University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Basketball Hosts Samford In Regular-Season Home Opener
11/27/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 27, 2005
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - The Southern Miss basketball team opens the 2005-06 home schedule, hosting Samford in a non-conference contest, Monday night at Reed Green Coliseum. Tip off is set for 7 p.m.
The Golden Eagles, under the direction of second-year Head Coach Larry Eustachy, opened the season going 1-2 at the BP Top of the World Classic in Fairbanks, Alaska, Nov. 18-20. Samford, under the direction of Head Coach Jimmy Tillette, enters the game 2-2 on the season.
In the Top of the World Classic, Southern Miss picked up a season-opening win over Lamar 79-76 before falling to eventual champion Denver, 44-30, and to San Diego State, 79-51. Senior forward Jason Forte paced the team with 37 points and 13 rebounds in the three-day event, earning all-tournament honors in the process. Forte currently leads the team with 12.3 points per game, while junior guard Kyle Lamonte follows with 9.0 points a game. Redshirt-junior guard Jarekus Singleton is third with 8.7 points per outing. Forte also leads in rebounds (4.3 per game), and Lamonte has a team-best 10 assists.
The visiting Bulldogs opened the season with a 52-49 victory over Sacramento State before falling to a pair of nationally ranked teams -- 77-33 at No. 2 Texas and 68-41 at No. 6 Oklahoma. The team won its last game, 96-45, over Bryan College. J. Rob Merritt currently leads the team with 13.5 points per game and is tops with 4.5 rebounds a night. Randall Gullina and Travis Peterson each follow with 8.5 points per outing. Peterson and Joe Ross Merritt lead all players with nine assists each.
The game marks the 19th overall meeting between the two schools, with Southern Miss holding a 17-1 advantage in the series. The Golden Eagles have won six in a row, including the last game, an 81-61 victory in the championship game of the Brothers Air/Heat Shootout in Rock Hill, S.C., on Dec. 6, 2003.
Following the contest Southern Miss travels to Fayetteville, Ark., to take on the University of Arkansas, Wednesday, at 8:05 p.m., CST. The game will be televised by Fox Sports Net South. Check your local listings for television information.
