HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Four Devilettes scored in double-figures in an 84-80, setback on the road to Southern Mississippi on Friday at the Lady Eagle Thanksgiving Classic. MVSU posted season-high shooting percentages thanks to nine made three-pointers and 16 total assists against the Lady Lady Eagles. MVSU falls to 0-5 record and Southern Miss. moves to 5-1 this season.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Trailing 32-18 with just under six minutes remaining in the second quarter the Devilettes ended the period on a 14-2 run cutting the Southern Miss. advantage to just two points (34-32).
• Diamond Wraggs got things going for MVSU making a pair of free throws followed by a jumper in the paint. Sydnie Ward came up with a steal and then scored a fast-break layup on the other end for a quick eight points by MVSU.
• The Eagles scored their final points of the half with 3:04 to go, but the Devilettes kept the attack paced by Ayonna Cotten, Erin Smith, and a last-second layup by Azaria Howard.
• MVSU took their first lead of the game (37-36) at the 8:29 mark in the third quarter. Cotten nailed a three-pointer and then Shelli Thigpen hit a jumper putting MVSU in front.
• In the fourth quarter, Southern Miss. opened a double-digit lead with 3:32 left in regulation after a 7-0 run.
• Ward responded on MVSU's next possession with a three-pointer. Down the stretch, the Eagles converted on their free-throws attempts and pushed their lead back to 10 with 36-seconds on the clock.
• In the final 22-seconds, both Smith and Cotten made a pair of three-pointers each but it was too late as Southern Miss. escaped with an 84-80 victory.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Diamond Wraggs led the Devilettes with 17 points and eight rebounds. This was her fourth game leading the team in rebounding and her second game leading them in scoring. She made 6-of-7 field goals and 5-of-9 free-throws.
• Erin Smith scored a season-high 16 points hitting 4-of-5 three-pointers.
• Shelli Thigpen scored in double-figures for the fourth consecutive game with 13 points. Thigpen dished out a season-high four assists.
• Ayonna Cotten had 16 points with a team-high six assists. Cotten has reached double-figure scoring in all five games this season. She was 4-for-6 from three-point range.
• MVSU's 16 assists, nine three-pointers, .585 field goal percentage, .562 three-point field goal percentage, and .600 field goal percentage were all season-best.
• Southern Miss. had three players finish in double-digit scoring. Shonte Halles had 30 points and six assists, Respect Leaphart had 21 points and eight rebounds, and Daishai Almond had a double-double of 10 points and 11 assists.

UP NEXT

• MVSU will play their second game of the Lady Eagle Thanksgiving Classic on Saturday, Nov. 30. The Devilettes battle Omaha at 2 p.m.