedule. The Lady Eagles will host Nicholls State on Saturday before traveling to Cancún, Mexico, for a Thanksgiving tournament where they will face UAB and North Carolina State.

Southeastern Louisiana will look to rebound from its third consecutive loss when it returns home to face Texas A&M-Commerce on Saturday. The Lions then face a daunting road test at Baylor on Dec. 3.