BOCA RATON, Fla. – Playing their only in-season tournament, Alabama A&M (1-8, 0-0 SWAC) fell by a 70-55 score as they took on Southern Mississippi (8-2, 0-0 C-USA) in an NCAA Division I women's basketball game on Sunday, December 19. The game was their first at the FAU Pre-Christmas Tournament.
 
Senior forward Dariauna Lewis (Omaha, Neb.) delivered her best game of the season, notching game-highs of 17 points and 16 boards to go with a pair of blocks while graduate guard Nigeria Jones (Lincoln, Neb.) finished with 16 points, five caroms, four steals and a pair of assists in 37 minutes. Senior center Jada Clowers (Macon, Ga.) registered 13 points and five rebounds and freshman guard Jill Harris (Navarre, Fla.) dished out four assists.
 
The clubs would battle through five lead changes and be separated by no more than three points over the first 5:53, a stretch that would lead to the Eagles holding a narrow 12-10 advantage. Following a scoreless 1:13 for both teams, USM would score seven straight behind three different scorers for a nine point margin before the Bulldogs notched a pair of layups to close the opening frame trailing 19-14.
 
Following that scoring surge, neither club would be able to take the lid off the rim over the first 3:24 of the second period but Southern Mississippi would break through first and do so in a big way. They would score eight straight points in a span of 3:21 to extend to a 13-point spread, 27-14, by the 3:15 mark.
 
Lewis would then notch an old fashioned three-point play and sophomore guard Darian Burgin (Cincinnati, Ohio) would nail a triple to cut it to 27-20 just 1:16 later before the teams headed to the break with the score at 29-23.
 
Clowers would score the final bucket of the first half and then make it three in a row with two in the first 43 seconds of the third. That would be part of an overall 9-0 run as Jones knotted it up at 29-29 with a layup at the 8:55 mark. USM would then methodically build a 7-0 run over the next 2:49 to pull back ahead at 36-29 before Lewis knocked down a jumper and Jones a three to cut it to a two-point deficit with just over five minutes on the clock.
 
A pair of baskets by the Eagles' Kelsey Jones pushed it to 44-36 by the 2:51 mark but A&M would rally to within four before heading to the fourth with the score at 49-43. That would be as close as they would get, however, as Southern Miss added to that margin throughout the period, eventually taking a 17-point lead before closing out the 70-55 victory.
 
Melyia Grayson led USM with a double-double of 11 points and 11 rebounds, five offensive, to go with a pair of assists and Domonique Davis finished with 16 points, five caroms and three assists. Jones produced 13 points, four boards and a pair of steals in just 15 minutes of work and Brikayla Gray added nine points and five rebounds. Daishai Almond rounded things out with eight points, five caroms and two assists.
 
The Bulldogs wrap up the FAU Pre-Christmas Tournament tomorrow, Monday, December 20 when they take on host Florida Atlantic. Tip-off is set for 2:30 p.m. EST.
 
NOTES
The meeting was the first between the two programs.