University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Gaines Named C-USA Player of the Week
12/22/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Gaines Named C-USA Player of the Week
HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- Southern Miss center/forward Charles Gaines has been named the Conference USA Men?s Basketball Player of the Week for the period ending Dec. 21. The Houston, Texas senior had outstanding games against both Georgia Southern and William Carey to claim the honor.
He also was voted the league's player of the week last season, for the week that ended Dec. 1, 2002. He also becomes Southern Miss' first-ever two-time player of the week winner. Gaines helped the Golden Eagles to a 1-1 mark last week with a 95-91 overtime win over Georgia Southern at home on Dec. 17, and a 65-50 loss at LSU last Saturday, posting double-doubles in both outings. Gaines registered career-bests in points (36) and rebounds (18) versus Georgia Southern. His rebounding effort in the that game is the best in C-USA this season and his points are the second-best effort in the league this year, behind Morris Finley of UAB, who had 38 points versus Mississippi State on Dec. 6. Gaines is also tied for the fifth most defensive rebounds in a single game with 14. He concluded the week with a strong outing against the Tigers, notching 14 points and 12 rebounds. Gaines is second in the conference in double-doubles with five this year, giving him 19 for his career. He leads USM in scoring (18.5) and rebounding (11.4), ranking him third and first in those respective categories in Conference USA. He has scored in double figures in 32-of-37 career contests at Southern Miss, including 20 of his last 21 games. The Golden Eagles entertain William Carey at 7 tonight, in the final home game of 2003.