PENSACOLA, Fla. – For the second consecutive day Georgia Southern and Marshall came out on top and advance into the third round of the Sun Belt Women’s Basketball Championship.
Both programs were the lower seeds heading into their matchups with 12-seeded Georgia Southern taking down 9-seeded ULM, 75-69 and 11-seeded Marshall defeating 10-seeded Texas State, 68-62.
Game 3: (12) Georgia Southern 75, (9) ULM 69 [Box Score]
Leah Johnson recorded her second consecutive double-double with 24 points and 15 rebounds, while also tagging on six assists in the victory.
The win marks the first time the Eagles have won more than one game in the league tournament, made even sweeter being it is under the direction of Hana Haden, who is in her first year as the Georgia Southern head coach.
Both teams battled in the first quarter, both shooting 50.0 or better with the score even at 20 a piece. Georgia Southern would gain the advantage in the second quarter, outscoring ULM 25-13 to head into the locker room up 45-33.
In the third, ULM’s Jakayla Johnson scored 13 points to close the gap on the Eagles, down just six, 69-75. Johnson would score 10 more in the fourth looking to get the win for the Warhawks, but it wouldn’t be enough.
ULM would foul Georgia Southern late hoping to keep it close, but the Eagles would go 10-12 from the line in the fourth and secure the 75-69 victory.
Johnson was supported by Bukky Akinsola who had 12 points and Indya Green who had just four points but grabbed 10 boards. The Eagles once again dominated in the paint, with 40 points being scored down low.
12-seeded Georgia Southern faces in-state rival and 8-seed Georgia State tomorrow at 11:30 a.m. This will be the third meeting of the year between the two teams, having split the series 1-1 during the regular season.
Game 4: (11) Marshall 68, (10) Texas State 62 [Box Score]
Marshall and Texas State battled until the end, with the Herd coming out on top 68-62 in game four of the Sun Belt Women’s Championship.
Meredith Maier recorded a 10-point, 11-rebound double-double, while Blessing King had a season high 13 points in the victory. All-Sun Belt First Team selection and the leagues leading scorer, Aislynn Hayes led the team in points with 17.
Destiny Terrell led the way for the Bobcats going 8-11 from the field with 18 points and six rebounds. Jaylin Foster scored 14 and was a perfect 6-6 from the line.
The Herd started cold, while the Bobcats had the hot hand, shooting 50.0 from both the field and three-point range in the first quarter. Out to a 16-8 lead, the Bobcats looked in control of the matchup.
Marshall would make up ground in the second, with six different players scoring while shooting at a 53.3 percent clip. The Herd would be down just two, 31-33, entering the half.
Hayes would record back-to-back three point plays to open the second half, getting fouled twice on drives to the net. Gaining momentum, CC Mays would then knock down a deep three, cushioning the Marshall lead to five.
Texas State kept it close, entering the fourth down four. A physical battle ensued, sending Marshall to the line seven times, creating separation heading into the final minutes of the game.
Marshall out rebounded Texas State 12-3 in the fourth, shooting 44.4 from the field, pulling out the 68-62 victory.
(11) Marshall will face (7) Louisiana tomorrow afternoon at 2 p.m. The two teams have met one other time this year, with the Ragin’ Cajuns winning 92-88 in overtime.
2025 Sun Belt Women’s Basketball Championship
Tuesday, March 4
Game 1 – (12) Georgia Southern def. (13) Southern Miss, 70-59
Game 2 – (11) Marshall def. (14) South Alabama, 73-59
Wednesday, March 5
Game 3 – (12) Georgia Southern def. (9) ULM, 75-69
Game 4 – (11) Marshall def. (10) Texas State, 68-62
Thursday, March 6
Game 5 – (8) Georgia State vs. (12) Georgia Southern – 11:30 a.m. CT [ESPN+]
Game 6 – (7) Louisiana vs. (11) Marshall – 2 p.m. CT [ESPN+]
Friday, March 7
Game 7 – (5) Old Dominion vs. Winner Game 5 – 11:30 a.m. CT [ESPN+]
Game 8 – (6) App State vs. Winner Game 6 – 2 p.m. CT [ESPN+]
Saturday, March 8
Game 9 – (4) Coastal Carolina vs. Winner Game 7 – 12:00 p.m. CT [ESPN+]
Game 10 – (3) Troy vs. Winner Game 8 – 2:30 p.m. CT [ESPN+]
Sunday, March 9
Game 11 – (1) James Madison vs. Winner Game 9 – 11:30 a.m. CT [ESPN+]
Game 12 – (2) Arkansas State vs. Winner Game 10 – 2 p.m. CT [ESPN+]
Monday, March 10 (Championship)
Game 13 – Winner Game 11 vs. Winner Game 12 – 1 p.m. CT [ESPN/ESPN2]