University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Eagles Play First Coast Game Since '94
1/23/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Eagles Play First Coast Game Since '94
Hattiesburg, Miss. - Southern Miss plays its first game in the Coast Coliseum in Biloxi, Miss., since a 66-64 victory over Mississippi State in the Cellular South Shootout in 1994, when the Golden Eagles meet Conference USA-rival Houston, on Saturday, Jan. 25, at 2 p.m.
In addition to that Mississippi State game, Southern Miss also has played both Ole Miss and Alabama in regular-season games in the coast facility, as well as hosted a pair of Metro Conference Tournaments there, in 1990 and 1994.
Southern Miss and Houston have played 17 times previous to the Coast game, with the Golden Eagles leading the series, 9-8. The Cougars won both games last season, 68-60 in Hattiesburg, and 74-66 in Houston; but, prior to those two games, Southern Miss had won nine of the previous 10 games.
Through 14 games, Houston shows a 3-11 record, following a 77-66 loss Wednesday night at Memphis. Andre Owens led all scorers in that Memphis game, with 22 points, and Louis Truscott had 20. Truscott continues to lead the Cougars in both scoring and rebounding, at 16.4 points and 11.9 rebounds a game. Owens is the only other Cougar player in double figures. He's averaging 15.0 points a game.
For the Golden Eagles, who have not played since a Jan. 18 game at UAB, junior center/forward Charles Gaines continues to lead his team in both scoring and rebounding. He's currently at 14.9 points and 10.3 rebounds a game. Two other Southern Miss teammates are averaging double figures, with Greg Johnson at 13.2 points a game and Jasper Johnson at 10.7.
Through 16 games, Southern Miss stands at 9-6, and is averaging 67.7 points a game, compared to Houston's 59.1. The Eagles are giving up 68.2 points a game, while the Cougars are allowing 68.1.
Following the Coast game, the Eagles return home for a Wednesday night (Jan. 29) game against Louisville, and then open the month of February with a Feb. 1 game at Memphis. Southern Miss then plays host to UAB, Feb. 4, in a game that will mark the second meeting between the two teams in just over two weeks. The Blazers won the first game, in Birmingham, Ala., on Jan. 18.
