EUNICE, La. – LSU Eunice Women's Basketball gave a gutsy performance late, but a large hole was too much to climb out of as the Bengals fell to Jones College 61-52 on Monday at the HPRE Center.  It was the Bengals' (0-3) home opener for the 2023-2024 season.
 
The Bengals fell behind by 21 points midway through the third quarter, 50-29, before slowly clawing back.  Dayla Simon (Longville, LA, South Beauregard HS) led the second half charge, scoring all of her team-high 14 points after intermission.
 
Destiny Brown (Hattiesburg, MS, East Marion HS) would get a backcourt steal and lay-up with 49 seconds left to cut the deficit to five, 57-52.  Jones would get four free throws in that final minute as the Bengals could not get any closer.
 
Brown scored seven of her nine points in the final frame while Mary Leday (Opelousas, LA, Northwest HS) (8 points) and Tierra Sylvas (Pearl River, LA, Northshore HS) (7 points) helped the offensive cause.
 
Jones came out firing in the first half, building a double-digit lead which it held for most of the first half.  The Bengals trailed 31-20 at intermission.
 
LSUE returns home Wednesday for a 6:30PM contest against Blinn College.