MONROE, La. – The ULM women's basketball team (3-5) returns home after a month on the road to take on another SEC opponent, Mississippi State (10-1). The Bulldogs will come to Monroe for the second time in the series, tipping off at 5 p.m. on Tuesday (Dec. 17). The Warhawks are looking to bounce back after going on a five-game losing streak while on the road, most recently at Georgia Tech.
SERIES HISTORY –
This will be the ninth meeting between the Bulldogs and the Warhawks, with Mississippi State leading the series, 1-7. The first meeting in the series was Dec. 4, 1993, where the Bulldogs claimed the win, 85-75. The second meeting of the series is where ULM claimed its lone win in the series, winning 81-64 in 1994 at Fant-Ewing Coliseum. Since then, Mississippi State has gone on a six-game win streak. Most recently, the Bulldogs claimed their largest margin of victory over the Warhawks, winning 94-39 on Nov. 29, 2022.
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS –
The Bulldogs are coming off a close win over Belmont in Tupelo, Miss., 73-70. Their lone loss comes from a trip to Georgia Tech, where Mississippi State fell 75-78. The Bulldogs leads the SEC and ranks second in field-goal percentage defense (.304), holding seven of its 11 opponents to its lowest point total this season. Jerkaila Jordan leads the team in points per game (15.0), recording four-straight games with 20+ points. Last season, Mississippi State went 23-12, falling to Texas A&M in the first round of the SEC tournament and surviving to the quarterfinals of the WBIT, falling to top-seeded Penn State.
LEADING THE TEAM –
Jakayla Johnson led the team with a 25-point game and four three-pointers against Hawaii on Nov. 22. She now leads the team in points per game (14.0), field goals made (40) and free throws (22). Johnson is also fifth in the Sun Belt in points per game. Sakyia White opened the season going 9-9 vs. Central Baptist (Nov. 4), dropping 18 points and leading the team in the home opener, leading the team with a .538 field goal percentage.
WARHAWKS VS. POWER FOUR –
The last time ULM beat a Power Four opponent was Jan. 28, 1991, when they beat the Oklahoma Sooners, 79-76 in Monroe. The last time a Power Four opponent came to Monroe was Nov. 17, 2024, when Alabama traveled to Fant-Ewing and won, 75-52.
DOUBLE DOUBLE–
Laila Walker logged the team's first double-double of the season against Louisiana Christian (Nov. 11), posting 10 points and 11 rebounds. The 11 rebounds were a career-high for the senior forward, as she tied it at Hawaii (Nov. 22). The achievement was also Walker's first career double-double.
PRESEASON HONORS –
Jakayla Johnson was named All-Sun Belt First Team after receiving multiple honors at the conclusion of last season. She was the second leading scorer on the Warhawks, averaging 15.2 points per game. She reached the 30-point mark in two games last season as well. This is ULM's first player to be named to the All-Sun Belt First Team since 2006, when the Warhawks joined the conference.
Katlyn Manuel, the conference's reigning Sixth Woman of the Year, was named All-Sun Belt Third Team to open the 2024-25 season. In her third year with the Warhawks, Manuel averaged 10.2 points/game, racking up three double-doubles. She also led the team with 30 blocks on the season, averaging 1.0 per game.
FOURTH-PLACE PICK –
The Warhawks started the preseason strong, being selected fourth in the Sun Belt preseason coaches poll, receiving 150 votes. This is the highest ULM women's basketball has been ranked in the SBC preseason poll since joining the conference in 2006.
RECORD BREAKERS –
In the first two games of the season, the ULM Warhawks set or beat multiple program records. They scored 117 points on the Central Baptist Mustangs on Nov. 4, tying the record for most points scored in a game, a record set in 1982 vs. Nicholls State. The 57-point victory ranks sixth in program history for highest margin of victory. In the following game, the Warhawks had 4,509 fans cheering them on vs. Louisiana Christian, the highest attendance since 1986 and eighth-highest attendance all-time.
FOLLOW THE WARHAWKS – Tuesday's game will be available to stream on ESPN+ or fans can listen on KMLB 105.7 FM/540 AM with Adam Holland on the call. Links to live stats for all games, when available, can be found at ULMWarhawks.com. Navigate to the women's basketball schedule page and select that day's opponent.
LOOKING AHEAD –
The women's basketball team will hit the road yet again to close out non-conference play in the Tulane Holiday Tournament. The Warhawks will take on Central Arkansas at noon CST on Friday (Dec. 20) and either Tulane or Alabama A&M on Saturday (Dec. 21).
