No. 1 Southeastern women’s basketball (26-5, 19-1 SLC) lost to No. 3 Stephen F. Austin (29-5, 16-4 SLC) in the Southland Conference Women’s Basketball Tournament Championship, 65-57 yesterday at the Legacy Center in Lake Charles. 

The Lady Lions end their 2024-25 season with a school-record 19 SLC wins, including a hard-earned regular season title. 

In a topsy-turvy affair, SLU led SFA 32-29 at the half, following graduate guard Alexius Horne’s rainbow three as time expired in the second quarter. 

Southeastern scored the first four points of the third period, taking its largest lead of the game, 36-29, as the Green and Gold faithful rose to their feet. 

However, a 12-0 Ladyjacks run proved to be a pivotal turning point in the contest as the Lady Lions never seemed to recover, going scoreless during the costly 5:12 stretch. 

Stephen F. Austin led from the 3:20 mark of the third quarter onward and took a 43-39 advantage into the fourth. 

Southeastern managed to get back within a point, trailing 54-53 with 3:01 left to play, but a 5-0 SFA spurt shut the door on any comeback hopes for SLU. 

The Ladyjacks ultimately won by eight, clinching an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament on the back of a 15-game winning streak. 

“We’ve accomplished a lot. It’s hard to have that target on your back every single game. This is a tough conference. SFA is a great team. Credit to them,” said SLU Head Coach Ayla Guzzardo. 

SFA’s ability to get to the free throw line was a key factor in its victory. 

The Ladyjacks went 26-30 from the charity stripe compared to the Lady Lions’ 7-11 mark. 

Likewise, Stephen F. Austin was whistled for just 10 fouls while Southeastern was called for 21. 

(Fouls by quarter: 1st – 6-2 SLU, 2nd – 5-3 SLU, 3rd – 1-1, 4th – 9-4 SLU)

The large discrepancy in these categories failed to go unnoticed by the Lady Lions fans in attendance, who let their disdain be heard with every foul called, particularly in the first and fourth quarters. 

In tandem with getting to the line at a high clip, SFA shot 4/8 from deep in the opening period. 

The Ladyjacks cooled off, finishing the game 7/21 from beyond the arc, but were still much more efficient than the Lady Lions 4/22 outing. 

Southeastern made 4/8 three-point attempts in the first half before going 0/12 in the second, albeit five of those coming in the final 40 seconds of the contest. 

Horne concluded her final game donning the Green and Gold, scoring 13 points. 

The Baton Rouge native will go down as one of the best players in SLU history as a two-time First Team All-Southland selection, including winning Freshman of the Year in 2019-20 and taking home SLC Player of the Year this season.

Seniors Taylor Bell and Cheyanne Daniels also suited up for the last time as Lady Lions. 

“This senior group has been great to coach with their leadership capabilities both on and off the floor. They’ve poured every ounce of their souls into this program. It’s been a blessing,” Guzzardo said. 

Bell finished with 13 points and three steals. The Huntington High product was in many ways the enforcer for Southeastern during her four-year career in Hammond, America. 

Her tenacious defense and infectious energy always seemed to provide a spark on the court. 

Daniels, a former Shawnee Community College transfer, enjoyed two solid campaigns for SLU to end her collegiate career. 

“Coming here pushed me to be better on and off the court. Growing personally was the biggest thing for me,” Daniels said of her time at Southeastern. 

The Miami native was a steady presence down low for the Lady Lions and a calming leader for her teammates. 

“I listen to her [Cheyenne Daniels] during a timeout and she talks before I do,” Guzzardo said postgame, touching on Daniels’ leadership. 

Other departing seniors include Terri Crawford and Mackenzie Thomas.  

Despite falling short in the conference tourney, the Lady Lions historic season should not be overshadowed. 

“It’s fun to watch. At the end of the day we all want to win, but I’ve watched these young ladies grow so much and that’s the real win for me,” Guzzardo concluded, adding that she was “immensely” proud of her team.

Guzzardo’s side was dominant in SLC play, winning its first 19 games, something never done before in program history. 

The 2024-25 SLU squad will be remembered for its achievements and remains a standard-bearer amongst its Southland Conference counterparts.