Lady Lion’s basketball opened their season this past weekend with new head coach Yolanda Moore and a 0-1 record.

This past weekend the Lady Lions traveled to Minneapolis. The Lady Lions lost to the Golden Gophers with a score of 109-60 Friday night at Williams Arena. 

Senior guard Elizabeth Styles fell short of a triple-double, which is any combination of double figures in points, rebounds, assists, blocks or steals.

Southeastern finished the season opener with a 24.4 percent (10-for-41) field goal shooting in the second half. Minnesota (1-0) was able to control the board from Southeastern, finishing the game with a 61-40 rebounding advantage. 

The Lady Lions finished with 20 assists versus 17 turnovers. Junior forward Nanna Pool led the Lions with 19 points and blocked two shots for a team-high. Styles joined Pool in double figure points with 14 to go with her nine assists and rebounds. 

Four players from Minnesota finished with double-figure points. The Gophers were led by junior wing Kayla Hirt and senior forward Shae Kelley, both having 21 points. Kelley also had 10 rebounds and a double-double. Sophomore Amanda Zahui had 20 points, 12 rebounds and a double-double. Senior guard Rachel Banham contributed 18 points and junior guard Shayne Mullaney had a team-high nine assists for the Gophers.

The Lions started out to a 3-0 lead with a three-point shot by junior guard Peaches Anderson. Both teams stayed close early in the game. Pool’s jump shots pulled the Lions within 25-21 with a little over 11 minutes left in the first half of the game. 

Minnesota responded with an 18-5 run over the next five minutes. Hirt’s basket gave the Gophers a 43-26 lead over the Lions with 6:45 left in the first half. 

The Lions and Gophers went into the break trailing, 57-38.

The Gophers pulled further ahead in the second half with the Lions trailing. They opened the final period with an 18-7 run. Zahui jumper topped and gave the Gophers a 75-45 lead. The Lions could not pull up the score, and the game ended with the Lions falling to the Gophers 109-60.

The Lady Lion’s will play four of its next five games at home. The Lions will open their home schedule Tuesday and host Southern University at 7 p.m. in the University Center. Tuesday’s game will broadcast live in the Hammond area on KSLU-FM. and on the Internet at www.lionsports.net, where live stats and live video will be available. 

The first 100 fans will receive trading cards featuring Moore and the Southeastern coaching staff, courtesy of PRIDE.