Southern Miss Lady Eagles' Comeback Bid Falls Short Against JMU

The Lady Eagles erased a 17-point deficit but couldn't complete the comeback against the talented James Madison squad.

Published on Feb. 4, 2026

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The Southern Miss Lady Eagles staged another impressive comeback, erasing a 17-point deficit to tie the game at 48-48 against James Madison. However, they were unable to take the lead and ultimately fell 83-72 to the Lady Dukes. Senior guard Jakayla Johnson led the Lady Eagles with 22 points, while freshman center Whitney Hart and senior guards Meloney Thames and Hayleigh Breland also scored in double figures. But the Lady Dukes' senior guard-forward duo of Payton McDaniel and Ashanti Barnes proved too much, combining for 45 points.

Why it matters

The loss drops Southern Miss to 12-11 overall and 5-7 in Sun Belt Conference play, making it difficult for the Lady Eagles to string together wins after consistently playing from behind. The game highlighted Southern Miss' struggles on the boards and in the paint, as well as James Madison's ability to dominate in transition.

The details

Despite the Lady Eagles' valiant comeback effort, they were unable to overcome James Madison's dominance in the paint, on the boards, and in transition. The Lady Dukes outrebounded Southern Miss 44-30 and outscored them 52-40 in the paint. They also held a decisive 18-5 advantage in fast-break points, punishing the Lady Eagles for their defensive lapses.

  • The game took place on Wednesday, February 5, 2026 at Reed Green Coliseum.

The players

Jakayla Johnson

A senior guard for the Southern Miss Lady Eagles who led the team with 22 points, two rebounds, three assists, and one steal.

Whitney Hart

A freshman center for the Southern Miss Lady Eagles who finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds.

Meloney Thames

A senior guard for the Southern Miss Lady Eagles who scored 12 points.

Hayleigh Breland

A senior guard for the Southern Miss Lady Eagles who scored 11 points and dished out a team-high four assists.

Payton McDaniel

A senior guard-forward for the James Madison Lady Dukes who scored a game-high 24 points on 10-16 shooting, with eight rebounds and two assists.

Ashanti Barnes

A senior forward for the James Madison Lady Dukes who scored 21 points on 10-20 shooting, with nine rebounds, five assists, and one steal.

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What’s next

The Southern Miss Lady Eagles will look to get back on track on Saturday when they take on Toledo on the road.

The takeaway

This game highlighted the Lady Eagles' struggles to consistently win games after falling behind early. While their comeback efforts have been admirable, their inability to control the boards, paint, and transition game ultimately proved too much to overcome against the talented James Madison squad.