How Bout Dem’ Lady Jags: SWAC Champs

Jag Nation, the time has come to celebrate. All eyes were glued to the ESPN App and ESPN+ for the pertinent SWAC Championship Game. This was going to be the perfect opportunity for Lady Jags to get revenge on the Lady Golden Lions of the University of Arkansas PineBluff. The last time these two teams faced, the Lady Golden Lions won 5370. However, a championship is on the line, a ticket to March Madness is up for grabs, and somebody has to fill in and represent the SWAC. Redemption was on the Lady Jags’ mind as they took the court, but would they fulfill it?

After upsetting a SWAC favorite, Jackson State, on a game-winning shot by sophomore guard Aaliyah Fontenot, the jags advanced and ended the night on a high note. The whole game was competitive, and it came down to a crucial fourth-quarter battle with a score of 41-38 with the Lady Jags on the losing end. The Jags didn’t shoot the ball extremely well, shooting only 37.5% for the entire game. However, that does not tell the story of the fourth. The Lady Jags caught fire immediately, making 8 of 11 shots in the fourth quarter, which included three three-pointers.

On the other hand, the Lady Jags’ defense undeniably kept them within striking distance. The famous line, “Defense wins Championships,” came to play as the Lady Jags held the Lady Golden Lions to 12 points. A key factor coming into the game was stopping the Lady Golden Lions’ success in the paint. Furthermore, the Lady Golden Lions’ two elite centers, junior Maya Peat and junior Maori Davenport, were held to a combined two points in the fourth quarter. With the combination of offense and defense, the Lady Jags outscored the Lady Golden Lions 24-12. This led to the Lady Jags bringing a championship back home to the bluff for the first time since 2019, as they would win 6253. The Lady Jags, the SWAC champs, now await their seeding for the March Madness Women’s Tournament.

Southern’s Women’s Basketball Coach, Carlos Funchess, is excited and confident in his team. As he was interviewed, he elaborated on the game by saying, “The Young Ladies stepped up. They did what they do. They kept taking good shots, and I knew eventually some of them would fall. We got hot at the right time.”

Southern will be going to the NCAA tournament for the 6th time in school history and the second for Carlos Funchess. However, the downside is that Southern will be part of a pickup game to undeniably face the numberone seed of their section of the bracket, which typically leads to an early exit. Coach Funchess spoke, “We know we’re going to have a tough matchup, but we’re going to go out and represent Southern University as well as we can.” The Lady Jags’ will remember this season forever, and the school will be represented on a national stage. Senior forward Genovea Johnson led the team in scoring, with 18 points on 8 of 18 shooting. In addition, this was followed by senior guard Amani McWain, with 12 of 15 points being scored in the second half.

After Selection Sunday, The Lady Jags will face Sacred Heart University Wednesday, March 15th, 2023, at Maples Pavilion in Stanford, California. These two teams will compete to represent the #16 seed before facing the number-one-seeded University of Stanford. Make sure to support the Lady Jags on their journey.