University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Eagles Play Well But Lose At Charlotte, 77-68
2/27/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Eagles Play Well But Lose At Charlotte, 77-68
Charlotte, N.C. - Southern Miss led much of the first half and kept Charlotte within striking distance until the closing minutes of the game before dropping a 77-68 decision to the 49ers at Halton Arena here Wednesday night.
The loss dropped Southern Miss to 11-14 overall and 4-10 in Conference USA, while Charlotte improved to 12-13 and 7-6 in the league.
The Golden Eagles kept Charlotte off the scoreboard for the first 6:13 of the game and built a 7-0 lead during that time. Southern Miss led as late as the 5:03 mark in the first half and trailed by only one with 1:33 left, before the 49ers pushed that lead to 37-33 at the half.
Southern Miss started the second half with a rush, and after the 49ers scored the first basket of the half to go ahead 40-33, reeled off a quick 9-0 run to take a 42-40 lead at the 15:10 mark. The Eagles continued to stay close and trailed by only three, 60-57, with 3:35 remaining in the game. But, Demon Brown, who is among the national leaders in three-point attempts and baskets, stuck in a couple of long-range jumpers to push that margin to seven, at 66-59.
That lead eventually reached 10 points late in the game and stood at nine when time expired.
Southern Miss shot just .361 (22-61) while Charlotte was making 26-of-59 (.441). The 49ers also put together a commanding 9-4 edge in three point baskets, and collected 42 rebounds, to 38 for the Eagles. Southern Miss did continue to shoot the ball well from the free throw line, making 20-of-24 (.833).
Charles Gaines led three Golden Eagles in scoring, with 19 points. James Pattman recorded his career-high in minutes (22) as well as his career-high scoring game, with 11 points, and Greg Johnson added 10. For Charlotte, Eddie Basden matched Gaines' 19 points, and teammates Curtis Nash (15), Demon Brown (13), and Curtis Withers (12) all were in double figures.
Basden had nine rebounds to lead Charlotte, and Greg Johnson had a similar number for the Eagles.
Southern Miss entertains South Florida Saturday afternoon at 4 in the final home game of the season and then ends the regular season a week later (March 8) at Tulane.
