SUMMIT, Miss. – LSU Eunice Women's Basketball split its pair of games at the Coca-Cola Classic, hosted by Southwest Mississippi.  The tournament was the Bengals' (1-7) third road trip of this early season and one of seven tournaments LSUE will play this season.
 
The Bengals made a strong opening statement with a wire-to-wire 79-58 win over Copiah-Lincoln.  It was the first victory for LSUE under first year head coach Jahmel Samuels.  LSUE fell in the finale, 69-43, to host Southwest Mississippi.
 
LSUE is back on the road the next two weekends, beginning Friday, November 17 for a trip to the Angelina College Classic.
 
November 13 vs. Copiah-Lincoln CC  - W, 79-58
LSU Eunice enjoyed a wire-to-wire win over Copiah-Lincoln as the Bengals opened up the Coca-Cola Classic with a dominant 79-58 decision.  The Bengals were led by four players in double figures paced by a game-high 18 points from Dayla Simon.
 
LSUE jumped out to a 19-7 first quarter lead, scoring the first five points of the contest and never looked back.  Mary Leday (Opelousas, LA, Northwest HS) and Destiny Brown (Hattiesburg, MS, East Marion HS) led that initial charge with five points each in the quarter.  Leday would stuff the stat sheet with eight points and seven rebounds, while Brown poured in 16 points including 4-for-6 from three-point range.
 
The Bengals showed consistency throughout the game, scoring more than 19 points in each quarter.
 
Tierra Sylvas (Pearl River, LA, Northshore HS) provided a spark off the bench, recording a double-double with 13 points and a team-high 10 rebounds.  Kaylan Jack (Baton Rouge, LA, Madison Prep Academy) was the other Bengal to score in double digits, tallying 16 points to go along with a team-high four assists.
 
November 14 vs. Southwest Mississippi CC – L, 43-69
A slow start was too much to overcome as the Bengals dropped the finale at the Coca-Cola Classic, 69-43, to host Southwest Mississippi CC.
 
LSUE fell behind quickly as the Bears roared out to a 26-4 first quarter edge.  The Bengals would show some fight, using a 10-0 run at the end of the half to make it 36-19 at intermission.
 
Kaylan Jack would try to shoulder the offensive burden out of the locker rooms, scoring 27 of her game-high 29 points after the break.  Jack would go 6-for-7 from three-point range.
 
Mary Leday added four points and a team-best six rebounds.