Basketball Recap: Gracelyn Carmichael Leads a Balanced Attack to Beat Meridian

Golden Tornadoes

Margin (Wins)

11/18/25 vs Jefferson Davis County	69
12/02/25 @ Northeast Jones	57
11/13/25 @ Hattiesburg	45
11/20/25 @ West Jones	42
11/08/25 vs Canton	34

Laurel hadn't done well against Meridian recently (they were 0-3 in their previous three matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Friday. The Golden Tornadoes were the clear victors by a 56-32 margin over the Wildcats. The Golden Tornadoes have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won seven games by 24 points or more this season.

Laurel's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Gracelyn Carmichael led the charge by shooting 56% from the field to rack up 14 points and five rebounds. Carmichael is also on a roll when it comes to steals, as she's now grabbed two or more in each of the last five games she's played. Zy Evans was another key player, going 5-for-10 on her way to 12 points.

The win made it two in a row for Laurel and bumps their season record up to 7-1. Those victories came thanks in part to their defensive effort, having only surrendered a grand total of 40 points in those games. As for Meridian, they now have a losing record of 4-5.

Looking ahead, Laurel will take on Callaway at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday. As for Meridian, they won't have much time to rest: their next contest is against Daphne at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday. The Wildcats' defense better be ready for this one: the Trojans have averaged an impressive 52.4 points per game this season.