Sterling helps Lady Lions extend win streak, 63-59, over Jackson State

HAMMOND, La. – Celica Sterling led all players with 22 points as Southeastern Louisiana overcame a sluggish start to hold off Jackson State, 63-59, in nonconference action Saturday afternoon at the University Center.

Southeastern (3-4) enters exam week riding a three-game winning streak, defeating the Lady Tigers (1-6) for the second time in as many seasons.

After Sterling got the scoring going with a jumper just 54 seconds into the contest, Jackson State swung the momentum in the opposite direction. After sinking 3-of-4 free throws and nailing a 3-pointer, the Lady Tigers went up by a game-high six points, 8-2, on a basket by Dayzsha Rogan.

The Lady Lions pulled within one on one of Sterling’s game-high four 3-pointers, but Jackson State once again extended its lead to six, 14-8, with 3:42 remaining in the opening quarter. Southeastern bounced back, ending the quarter on a 9-2 run to regain the lead.

Over the course of the next 5:33, the lead changed hands six times before a 3-pointer by Hailey Giaratano, a freshman from nearby Ponchatoula, Louisiana, gave the Lady Lions a four-point advantage, 26-22. Southeastern expanded its lead to a game-high 12 points, 34-22, with 1:14 remaining until the half on another 3-pointer from Sterling.

A 3-pointer by Jackson State’s D’Asia Mitchell snapped the Lady Lions 13-0 run and cut their lead to nine entering halftime.

Sterling pushed Southeastern’s lead back to double digits, 38-27, with 8:43 to play in the third quarter, but the Lady Tigers started to chip away at the deficit. A 12-2 run by Jackson State over the next five minutes pulled them back within one, 40-39.

Both teams traded baskets over the remaining 3:30 of the third and Southeastern entered the fourth quarter clinging to a 45-43 lead.

A balanced attack down the stretch helped the Lady Lions fend off a couple of charges by Jackson State, as Morgan Carrier, Charliee Dugas, Jayar Francis, Tyler Morrison and Sterling all scored for Southeastern in the final stanza.

Sterling topped 20 for the second time in as many games and reached the plateau for the eighth time in her career. Carrier added 10 points and Dugas chipped in nine for the Lady Lions who were 22-of-61 from the floor (36.1 percent) in the game. Francis grabbed a career-high 13 rebounds to go with her seven points.

UP NEXT
Southeastern will take time off for fall semester final exams before traveling to Louisiana Tech for a 6:30 p.m. nonconference contest Friday in Ruston, Louisiana. The SLU-LaTech contest will be broadcast live in the Hammond area on KSLU-FM (90.9), online at www.LionSports.net/listenlive and via both the TuneIn Radio and Lions Game Day Experience apps.

GREEN & GOLD CLUB / S CLUB
Fans interested in becoming active supporters of the Southeastern women’s basketball program are encouraged to join the Green & Gold Club. Lady Lion basketball alums are encouraged to join the exclusive S Club, which is restricted to Southeastern athletic letter winners.

All membership fees and donations to both the Green & Gold Club and S Club (women’s basketball) are available for the exclusive use of the Southeastern women’s basketball program. Membership information is available by contacting the Lion Athletics Association at laa@southeastern.edu or (985) 549-5091 or visiting www.LionUp.com.

SOCIAL MEDIA
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BOX SCORE
SOUTHEASTERN 63, JACKSON STATE 59
JACKSON STATE (1-6, 0-0 SWAC)
Dayzsha Rogan 6-16 4-4 19; Marneisha Hamer 6-8 0-1 12; Elexis Peyton 3-4 0-0 8; Sumer Williams 3-9 0-0 6; Keshuna Luckett 1-5 3-3 5; Jniya Tallie 1-4 0-0 3; D’Asia Mitchell 1-3 0-2 3; Kaisah Lucky 1-2 0-0 2; Cherelle Jones 0-1 1-4 1; Kristy Parker 0-2 0-0 0; Ameshya Williams 0-4 0-0 0; Antionette Womack 0-0 0-0 0; Ieisha Lacey 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 22-60 8-14 59.

SOUTHEASTERN (3-4, 0-0 Southland)
Sterling, Celica 9-15 0-0 22; Carrier, Morgan 4-12 0-0 10; Dugas, Charliee 3-8 3-4 9; Francis, Jyar 1-8 5-7 7; Horne, Alexius 2-9 0-0 5; Giaratano, Hailey 1-3 0-0 3; Morrison, Tyler 1-2 1-4 3; Williams, Caitlyn 0-3 2-2 2; Adams, Bren’naisa 1-1 0-0 2; Jubril, Aminat 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 22-61 11-17 63.

Jackson State ……….. 16 9 18 16 – 59
Southeastern ………… 17 17 11 18 – 63

3-point goals–Jackson State 7-22 (Dayzsha Rogan 3-7; Elexis Peyton 2-3; D’Asia Mitchell 1-3; Jniya Tallie 1-3; Kaisah Lucky 0-1; Kristy Parker 0-1; Ieisha Lacey 0-1; Keshuna Luckett 0-2; Marneisha Hamer 0-1), Southeastern 8-28 (Sterling, Celica 4-9; Carrier, Morgan 2-8; Giaratano, Hailey 1-3; Horne, Alexius 1-2; Williams, Caitlyn 0-1; Francis, Jyar 0-3; Dugas, Charliee 0-2). Fouled out–Jackson State-None, Southeastern-None. Rebounds–Jackson State 45 (Marneisha Hamer 8; Dayzsha Rogan 8), Southeastern 39 (Francis, Jyar 13). Assists–Jackson State 10 (Jniya Tallie 3), Southeastern 10 (Dugas, Charliee 5). Total fouls–Jackson State 25, Southeastern 13. Technical fouls–Jackson State-None, Southeastern-None. A-371