by MONROE, La. – The ULM women’s basketball team (5-8, 1-1) claimed their first Sun Belt win of the season on Thursday (Jan. 2) over Georgia Southern (7-7, 0-2) to ring in 2025. Every Warhawk who saw action in the game scored points, with the team posting nine three-pointers.
ULM shot 50% from the field and 60% from three, a season-high. The team also racked up 35 defensive rebounds to Georgia Southern’s 25. The Warhawks led in bench points, 29-21, and fast break points
Meloney Thames led the charge with 22 points, shooting a career-high five three pointers. The last time a Warhawk sank five three-pointers was Jakayla Johnson last season in the Sun Belt Tournament versus the Eagles. Johnson had a double-double with 16 points, 12 rebounds, five assists and a steal. This is the guard’s first double-double of the season and the team’s fourth. Nya Valentine also scored in double-digits, posting 11 points, six assists and a rebound, shooting 3-4 from beyond the arc. Laila Walker posted eight rebounds to contribute to the win as well.
Georgia Southern opened up the scoring first, making back-to-back shots beyond the arc. In the final four minutes of the quarter, the Warhawks were able to battle back. Ashja Leake dropped a season-high five points in the opening 10 minutes to help ULM come back from a 10-point deficit. Three different players scored three-pointers, sending the team on a 16-2 scoring run to close out the quarter, 21-14.
Thames opened the scoring for the Warhawks in the second quarter with another three-point shot to extend the lead further. The Eagles continued to fight, holding ULM to a three-minute scoring drought in an attempt to bounce back. A three-point play by Brikayla Gray and a second-chance layup by Walker got the Warhawks back in the groove to complete the first half, 38-32.
Thames opened the scoring for the half with her third shot beyond the arc to lengthen the lead for the Warhawks. Johnson, Valentine and Cianté Downs all dropped shots for the largest lead of the night, ahead by 14. After Valentine dropped the team’s eighth three-pointer, the lead continued to grow for the end of the third quarter, 64-49.
Sakyia White opened the scoring for the team in the fourth quarter, looking to close out a dominant basketball game for the Warhawks. Thames’ fifth three-pointer, a career-high, was the nail in the coffin for the Eagles. While they continued to battle back within 10 points, the deficit was too much to overcome, giving ULM a home win in conference play, 83-67.
