Southern once again found a way to dance past the First Four.
The Jaguars clawed their way through a late surge Thursday night, closing on a decisive 14-2 run to defeat fellow No. 16 seed Samford 65–53 in the NCAA Tournament.
Jaylia Reed led the charge with 16 points, and DeMya Porter delivered a powerful double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds. Their late-game composure lifted Southern (20–13) to its second straight First Four victory, securing a shot at top-seeded South Carolina in Saturday’s Round of 64.
Southern’s finishing kick began after D’Shantae Edwards powered through a three-point play early in the fourth to break a 44–44 tie. Reed’s clutch 3-pointer with 6:47 remaining sparked the decisive stretch, as six different Jaguars contributed during the closing burst.
Southern defense turned it up
Southern’s defensive edge was evident from the start. The Jaguars swarmed Samford’s ball handlers, forcing nine steals in the opening half and converting turnovers into 20 points overall.
By the time the fourth quarter rolled around, their pressure had worn Samford down — the Bulldogs missed eight of their final nine shots and never recovered after Reed’s 3-pointer ignited the game-clinching run with 6:47 remaining.
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Jocelyn Tate added 10 points and seven rebounds off the bench, helping Southern’s defense swarm early — nine of its 13 steals came before halftime, fueling 20 points off turnovers.
“We knew that they weren’t really used to the ball pressure that we played with, so we knew that we had to take advantage of them not being used to the game that we play, and we know that if we turn over the ball, we have to always advance off of that and take advantage and try to do our best to win,” Porter said.
Briana Rivera paced Samford (16–19) with 16 points, and freshman Kaylee Yarbrough chipped in 11. Both squads labored through a scrappy first half, combining for 17 turnovers and matching 31% shooting, with Southern clinging to a 27–24 edge at the break.
South Carolina up next
The Jaguars now will face No. 1 seed South Carolina in the Gamecocks’ gym on Saturday — a test that will be difficult but not one Southern will shy away from.
“Now, when it comes to South Carolina, of course we’ve just got to go out and compete and play our game and try to do the best that we can,” said head coach Carlos Funchess. “But I’m so proud of these young ladies to make it to this point. We had to overcome a lot of adversity, but I love my kids, and they came out and they’re going to give you 100 percent every night, regardless if it’s good or bad.”
