Preview: South Alabama Jaguars at Southern Mississippi Lady Eagles

HATTIESBURG, Miss. (Interstat) — Two teams with identical aspirations of building momentum before conference play begins will meet Thursday when the South Alabama Jaguars visit the Southern Mississippi Lady Eagles at Reed Green Coliseum.

Both teams enter the non-conference matchup with 7-win records. South Alabama (7-3) looks to continue its strong start, while Southern Miss (7-4) aims to rebound on its home floor.

The Jaguars are coming off a 70-58 home victory over North Alabama on Sunday. They are led by forward Cordasia Harris, who scored 20 points and blocked three shots in that win. Harris has been a consistent force, averaging 12.2 points over her last six games and providing a key interior presence.

South Alabama’s season has featured a notable 91-68 road win at UAB but also close losses, including an 80-82 defeat at Louisiana Tech on Dec. 4. Their performance has been defined by balanced scoring and resilience.

The Lady Eagles, meanwhile, are looking to shake off a 64-87 road loss to a powerful Mississippi State team on Sunday. Their offense runs through guard Hayleigh Breland, who is coming off a 24-point performance against the Bulldogs and a 25-point outing in an 81-73 win over UAB on Dec. 7. Breland’s scoring punch will be central to Southern Miss’s hopes.

Southern Miss has shown a high-powered offense at home, including a 113-point outing against Blue Mountain College, but has also faced stiff competition in losses to North Carolina State and SMU.

The matchup pits South Alabama’s steady consistency against a Southern Miss team capable of explosive scoring, particularly in Hattiesburg. The Jaguars will seek to control the tempo and leverage Harris’s inside game, while the Lady Eagles will rely on Breland’s perimeter scoring and transition play.

This contest serves as a final tune-up for both squads before each embarks on its respective conference schedule this weekend.

Tip-off is set for Thursday night.