NEW ORLEANS - Sun Belt women's basketball kicks of the new year with a full day of league action. All game are available on ESPN+.
ON A HOT STREAK
The defending Sun Belt tournament champions, Arkansas State, have won nine in a row and hold a 11-3 overall record as well as a 2-0 start to conference play. The Red Wolves also capped off their non-conference slate with a 81-72 win over in-state rival, Arkansas. Arkansas State is led by Zyion Shannon who leads the team with a 14.9 scoring average, Wynter Rogers who averages a team best 7.2 rebounds per game and Crislyn Rose, the teams assist leader (3.9 apg). The Red Wolves look to continue their streak when taking on Southern Miss (11-3, 2-0) on Thursday in Hattiesburg. The matchup between two of the hottest teams in the league has been selected as the Sun Belt women’s basketball game of the week.
MARSHALL MADE A STATEMENT
Marshall (11-3, 2-0) took down James Madison (9-5, 1-1) in the opening weekend of league action. Facing the defending Sun Belt regular season champions and trailing by as many as 10 points, Marshall freshman Olivia Olson led the way with a career-high 26 points in the overtime thriller. The Herd has also been elevated this year by Timaya Lewis-Eutsey, who has been voted the player of the week twice already this season. Lewis-Eutsey leads the team and is second in the league in scoring averaging 16.4 points per game. The Herd will kick off the new year with a trip to Coastal Carolina (7-7, 0-2) and look to maintain momentum heading into 2026.
TROJANS ON TOP
Troy maintains their position as the league’s leading offense and rebounders. With a 85.3 points per game average the Trojans rank 17th in the nation, they are the only team in the top 17 not ranked in the coach’s poll. Troy ranks third nationally in rebounds per game with 48.1 per game, behind only Oklahoma and LSU. Zay Dyer leads the team in rebounds and ranks second nationally in rebounds per game with 12.3 while also averaging 12.4 points per game, the only player in the Sun Belt averaging double figures in both categories.
SOUTHERN’S STREAK
Having won eight straight, Georgia Southern holds a 9-3 overall record and sit at 2-0 heading into the second week of league action. Four players are averaging double-digit scoring figures, led by Density Garret (13.9), Mckenna Eddings (13.4), Shanti Simmons (12.8) and Kishyah Anderson (11.8). Simmons is also averaging a team best 7.2 rebounds per game and has recorded two double-doubles so far this season. The Eagles are the only team with four starters averaging double-digit scoring figures.
MID MAJOR POLL
James Madison ranks third in the mid-major top 25, followed by Troy at four, Arkansas State at seven and Marshall at 20.
IMPACT PLAYERS – Sun Belt Statistical Leaders
PPG: Peyton McDaniel, JMU, 18.4
FG%: Cordasia Harris, USA, .549
3FG%: Emani Jenkins. Tory, .448
FT%: Sakyia White, USM, .875
RPG: Zay Dyer, TROY, 12.3
BPG: Riley Stack, ODU, 3.1
APG: Emma Smith, APP, 4.5
SPG: Timaya Lewis-Eutsey, MAR, 3.4
AST/TO: Emma Smith, APP, 2.75
WHERE TO WATCH
| Date |
Time |
Matchup |
ESPN+ |
| Thurs., Jan. 1 |
1:00 p.m. |
Georgia State at James Madison |
ESPN+ |
| Thurs., Jan. 1 |
1:00 p.m. |
Georgia Southern at Old Dominion |
ESPN+ |
| Thurs., Jan. 1 |
1:30 p.m. |
South Alabama at ULM |
ESPN+ |
| Thurs., Jan. 1 |
2:30 p.m. |
Marshall at Coastal Carolina |
ESPN+ |
| Thurs., Jan. 1 |
4:00 p.m. |
Troy at Louisiana |
ESPN+ |
| Thurs., Jan. 1 |
6:00 p.m. |
Arkansas State at Southern Miss |
ESPN+ |