Box Score
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - The New Orleans Privateers (0-10) provided a strong close in an 83-61 loss to the Southern Mississippi Lady Eagles (9-2) in the Reed Green Coliseum.
New Orleans scored 17 of the last 23 points in the contest including 11 straight after falling behind by as many as 33 points. Three Privateers achieved double figures in the loss.
Melissa Jensen put in a career high 16 points with 11 coming in the first half.
Octavia Wilson added 12 points and
Danielle Davis scored 10.
The Privateers kept it close in the early stages as they trailed 10-8 after the first six minutes of the game. From there, USM hit their first big run, an 11-2 spurt keyed by a pair of baskets each from Ashley Folsom and Markia Nix.
New Orleans fought to get the deficit back to single digits with 6:01 remaining in the first half on a
Melissa Jensen jumper. The Lady Eagles then went on a 14-5 run to close the half. USM went to the locker room with a 44-27 lead. The 27 points New Orleans scored in the first half was the most they scored in an opening half this season.
The Privateers shot 47.6 percent from the field in the second half after hitting at only a 29.6 percent clip in the first half. New Orleans also converted 22-of-32 trips at the free throw line. The 32 free throw attempts were the most by the Privateers in a game this season.
The Lady Eagles had four players reach double figures including Jamierra Faulkner who led all scorers with 18 points and a game high six assists. Tamara Jones put in a double double with 15 points and 13 rebounds. USM out-rebounded the Privateers 49-24.
The holiday road trip continues for New Orleans on Dec. 28 when they travel to Orem, Utah to take on Utah Valley University.
