University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Golden Eagle Basketball Extends Win Streak to Four
11/30/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Golden Eagle Basketball Extends Win Streak to Four
HATTIESBURG, Miss. ? The Southern Miss Golden Eagles capped off their season-opening, four-game home stand in big fashion on Saturday.
Geoffrey Brown and Charles Gaines both had 19 points, while Dante Stiggers dished out a career-high 10 assists, to lead the Golden Eagles to an 89-78 win over South Alabama at Reed Green Coliseum.
The 89 points was Southern Miss? highest offensive output of the season as five Golden Eagle players broke the double-digit mark in the game.
With the win, the Golden Eagles improved to 4-0, while the Jaguars fell to 2-2. The 4-0 start is the Golden Eagles? best start since a 5-0 record to open the 2000-2001 season.
?I thought our kids played well,? Southern Miss Head Coach James Green said. ?I thought every player who went in, no matter how many minutes he played, did a real nice job. We are getting better every game.?
South Alabama pulled to within eight points at the 0:42 mark, but the Golden Eagles outscored their opponents 5-2 down the stretch to take the win.
Demetrice Williams led the Jaguars with 22 points, 12 of which came in the first half.
The opening half was one of scoring runs by both teams as Southern Miss opened on a 6-0 scoring spree. The Jaguars battled back with a 15-0 run of its own to take the lead.
The Golden Eagles charged back, however, using a 15-4 run to take the lead for good, 21-19, with 7:37 remaining in the first half.
?I was real pleased with the way we got out and moved the ball,? Green said. ?We did a lot of things well, and we are hopeful that we can continue to do those things as the season goes on.?
Along with Brown and Gaines, three Golden Eagle players scored in double-digits including Greg Johnson (14), Jasper Johnson (13) and Mario Myles (10). Gaines also had 13 rebounds.
The 19 points and 13 rebound combination marked the fourth straight game that Gaines has had double-digit points and double-digit rebounds. Brown?s total was a career-high mark, while Jasper Johnson netted double-digit points in his first collegiate game. Jasper Johnson sat out the previous three games recovering from foot surgery.
For South Alabama, Chris Young added 19 points. Marques Ivy had 14 points and Henry Williams added 10. Demetrice Williams had a team-high four rebounds.
The Golden Eagles shot a season-best 61.7 percent from the floor on 29-of-47 shooting. The team was 4-of-10 from 3-point range.
Southern Miss next competes in its first road action of the season, as the team travels to Iowa City, Iowa, to compete in the Gazette Hawkeye Challenge Dec. 6-7. The Golden Eagles face Jacksonville in the tournament?s opener then faces the either Iowa or Montana State on the second day.