University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Eagles Play Final Pre-Christmas Home Game
12/20/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Eagles Play Final Pre-Christmas Home Game
Hattiesburg, Miss. - The Golden Eagles host Arkansas-Little Rock Saturday afternoon, in a 4 p.m., game that will end pre-Christmas play for USM. Southern Miss will end 2002 action Dec. 30, at Auburn.
USM and UALR have played just three times prior to tonight's game, with Southern Miss leading, 3-0. The Golden Eagles won last year's game, 60-53, in Little Rock, Ark. In that game, the two teams were tied at 29 at the half, but Southern Miss then outscored the Trojans, 31-24, in the second half.
The Golden Eagle defense limited UALR to just .380 (19-50) shooting from the field, and got double-figure scoring from Elvin Mims and Brad Richardson, with 20 and 11 points, respectively. Mims made his game an even more productive one, with 11 rebounds, recording his fourth double-double of the season.
Southern Miss goes into Saturday's game with a 5-3 record. However, the Golden Eagles have lost three straight, after winning their first five starts of the season. Junior forward Charles Gaines continues to lead the Eagles in scoring and rebounding, at 17.9 points and 9.3 rebounds a game. Greg Johnson is the only other Southern Miss player in double figures, at 12.6 points a game.
For Arkansas-Little Rock, the Trojans bring a 7-3 record into the game, including a three-game win streak. The three losses have come at the hands of Hawaii, Memphis and Minnesota.
UALR shows three players in double figures, with Nick Zachary leading that group at 14.2 points a game. Jibrahn Ike is close behind at 13.2 points a game. The visitors average 72.8 points a game and are shooting a solid .484 (247-510) from the field.
Following today's game, Golden Eagle players get a few days off, and then end 2002 action with the game at Auburn, play the final non-conference game of the season Jan. 4 at home against Murray State, and then jump quickly into Conference USA action with a Jan. 8 home game against TCU.