HATTIESBURG, Miss. (Interstat) — A surging Marshall squad looks to rebound from a tough overtime loss when it visits Southern Mississippi in a Conference USA women’s basketball matchup Thursday night at Reed Green Coliseum.

The Thundering Herd (15-5) enter with the stronger overall record but are coming off a narrow 84-82 road defeat at Old Dominion on Saturday. Marshall had won five of its previous six games prior to that loss, including an 80-74 victory over Coastal Carolina on Jan. 10.

Southern Mississippi (11-7) seeks consistency after alternating wins and losses in its last four contests. The Lady Eagles fell 81-71 at Arkansas State in their most recent outing this past Saturday.

The game features a compelling matchup in the backcourt. Marshall is led by dynamic guard Timaya Lewis-Eutsey, who is coming off a stellar 31-point, six-assist performance in the loss to Old Dominion. Over her last seven games, she has averaged over 17 points and five assists per contest, including a 33-point outing in a win over ODU on Jan. 7.

For the Lady Eagles, forward Whitney Hart provides a major presence inside. She recorded a double-double with 17 points and 14 rebounds against Arkansas State. In her last three games where she saw significant minutes, Hart has averaged 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Marshall’s offense, averaging over 75 points per game in its last five, will test a Southern Mississippi defense that has allowed 81 points or more in three of its last five games. The Thundering Herd’s two-game losing streak earlier this month was followed by a three-game win streak, demonstrating their resilience.

Southern Mississippi will rely on its home court advantage, where it is 6-2 this season, to counter Marshall’s potent attack. Key support for Hart comes from Meloney Thames, who also scored 17 points in the loss to Arkansas State.

Thursday’s contest is the only scheduled meeting between the teams this regular season. Marshall continues its road trip at Louisiana-Monroe on Saturday. Southern Mississippi remains at home to host Coastal Carolina that same day.