Short-Handed Golden Eagles Drop 71-65 Decision to No. 24 Texas Tech

Monday, December 16

Lubbock, TX

6 p.m. CT

Southern Miss

-39,00 CUSA

Texas Tech

7-3,0-0Big 12

Southern Miss.

Texas Tech

Short-Handed Golden Eagles Drop 71-65 Decision to No. 24 Texas Tech

12/16/2019 9:39:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Final Stats (PDF)

LUBBOCK, Texas -- Despite missing three of its key rotation members and facing foul trouble, Southern Miss went toe-to-toe with defending national runner-up Texas Tech and fell just short in a 71-65 decision Monday night on ESPN2.

The No. 24 Red Raiders (7-3) were coming off a 70-57 win over No. 1 Louisville on Tuesday night. The Golden Eagles were missing Boban Jacdonmi, Artur Konontsuk and Angel Smith, who have started a combined 18 games. Tyler Stevenson also fouled out with 8:19 to play, while Leonard Harper-Baker was limited to six minutes in the first half due to having three to his name.

Both teams scored 24 points in the paint, but the Red Raiders went 24-for-27 at the foul line while Southern Miss was limited to 8-of-12. The Red Raiders also shot 53.8 percent in the second half after just 23.3 in the first.

"We're a team in transition based on youth," head coach Jay Ladner said. "We were without three key players that exasperated a thin situation. We had a tough, three-point loss on Saturday, and tonight shows we have to finish. This Big 12 environment, with 12,000 people despite school being out, was good for our young players. I can't take any kind of solace in a moral victory, and neither can our players, but Texas Tech made some key plays and adjustments late. I was proud of the fight our team showed against a well-coached team."

Gabe Watson was white-hot at the end of the first half, scoring Southern Miss' last nine points to help the Black and Gold to a 32-25 lead at the break. It marked Southern Miss' largest lead since 20-12 at 8:53.

Texas Tech scored the first four points of the second half, but the Golden Eagles maintained the lead until a free-throw tied it at 40 at 14:29. The Red Raiders took their first lead at 12:54 and again for good at 9:42.

Southern Miss fell behind by seven with 4:45 left but cut it to 62-60 on a Hunter Dean dunk at 2:45. New life came when the Red Raiders were pressed into a 10-second violation, but a missed jumper preceded a Red Raider trey that put the game out of reach in the final minute.

"When we had long possessions and had the intention to be patient, drive and kick it out to the opposite side, we were successful," Ladner said. "That was our offensive game plan against such a strong defensive team."

Of Southern Miss' three reserves on the night, two were freshman (Dean and Auston Leslie) while one was a walk-on (David McCoy).

The Golden Eagles (3-9) conclude non-conference play Saturday against Tougaloo. Tip-off is at 2 p.m. CT.

NOTABLE
-The 32-25 intermission lead was Southern Miss' first against a Division I foe this season.
-Gabe Watson scored a career-high 20 points on 8-for-17 shooting.
-Watson and LaDavius Draine each went a career-high 40 minutes, marking the first Golden Eagles to play an entire game since Tyree Griffin (45) against UAB on Feb. 23, 2019.
-Watson also played 38 minutes in Saturday's home contest versus North Florida.
-Draine had a season-high 21 points, the third 20-point outing of his career.
-Leonard Harper-Baker was one point and one rebound shy of his eighth-career double-double.
-Hunter Dean recorded career-highs of six rebounds and 27 minutes. His previous career-high in the latter was 14 against Iowa State and William Carey.

-This was the third all-time meeting between the schools and the first since 1996.