The Southern Jaguars edged out the Jackson State Tigers 51-47 in a tightly contested Southwestern Athletic Conference women’s basketball tournament semifinal on Friday night at Gateway Center Arena.
Southern (19-14) showcased a tenacious defense in the final minutes to halt Jackson State’s momentum and secure their place in the 2025 SWAC Women’s Basketball Tournament Championship game.
Aniya Gourdine led the Jaguars with 11 points, while Soniyah Reed contributed 10 points and five rebounds. The balanced Southern attack saw only two players reach double figures, emphasizing their team-oriented approach.
Jackson State (16-15) was paced by the SWAC Player of the Year Taleah Dilworth and Jaileyah Cotton, who each scored 13 points. Zoe Cooper grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds for the Tigers.
The closely fought contest featured seven lead changes, with Southern’s largest lead reaching 12 points. The Jaguars shot more efficiently, hitting 33.3% from the field compared to Jackson State’s 27.7%.
Southern’s bench outscored Jackson State’s 16-9, proving to be a crucial factor in the victory. Despite being outrebounded 40-29, the Jaguars capitalized on 17 Tiger turnovers.
With this win, Southern advances to face Alcorn State (14-17, 10-8 SWAC) in the championship game on Saturday. The Lady Braves earned their spot with a surprising 65-55 upset over No. 2 seed Texas Southern earlier in the day.
Southern’s head coach Carlos Funchess will be competing for his fifth SWAC Tournament championship, aiming to lead the Jaguars back to the NCAA Tournament.
The SWAC Championship game is scheduled for Saturday, March 15, at 5:30 p.m. EDT and will be broadcast on ESPN+.
This story was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by HBCU Sports journalists.
