Experience isn’t necessarily a difference-maker, but it will be an area the Southern women’s basketball team has an advantage after traveling to Los Angeles for a First Four NCAA Tournament game.
Ultimately, results are all that matters, but Southern does return a handful of players from its 2023 NCAA Tournament team. That squad also played in California where it lost its opening game to Sacred Heart. The experience can only help the Jaguars as they prepare for UC San Diego, their opponent on Wednesday.
The game will be played at UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion and will air on ESPNU at 8 p.m.
Southern went 20-14 this season, won the SWAC regular season with a 15-3 record, and then finished off a 3-0 run through the conference tournament with a 64-44 win over Alcorn State in Saturday’s championship game. Among the team’s leaders are four seniors — Aleighyah Fontenot, Soniyah Reed, Sky Castro and Tionna Lidge — who were contributors in 2023.
“One thing about it is they know what to expect,” coach Carlos Funchess said. “Everything is on a tight schedule (in the NCAA Tournament). You’ll have media obligations, you’ll have media at some of the practices and things like that so they’ll be familiar with that part of it. You’ve got to be on your P’s and Q’s when it comes to time management.”
Reed, who was named to the SWAC all-tournament team, leads the Jaguars with 47 3-pointers while Fontenot has 43. Lidge is the team’s top rebounder at 4.8 per game while Castro has played what might be the best basketball of her career during the second half of the season.
Southern also has a leader in senior Aniya Gourdine, who transferred in from Temple last season. A second team all-SWAC selection she has team-high numbers with 73 steals and an 11.9 points per game average, and is second with 85 assists. Gourdine was the most valuable player of the SWAC tournament after three typical all-around performances.
In UC San Diego (20-15), Southern faces a team that is playing in its first NCAA Division I tournament after transitioning from Division II four years ago. The Tritons defeated UC Davis 75-66 in the Big West championship game after finishing tied for third in the regular season.
“From what I’ve seen, they’re kind of like Alabama A&M,” Funchess said. “They’re not extremely big on the inside, but they’re athletic and they’re skilled. We’ve got to be prepared.”
Sumayah Sugapong leads UC San Diego in scoring at 14.7 points per game. She scored 11 and had seven rebound in the title game win, and was named the tournament’s most valuable player. Gracie Gallegos scored a career high 24 points to lead four Tritons in double figures against UC Davis.
The winner of Wednesday’s game advances as the No. 16 seed in Regional 1, and will face UCLA, the tournament’s no. 1 overall seed at 9 p.m. Friday.
