University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Regular Season Practice Is All Done
11/28/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
Regular Season Practice Is All Done
Hattiesburg, Miss. -- Head Coach Jeff Bower and his Southern Miss Golden Eagles used Thanksgiving afternoon to get in their final practice of the regular season Thursday afternoon, and will end the 2002 regular season Saturday, against East Carolina, at 2 p.m., in Roberts Stadium.
Southern Miss and East Carolina have played 27 times in a series that started in 1951. The Golden Eagles lead the series 20-7, and won last year's game in Greenville, N.C., 28-21. USM holds a 12-2 margin in games played in Greenville, but is only 8-5 in games played in Hattiesburg. As a head coach, Bower is 7-3 in 10 game against the Pirates.
The Pirates have been "up and down" throughout the season, are 4-6 overall, 4-2 in the league, and with this game and a season-ending game against Cincinnati, could still claim a share of the C-USA title and earn a possible bowl spot. Southern Miss has been bowl eligible since early November, and could enhance its chances with a victory to end the regular season.
Bower says the final game of a year is always special and important, but it is important that the team play with emotion. "We're not a very good team if we play without emotion," he said. "I'm not sure that any team is."
Bower says this year's senior group has been a successful one, winning seasons every year, bowl games, and a lot of success. "We've had some good years with this senior group," he said. "I just hope they want to go out with a good taste in their mouths, after this last game. We've had a lot of success on the defensive side of the ball with this group.
"This is an important game for us. I think our players realize that, and I hope they'll play with a lot of emotion. We'll find out how important it is to this team on Saturday."
