BABSON PARK, Fla. -- Playing with a collectively large heart will give any team a puncher's chance in any contest -- no matter who it plays.
There's no question that the women's basketball program at Shawnee State did just that in its nonconference matchup against No. 23 Southeastern (Fla.) Sunday evening.
Holding a 58-44 lead after putting together a collectively strong effort throughout the first 35 minutes of its contest against the Fire, the Bears, who led by that 14-point margin with 4:42 remaining in regulation, had to withstand a late charge from Southeastern -- who went on a 20-5 run over a span of 4:08 to take a 64-63 advantage with 36 seconds to play in the contest.
However,
Miyoshi Ellis wasn't about to leave the Sunshine State with a loss hanging over her head and that of her teammates.
Playing without question her best basketball game of the 2025-26 season and one of the best of her career at Shawnee State, Ellis provided the heroics to not only the Bears' biggest win of the 2025-26 season to date, but its most dramatic.
Southeastern, who fouled
Laken Williams with under 30 seconds left, allowing the sophomore to split a one-and-one opportunity to tie the score at 64 apiece, then had a shot carom off of the rim into the hands of Shawnee State freshman big
Skylar Kesler.
Kesler then found Ellis quickly, and after running the clock down, Ellis beat the attempted double-team from the Fire, as Southeastern, who attempted to come from the left side with the help, were too late to stop the speedy New York guard, who used her speed and craftiness to get downhill, advance into the right side of the lane and drop a layup off of the window through contact from Southeastern's Mafalda Chambel with three seconds to play, lifting (RV) Shawnee State (7-2) to a 66-64 road win over the previously unbeaten Fire (8-1) Sunday afternoon in a contest that was held at Babson Park, Fla.
GAME SUMMARY
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Ellis, who finished the game with a career-high 26 points to go along with five assists, four rebounds and a block in the contest, shot 11-of-18 from the field (2-of-4 from three-point range) and also went 2-of-3 from the line for the Bears, who finished with arguably its most efficient offensive performance on the year from a shooting standpoint by going 24-of-49 from the field (49 percent) and 6-of-13 from three-point range (46.2 percent) as a unit.
Shawnee State's defensive work was excellent as well -- as No. 23 Southeastern, who hadn't shot worse than 40.7 percent in any game from the field or worse than 31.6 percent from the three-point line in any of its eight victories to begin the year as a team, were held to 33.8 percent shooting as a team (23-of-65) and shot just 19.2 percent from three-point range (5-of-26).
The Bears were especially stout in the opening quarter on both ends, as Shawnee State played like it was shot out of a cannon in the opening quarter, blitzing Southeastern by taking a 25-13 advantage at the end of the first frame of action.
Six different players -- Ellis, Williams,
Jonilyah Chambers,
Ra'Khyia Prince,
Skylar Kesler and
Emily Maynard -- all not only scored in the quarter but all shot at least 50 percent or better from the field in doing so to begin the game.
Shawnee State not only went 10-of-15 from the field (66.7 percent) but was equally efficient defensively, holding Southeastern to a 6-of-19 mark (31.6 percent) from the floor -- as the Bears, after sitting in a 10-all tie with the Fire to begin the game, closed the frame on a 15-3 run over the last 5:10, with Shawnee State getting three-balls from Chambers, Maynard and Prince in the quarter and holding Southeastern to just one field goal over its final eight attempts to close out the dominating run.
The Fire worked its way back into the contest by closing Shawnee State's lead to a 29-23 margin with 2:33 to play in the second quarter of action, but the Bears answered back with a huge 8-0 run over the final 2:18 of the opening half as Ellis, Williams, Kesler and
Saratina Jackson all scored while the Shawnee State defense held Southeastern to an 0-of-4 mark from the floor, closing out matters in a strong manner for the second quarter in a row as the Bears took a game-high 14-point lead, 37-23, heading into the halftime break.
A 12-2 run to begin the second half by Southeastern allowed the Fire to draw within a 39-35 margin with 4:35 to play in the third quarter, but two consecutive baskets by Ellis and a bucket by Prince allowed Shawnee State to answer with a 6-0 push over a span of 1:46 that pushed SSU's lead back up to double-digits, 45-35, with 2:49 left in the frame. Shawnee State's lead hovered between six to 10 points the rest of the distance, with the Bears ultimately taking a 49-41 lead after three quarters of play.
When Southeastern got a quarter-opening three-ball to close Shawnee State's deficit to a 49-44 margin, the Bears responded with a massive 9-0 run off of three consecutive treys between Ellis and Chambers, matching Shawnee State's game-high lead of 14, 58-44, with 4:42 to go before the frantic finish ensued. Ellis ultimately scored 20 of her 26 points in the second half -- 10 in both quarters -- in helping provide the heroics for the Bears.
ADDITIONAL
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Along with Ellis' terrific numbers, Chambers finished with 10 points, five rebounds and two steals while going 3-of-6 from the field for the Bears, while Williams (nine points) and Prince (eight tallies) added to Shawnee State's strong guard output.
Skylar Kesler grabbed a career-high 15 rebounds in the contest while
Kenya Peck delivered critical minutes off of the bench, supplying six rebounds in 16 minutes to help the Bears hang the first loss on the Fire after eight straight wins to start the season for Southeastern.
(RV) Shawnee State (7-2) takes on its second consecutive nationally ranked opponent in a row when the Bears play host to No. 18 Cumberlands, Ky. (9-1) in a rematch of the 2025 NAIA National Tournament Second Round contest between DeWayne Burroughs' and Ron Reeves' ballclubs.
For more on the Shawnee State women's basketball program, visit the Bears on Instagram atÂ
https://www.instagram.com/shawneestatebears_wbb/Â or on X atÂ
https://x.com/SSUWBB.
