University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Eagles Shoot For Two Straight
11/24/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Eagles Shoot For Two Straight
Hattiesburg, Miss. - Southern Miss tries to make it two victories in a row when Jackson State visits Green Coliseum for a 7 p.m., Monday night game. The Tigers bring an 0-1 record into the game after dropping their season opener, at Arkansas, 81-44, Nov. 22.
In that game, Ishmael Joyce led the Tigers with nine points. Jackson State hit just 13-of-62 (.210) from the field against the Razorbacks, who got double-digit scoring from four different players.
Southern Miss is coming off a 78-70 victory over Alcorn State in the opener for the Golden Eagles, who got double-figure scoring from four players, including Charles Gaines, who made his Southern Miss debut a solid one with 33 points and 11 rebounds. Those 33 points marked the best game every by a Golden Eagle playing in his first game.
The Eagles also shot .813 (26-32) from the free throw line, and an equally impressive .481 (13-27) in the second half of the game from the floor, and finished at .441 (26-59).
Southern Miss opened the season a year ago against the Tigers from Jackson, Miss., and built a 50-30 halftime lead and coasted to an easy 83-58 victory.
Five Golden Eagles finished that game in double figures, with Brad Richardson leading the way with 21. Southern Miss shot .548 (34-62) in that game, the second-best shooting game of the 2001-02 season.
Southern Miss and Jackson State have played nine times previous to the upcoming Monday night game, with the Golden Eagles leading 8-1. Jackson State recorded its only victory in 1998, 64-63.
Following tonight's game, the Eagles entertain Troy State Wednesday night and South Alabama Saturday night, to wrap up a season-opening, four-game home stand.