University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Basketball Ready For C-USA Tournament Opener Against Tulsa
3/7/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
March 7, 2006
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The Southern Miss men's basketball team is set to compete in the 2006 Conference USA Men's Basketball Championship presented by Aeropostale, taking on the University of Tulsa in opening-round action on Wednesday. Tip-off for the contest is set for 2:35 p.m.
The Golden Eagles (9-20, 3-11 C-USA) earned the No. 11 seed of the tournament following its regular-season finale victory over East Carolina on Saturday. Tulsa (11-16, 6-8) earned the No. 6 seed via a tiebreaker over both Tulane and Rice, who all finished with a 6-8 league record. The winner of the game will face third-seeded UTEP on Thursday at 2:30 p.m.
Wednesday's game will be broadcast over the Southern Miss ISP Sports Network, with the "Voice of the Golden Eagles" John Cox and legendary coach M.K. Turk calling the action. Air time begins at 2 p.m., CT, with the Golden Eagle Courtside Show. The game also will air in the Memphis area on WHBQ 560-AM. First-round games will only be available online as part of the CSTV All-Access Package.
Freshman guard Courtney Beasley, who was named to the All-Conference USA Freshman Team on Tuesday, currently leads Southern Miss in scoring with 317 points on the season, an average of 10.9 per game. Senior forward Jason Forte follows with 251 points, an average of 8.7 per game, while junior guard Jarekus Singleton adds 244 points, averaging 8.4 per game. Forte leads all players in rebounds, with 139 on the year (4.8 per game), while junior forward David Cornwell follows with 120 boards, 4.1 per game. Junior guard Kyle Lamonte remains the team leader in assists with 63 on the season, while Beasley and Singleton each follows with respective totals of 54 and 53.
Anthony Price currently leads Tulsa with 303 points on the season, averaging 11.2 per game. Brett McDade has 282 season points, an average of 10.4 per game, and Darold Crow has 270 points on the year, averaging 10.0 per game. Charles Ramsdell paces the team in rebounds with 171 on the year, an average of 6.3 per game, and Price is second with 160 total rebounds. McDade and Deion James lead the team in assists with 72 and 55, respectively.
The game marks the third overall meeting between Southern Miss and Tulsa, with Tulsa leading 2-1. The two teams first met on Dec. 3, 1956, with the Golden Eagles winning 73-66. The teams again played on Dec. 28, 1987, an 82-81 victory by the Golden Hurricane. Both games were played in Tulsa. Tulsa won the earlier season meeting on Jan. 14, 72-63, in Tulsa, Okla.
CONFERENCE USA CHAMPIONSHIP
Presented by Aeropostale
FedExForum, Memphis, Tenn.
Wednesday, March 8 (all games available online on CSTV All-Access)
(7) Rice vs. (10) SMU -- Noon
(6) Tulsa vs. (11) Southern Miss -- 2:30p
(8) Tulane vs. (9) Marshall -- 6:00p
(5) UCF vs. (12) East Carolina -- 8:30p
