2023–24 Southeastern Louisiana Lady Lions basketball team

2023–24 Southeastern Louisiana Lady Lions basketball
Conference	Southland Conference
Record	19–12 (14–4 Southland)
Head coach	Ayla Guzzardo (7th season)
Assistant coaches	Kenneth Lee Jr. Ronneka Robertson Aja Ochie
Home arena	Pride Roofing University Center

2023–24 Southland Conference women's basketball standings

	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		PCT			W		L		PCT
Lamar	17	–	1		.944			24	–	7		.774
Texas A&M–Corpus Christi †	14	–	4		.778			23	–	9		.719
Southeastern Louisiana	14	–	4		.778			19	–	12		.613
Incarnate Word	12	–	6		.667			19	–	11		.633
Texas A&M–Commerce*	8	–	10		.444			15	–	16		.484
New Orleans	8	–	10		.444			11	–	19		.367
Nicholls	7	–	11		.389			14	–	18		.438
Northwestern State	7	–	11		.389			11	–	19		.367
McNeese	2	–	16		.111			6	–	25		.194
Houston Christian	1	–	17		.056			6	–	23		.207
* ineligible for the 2024 NCAA tournament due to transition from Division II.
† 2024 Southland tournament winner

The 2023–24 Southeastern Louisiana Lady Lions basketball team represented Southeastern Louisiana University in the 2023–24 NCAA Division I women's basketball season. The Lady Lions were led by seventh-year head coach Ayla Guzzardo, and played their home games at Pride Roofing University Center in Hammond, Louisiana as members of the Southland Conference. They compiled a 19–12 overall season record and a 14–4 record in conference play. Their season ended with a 59–60 loss to Texas A&M–Corpus Christi in the SLC tournament semifinals round.

Previous season

The Lady Lions finished the 2022–23 season 21–10 overall, 14–4 in Southland play, to finish in first place. With a first-round bye, they defeated Texas A&M–Commerce in the semifinals of the Southland women's tournament. They defeated Lamar in the tournament championship game, winning the conference auto-bid to the 2023 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament. Their season ended when they were defeated by No. 3 Iowa in the first round.

Media

Home games were broadcast on ESPN+.

Preseason polls

Southland Conference poll

The Southland Conference released its preseason poll on October 10, 2023. Receiving 159 overall votes and 15 first-place votes, the Lady Lions were picked to finish first in the conference.

Predicted finish	Team	Votes (1st place)
1	Southeastern Louisiana	159 (15)
2	Texas A&M–Corpus Christi	140 (3)
3	Lamar	132 (2)
4	Incarnate Word	97
T5	Houston Christian	74
T5	McNeese	74
7	Northwestern State	65
8	Texas A&M–Commerce	58
9	New Orleans	56
10	Nicholls	39

Preseason All Conference

Senior guards Alexius Horne and Hailey Giaratano were selected to the Preseason All-Conference first team.

Roster

2023–24 Southeastern Louisiana Lions women's basketball team
Players	Coaches
Pos. # Name Height Year Previous school Hometown F 0 Kennedy Paul 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) GS University Lab Prairie View A&M Brusly, LA G 1 Jalencia Pierre 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m) So Amite HS Springfield, LA G 2 Arianna Patton 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m) Jr Meridian HS Jones College Meridian, MS G 3 Allasia Washington 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) So Madison Prep Academy Baton Rouge, LA G 4 Demi Gentry 5 ft 11 in (1.8 m) Fr White Station HS Memphis, TN G 5 Taylor Bell 5 ft 11 in (1.8 m) Jr Huntington HS Shreveport, LA G 10 Breyionce George 5 ft 7 in (1.7 m) So Lafayette HS Delgado CC Lafayette, LA G 11 Avari Berry 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) Fr Pflugerville HS Austin, TX F 12 Terri Crawford 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) Jr Ramsay HS Central Arkansas Birmingham, AL G 15 Daija Harvey 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) Sr Donaldsonville HS Donaldsonville, LA G 23 Mackenzie Thomas 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) RS Jr Laurel HS Jones College Laurel, MS G 24 Dijone' Flowers 5 ft 7 in (1.7 m) Jr Live Oak HS Lamar Denham Springs, LA F 30 Cheyanne Daniels 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) Jr Miami Senior HS Shawnee CC Miami, FL G 31 Alexius Horne 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) Sr Denham Springs HS Baton Rouge, LA G 55 Hailey Giaratano 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) Sr Ponchatoula HS Ponchatoula, LA	Head coach Ayla Guzzardo (Akron) Assistant coach(es) Kenneth Lee Jr. (Nicholls State) Aja Ochie (Southeastern Louisiana) Ronneka Robertson (South Alabama) Legend (C) Team captain (S) Suspended (I) Ineligible (W) Walk-on Injured Current redshirt Roster Last update: October 16, 2024

Schedule and results

Date time, TV	Rank#	Opponent#	Result	Record	High points	High rebounds	High assists	Site (attendance) city, state
Non-conference regular season
November 6, 2023* 11:00 a.m., ESPN+		Millsaps	W 61–30	1–0	22 – C. Daniels	10 – C. Daniels	5 – H. Giaratano	Pride Roofing University Center (2,107) Hammond, LA
November 10, 2023* 6:30 p.m., SECN+		at No. 25 Mississippi State	L 46–67	1–1	11 – K. Paul	8 – H. Giaratono	3 – C. Daniels	Humphrey Coliseum (4,531) Starkville, MS
November 14, 2023* 6:00 p.m., ESPN+		SUNO	W 90–30	2–1	17 – A. Berry	5 – A. Berry	6 – H. Giaratano	Pride Roofing University Center (921) Hammond, LA
November 17, 2023 7:00 p.m., ESPN+		No. 7 LSU	L 50–73	2–2	12 – K. Paul	6 – K. Paul	4 – A. Berry	Pride Roofing University Center (7,500) Hammond, LA
November 20, 2023* 7:00 p.m., ESPN+		Jackson State	L 54–63	2–3	13 – H. Giaratano	5 – C. Daniels	3 – H. Giaratano	Pride Roofing University Center (712) Hammond, LA
November 25, 2023* 1:00 p.m., ESPN+		Mobile	W 75–47	3–3	20 – C. Daniels	9 – T. Bell	7 – H. Giaratano	Pride Roofing University Center (721) Hammond, LA
November 28, 2023* 6:00 p.m., ESPN+		at Wichita State	W 64–36	4–3	15 – H. Giaratano	8 – T. Bell	4 – A. Berry	Charles Koch Arena (1,200) Wichita, KS
November 30, 2023* 6:30 p.m., BIG12/ESPN+		at Kansas	L 56–67	4–4	16 – Giaratano	6 – Bell	2 – Giaratano	Allen Fieldhouse (2,483) Lawrence, KS
December 15, 2023* 6:00 p.m., ESPN+		South Alabama	L 60–67	4–5	19 – Giaratano	6 – Thomas	3 – Giaratano	Pride Roofing University Center (629) Hammond, LA
December 19, 2023* 11:30 p.m.		vs. Oregon State 2023–24 Maui Tournament	L 69–92	4–6	24 – H. Giaratano	7 – T. Bell	2 – T. Bell	Seabury Hall (882) Makawao, HI
December 20, 2023* 10:00 p.m.		vs. Tulsa 2023–24 Maui Tournament	L 47–48	4–7	15 – T. Bell	13 – C. Daniels	3 – J. Pierre	Seabury Hall  Makawao, HI
Southland Conference regular season
January 4, 2024 6:30 p.m., ESPN+		at Nicholls	W 66–56	5–7 (1–0)	20 – C. Daniels	8 – C. Daniels	8 – J. Pierre	Stopher Gymnasium (433) Thibodaux, LA
January 6, 2024 2:00 p.m., ESPN+		at New Orleans	W 57–44	6–7 (2–0)	12 – A. Patton	9 – K. Paul	4 – H. Giaratano	Lakefront Arena (603) New Orleans, LA
January 11, 2024 6:00 p.m., ESPN+		Texas A&M–Corpus Christi	W 61–58	7–7 (3–0)	13 – J. Pierre	9 – H. Giaratano	3 – J. Pierre	Pride Roofing University Center (692) Hammond, LA
January 13, 2024 1:00 p.m., ESPN+		at McNeese	W 77–63 OT	8–7 (4–0)	21 – J. Pierre	8 – C. Daniels	5 – J. Pierre	The Legacy Center (2,208) Lake Charles, LA
January 18, 2024 6:00 p.m., ESPN+		Northwestern State	W 55–48	9–7 (5–0)	23 – H. Giaratano	6 – H. Giaratano	2 – J. Pierre	Pride Roofing University Center (1,012) Hammond, LA
January 20, 2024 1:00 p.m., ESPN+		Texas A&M–Commerce	W 65–49	10–7 (6–0)	15 – J. Pierre	8 – K. Paul	4 – T. Bell	Pride Roofing University Center (721) Hammond, LA
January 25, 2024 6:00 p.m., ESPN+		at Houston Christian	W 53–51	11–7 (7–0)	14 – tied (2)	10 – M. Thomas	4 – H. Giaratano	Sharp Gymnasium (200) Houston, TX
January 27, 2024 3:00 p.m., ESPN+		at Lamar	L 45–59	11–8 (7–1)	8 – H. Giaratano	5 – H. Giaratano	5 – H. Giaratano	Neches Arena (985) Beaumont, TX
February 1, 2024 6:00 p.m., ESPN+		Incarnate Word	W 93–86 OT	12–8 (8–1)	27 – H. Giaratano	9 – C. Daniels	4 – A. Patton	Pride Roofing University Center (1,248) Hammond, LA
February 3, 2024 1:00 p.m., ESPN+		McNeese	W 80–69	13–8 (9–1)	20 – T. Bell	8 – T. Bell	6 – J. Pierce	Pride Roofing University Center (705) Hammond, LA
February 8, 2024 6:30 p.m., ESPN+		at Texas A&M–Commerce	W 72–61	14–8 (10–1)	12 – J. Pierre	10 – C. Daniels	3 – T. Bell	The Field House (313) Commerce, TX
February 10, 2024 1:00 p.m., ESPN+		at Northwestern State	W 59–51	15–8 (11–1)	14 – T. Bell	12 – C. Daniels	4 – J. Pierre	Prather Coliseum (803) Natchitoches, LA
February 15, 2024 6:00 p.m., ESPN+		Lamar	L 60–67	15–9 (11–2)	17 – H. Giaratano	6 – J. Pierce	3 – J. Pierce	Pride Roofing University Center (953) Hammond, LA
February 17, 2024 1:00 p.m., ESPN+		Houston Christian	W 60–40	16–9 (12–2)	22 – K. Paul	6 – M. Thomas	4; – J. Pierre	Pride Roofing University Center (644) Hammond, LA
February 24, 2024 1:00 p.m., ESPN+		New Orleans	W 69–66 OT	17–9 (13–2)	17 – A. Washington	7 – C. Daniels	5 – H. Giaratano	Pride Roofing University Center (783) Hammond, LA
February 29, 2024 6:30 p.m., ESPN+		at Incarnate Word	L 51–53	17–10 (13–3)	– T. Bell	– T. Bell	4 – H. Giaratano	McDermott Center (169) San Antonio, TX
March 2, 2024 1:00 p.m., ESPN+		at Texas A&M–Corpus Christi	L 73–79 OT	17–11 (13–4)	15 – H. Giaratano	7 – T. Bell	4 – D. Flowers	American Bank Center (1,352) Corpus Christi, TX
March 7, 2024 4:30 p.m., ESPN+		Nicholls	W 68–62	18–11 (14–4)	25 – H. Giaratano	7 – H. Giaratano	4 – H. Giaratano	Pride Roofing University Center (779) Hammond, LA
2024 Jersey Mike's Subs Southland Conference tournament
March 12, 2024 1:30 p.m., ESPN+	(3)	vs. (7) Nicholls Second round	W 75–57	19–11	18 – K. Paul	10 – K. Paul	5 – H. Giaratano	The Legacy Center  Lake Charles, LA
March 13, 2024 1:30 p.m., ESPN+	(3)	vs. (2) Texas A&M–Corpus Christi Semifinals	L 59–60	19–12	11 – H. Giaratano	8 – tied (H. Giaratano & T. Bell)	7 – J. Pierre	The Legacy Center  Lake Charles, LA
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. All times are in Central.

Source:

Conference awards and honors

Weekly awards

Weekly honors

Honors	Player	Position	Date Awarded	Ref.
SLC Women's Basketball Player of the Week	Jalencia Pierre	G	January 15, 2024
SLC Women's Basketball Player of the Week	Hailey Giaratano	G	February 5, 2024

See also

• 2023–24 Southeastern Louisiana Lions basketball team