University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Eagles Host Green Wave In Next-To-Last Home Game
2/20/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Eagles Host Green Wave In Next-To-Last Home Game
Hattiesburg, Miss. - Southern Miss hosts longtime rival Tulane in the Golden Eagles' next-to-last home game of the season, Saturday at 4 p.m., in Green Coliseum.
Tulane comes into the game fresh off a 68-65 victory over South Florida, a victory that improved the Green Wave's record to 13-11, overall, and 6-5, in league play.
Last time out, Southern Miss lost at Houston, 46-42, earlier in the week in the lowest-scoring Golden Eagle game of the season. Through 23 games, junior forward/center Charles Gaines continues to lead Southern Miss in scoring and rebounding, at 14.6 points and 9.8 rebounds a game. He recorded his 12th double-double of the season in the Houston game, with 13 points and 10 rebounds.
The Eagles and Green Wave first played in 1947-48, and Tulane holds a 34-20 lead in the series, including victories in both games the two teams played last season, 70-61 in Hattiesburg and 66-61 in overtime in New Orleans, La.
The series has been a back-and-forth one. Tulane won the first four times the two teams played and the Green Wave also owns the longest win streak in the series, at seven-games (1991-1994). Southern Miss' longest win streak has been three games. The two teams have split their last 10 games.
For Tulane, Waitari Marsh leads the way with 15.4 points a game, while Brandon Brown tops the rebounders at 6.9 a game. Tulane averages 72.0 points a game and gives up 67.6. Southern Miss averages 67.2 and gives up 70.3.
Tulane and Southern Miss play again Mar. 8, in New Orleans, in the final regular-season game for both teams, and following this Saturday's game, the Golden Eagles have just two games, other than the Tulane rematch, left on the regular-season schedule. Southern Miss also plays at Charlotte (Feb. 26) and ends the regular home season Mar. 1, against South Florida.
