University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Southern Miss
Memphis
Golden Eagles Pull Away From Tigers, 36-16
10/17/2009 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 17, 2009
Final Stats | Quotes | Notes | AP Photo Gallery 
HATTIESBURG, Miss. (AP)--HATTIESBURG, Miss. (AP) - A 50-yard Tracy Lampley punt return in the third quarter keyed a big second half that pushed Southern Mississippi past Memphis 36-16 on Saturday.
The Golden Eagles (4-3, 2-1 in C-USA) shrugged off a slow start that left them ahead 10-6 at half to score 26 in the final two quarters.
Lampley's punt return, the first for any Southern Miss player since 2003 was the first score after the half.
"It was huge for us," Southern Miss coach Larry Fedora said. "The great thing about it was we talked about it all week - what we were going to have to do. We had a good plan, and if he hadn't have put his hand up on the one before that, he probably would have taken it to the house because it was set up."
USM tailbacks Damion Fletcher and Tory Harrison combined for 122 yards on 30 carries, and Fletcher found the end zone twice.
The Golden Eagles had plenty of help from Memphis (2-5, 1-3), which committed 11 penalties for 105 yards and was 5 of 15 on third down conversions with a pair of turnovers.
"I'll have to look (at what went wrong)," Memphis coach Tommy West said. "We've had games where we've been good and some games where we've been horrible. Obviously, we've got a problem with out punt team."
Memphis running back Curtis Steele surpassed 100 yards rushing for a second straight game after tallying 136 yards on 24 carries.
Southern Miss dedicated the game to punter Peter Wilkes, who died of self-inflicted gunshot wounds on Saturday, Oct. 10 in Union City, Tenn. Wilkes was honored before the game with a moment of silence and the initials P.W. hung in the north end zone during the game.
