March 26, 2008

HATTIESBURG, Miss. - The Southern Miss women's basketball team advances to the 'Sweet 16' of the WNIT for the first-time, traveling to Ann Arbor, Mich., to face Michigan in a first-ever meeting between the two teams. Game is set for a 6 p.m., tip central.

C-USA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL NOTEBOOK & STATISTICS

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.

Southern Miss (21-13) is coming off a 62-61 win over in-state rival Mississippi State in which Pauline Love hit a game-winning three-pointer with 2.3 seconds remaining. Love finished with a game-high 18 points, Kendra Reed added 15 points, Stephanie Helgeson and Liz Biland chipped in 13 and 10 points, respectively. Helgeson also grabbed a team-best 12 rebounds. Southern Miss fought back from a 15-point deficit, using a 22-6 run over the last 9:48.

Love, a first team all-conference performer, continues to lead the team in scoring and rebounding, averaging 16.4 and 10.4, respectively, while Reed and Helgeson are averaging double digit points at 12.1 points apiece. Andrea Barber leads the team in assists with a season-best 205 and 51 steals. Reed has connected 65-of-147 three-pointers, shooting 44.2 percent. Five players are shooting 45.0 percent or better from the field, led by Helgeson at 52.6 percent.

As a team, the Lady Eagles are averaging 72.1 points and 38.9 rebounds, while shooting 46.7 percent from the field and 76.5 percent from the line. Southern Miss has connected on 170-of-479 threes for 35.5 percent.

Michigan comes in with an 18-13 record following a 75-57 second-round win over VCU. Janelle Cooper led the way with 22 points on 7-of-8 shooting from the field. The Wolverines hit a season-high 13 3-pointers.

Krista Phillips leads the team in scoring at 10.5 points and Carly Benson is next at 10.1. Phillips also leads the team in rebounding (5.7 rpg).

As a team, Michigan is averaging 60.1 points and 33.2 rebounds per game, while shooting 42.8 percent from the field and 71.5 percent from the line. Head Coach Kevin Borseth is in his first season.

Head Coach Kevin Borseth has guided the Wolverines to their first postseason in six years. Michigan has two players averaging in double figures led by Krista Phillips at 10.5 points followed by Carly Benson at 10.1. Phillips also leads the team in rebounding at 5.7 per game. Michigan has connected on 199, 3-pointers on the season, while shooting a respectable 34.1 percent from behind the arc.

This is the first-ever meeting between the two teams. The winner of this game will face the winner of Kansas and Michigan State winner.