Feb. 26, 2004

NEW ORLEANS, La. - - The Tulane women's basketball team closes out the regular season on Friday, as the Green Wave play host to Conference USA rival Southern Miss at Fogelman Arena. In addition to being the regular-season finale between two rivals, the game also holds some added intrigue due to its importance in the race to see who earns the final spot in the Conference USA Tournament. The loser is elminated while the winner has the inside track on the final berth in the tournament.

The game also marks Senior Day activities, as the Green Wave will honor women's basketball players Delacey Joseph, Kelly Nadeau and Tiffany Wilson in a ceremony after the game.

Tulane enters Friday's game with a 9-17 overall record and is 2-11 in Conference USA play after having dropped road games to UAB and South Florida this past weekend. Thanks to an unenviable attrition rate that saw the loss of six players from last season's team (four to graduation, one to a career-ending injury and one to an overseas professional contract), the Green Wave are suffering through its worst season since the 1991-92 squad finished 9-19.

Junior Lakethia Hampton leads the team in scoring and rebounding, contributing 13.1 points and 7.9 rebounds per contest. Senior Kelly Nadeau adds 9.4 points and leads the squad with 78 assists and 42 three-pointers.

Southern Miss brings a 14-12 overall record and a 2-11 league mark into Friday's contest. The Golden Eagles have lost seven straight and 11 of their last 12 after having opened the season with a 13-1 mark.

Freshman Deondra Carter leads the Golden Eagles in scoring with a 13.1 points per game average, while Michelle Poindexter adds 9.9 points and 6.9 rebounds per outing.

Southern Miss holds a 28-22 edge in the all-time series, though Tulane has won 15 of the last 19 against the Golden Eagles. Tulane had won six straight before Southern Miss posted a 68-51 win over the Wave on Jan. 10 in Hattiesburg.