EUNICE, La. – LSU Eunice Women's Basketball defeated Coastal Bend College 75-62 on Friday night at the HPRE Center in the Bengals' 2024-25 home opener.  LSUE (2-1) secured its first home opener since the 2020-21 campaign, and the first under new head coach Rob Beckmann.
 
The Bengals found themselves trailing 12-10 midway through the first quarter, before ripping off an 13-0 run in a span of three minutes to put themselves ahead for good.  Kamiera McDonald (Baton Rouge, LA, Scotlandville HS) began the spurt with a deep three pointer to put LSUE ahead, a lead they would hold for the remainder of the game.  LSUE would force four turnovers in that stretch as four different players would contribute to the scoring in that span.
 
LSUE's first half lead would stay around double digits, going into intermission up 12, 42-30.  McDonald scored 12 of her team-high 18 points before halftime.
 
The Bengals pushed their lead to 17 points early in the third quarter before Coastal rallied to get the game within seven points twice in the second half.  LSUE would have an answer in the fourth quarter, using 11 points from Ray'Onna Sterling (St. James, LA, Walker HS) in the quarter to push the Bengals back ahead comfortably.
 
Sterling finished with 17 points on the night, with Trinity Thomas (Walker, LA, Walker HS) and her 10 points being the other Bengal to score double digits points for the game.
 
Nine different Bengals would score to help in the balanced attack.
 
LSU Eunice makes a return trip to Coastal Bend on Wednesday, November 13 for a 5:30PM tip from Beeville, Texas.  It is the start of a five-game road swing for LSUE, making trips to tournaments at Angelina College and Southwest Mississippi CC.