University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Sunday, March 3
Bowling Green, KY
2 p.m. CT
Southern Miss
at
WKU
Golden Eagles Play at WKU on Sunday
3/2/2019 9:52:00 AM | Men's Basketball
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. -- The Southern Miss men's basketball team hit the road Friday for the first time in a month as it prepares to play at WKU on Sunday at 2 p.m. CT.
Fans can watch the action on Facebook Live via Stadium (Facebook.com/LiveCUSA), with Chris Hassel, Tim Scarborough and Kristen Balboni on the call. John Cox, the Voice of the Golden Eagles, will also carry the game on the Southern Miss IMG Sports Network (Rock 104.5 in Hattiesburg/Laurel) and the USM Gameday app.
–   The Golden Eagles' last road trip was a sweep of FIU and Florida Atlantic from Jan. 31 - Feb. 2. The team has since played just four games in that span, all at home, winning three of them (LA Tech, UTSA, UTEP).
–    Southern Miss earned a vote in last week's USA Today/Coaches Poll. It held the same distinction four consecutive years from 2011-14 (last two of those being vacated), as well as in the 2000-01 season. The Golden Eagles, which entered the season as one of 13 Division I teams to perfectly improve its league win total over a four-year span, has continued it once again this year with nine victories.
–    The Black and Gold fell 76-72 to UAB in overtime on Saturday. It led by as much as 10 in the second half, but the Blazers knocked down two very deep triples, including a contested bank-shot with five seconds left to force OT. Tyree Griffin had 20 points and 10 assists, while Cortez Edwards added 17 points and nine boards. Three Eagles played 40-plus minutes, and only eight saw action (two combining for five minutes).
–    Southern Miss has revenge on its mind after a 66-63 home defeat to WKU on Jan. 24. The Golden Eagles shot 32.1 percent in the first half (third-lowest in a C-USA game this year) and trailed 34-21 at the half. The squad attacked in the second half, several times getting within three, but couldn't close the gap anymore. LaDavius Draine made four three-pointers in the second half, and Leonard Harper-Baker finished with 18 points and 15 rebounds. The Golden Eagles then defeated Marshall, 101-51, two days later to kick off a six-game win streak.
–    The Golden Eagles will have to protect the paint against likely Freshman of the Year, Charles Bassey, who had 17 points and 15 rebounds in the previous meeting. WKU outscored Southern Miss 40-24 in the paint to counter a 6-for-21 shooting night from beyond the arc. Southern Miss' six road wins are tied for second in C-USA after having five the previous four years, and the Hilltoppers are 9-3 this year at home (losses to Troy, UAB and FIU), including a win over No. 15 Wisconsin.
–    Edwards (four steals from tying the school record) needs one rebound to become the only player in school history to rank in the top-20 for scoring, top-15 for boards and top-10 in assists. He scored 20-plus points in three consecutive games from Feb. 2-14, the second time he's accomplished the feat (also did it four-straight times from March 3-9, 2018). He and Griffin are the only teammates in the top-14 for assist/TO ratio in C-USA play.
–    League wins and losses have shown significant separation for Southern Miss in several categories. In victories, the team out-shoots its opponent 51.5 - 38.4 percent, including 43.3 to 31.1 from deep. This includes a win margin average of 78.3 to 64.8. The losses, however, amount to being out-shot 45.4 - 42.4 percent (and 37.7-36.4 from deep) while averaging 63.3 ppg and allowing 71.2. Harper-Baker in C-USA action is second in shooting (61.5 percent) and third in rebounds (9.0 pg). As of now, his 8.2 rpg is the highest-season average since Gary Flowers in 2009-10.
–   The Golden Eagles are 8-1 when making 73.9 percent or more of their free-throws (five of those wins in C-USA play). The squad is also 15-3 when scoring 70-plus points and 4-2 when taking 15 or fewer three-pointers. The UAB loss on Feb. 23 saw the team have its best free-throw night of the season (15-18, 83.3 percent) and go 5-for-15 from deep.
–    Southern Miss is the only C-USA school to have not allowed 80 points in a game this season.  It happened to the Golden Eagles eight times in each of the last two seasons, and this current 27-game streak is a single-season best since Jan. 5 - Dec. 1, 2010. The Black and Gold ranks No. 4 nationally for assist-turnover ratio (1.68) and No. 13 for fewest turnovers (10.3 pg). In league play, the Golden Eagles rank first in field goal percentage (47.9), three-point shooting (40.6) and assists (16.8) while holding third in FG defense (41.1) and steals (7.3).
–    Griffin against C-USA opponents is first in assists (7.2), third in assist-turnover ratio (2.6) and fourth in steals (2.0), while Edwards ranks eighth in assists (4.5) and second for assist/turnover ratio (2.7) and third in steals (2.1). Griffin now ranks No. 5 all-time in school history with 387 assists (despite less than two years with the program), and his 6.9 dimes per game are No. 8 nationally. Holland, who has started 103 games in his career (all consecutive) is also now No. 1 in C-USA play for three-point shooting (53.5 percent) and ahead of Draine, second at 50.6. Holland was at 31.4 percent in non-conference, and his 126 career three-pointers is No. 8 in program history.
Fans can watch the action on Facebook Live via Stadium (Facebook.com/LiveCUSA), with Chris Hassel, Tim Scarborough and Kristen Balboni on the call. John Cox, the Voice of the Golden Eagles, will also carry the game on the Southern Miss IMG Sports Network (Rock 104.5 in Hattiesburg/Laurel) and the USM Gameday app.
–   The Golden Eagles' last road trip was a sweep of FIU and Florida Atlantic from Jan. 31 - Feb. 2. The team has since played just four games in that span, all at home, winning three of them (LA Tech, UTSA, UTEP).
–    Southern Miss earned a vote in last week's USA Today/Coaches Poll. It held the same distinction four consecutive years from 2011-14 (last two of those being vacated), as well as in the 2000-01 season. The Golden Eagles, which entered the season as one of 13 Division I teams to perfectly improve its league win total over a four-year span, has continued it once again this year with nine victories.
–    The Black and Gold fell 76-72 to UAB in overtime on Saturday. It led by as much as 10 in the second half, but the Blazers knocked down two very deep triples, including a contested bank-shot with five seconds left to force OT. Tyree Griffin had 20 points and 10 assists, while Cortez Edwards added 17 points and nine boards. Three Eagles played 40-plus minutes, and only eight saw action (two combining for five minutes).
–    Southern Miss has revenge on its mind after a 66-63 home defeat to WKU on Jan. 24. The Golden Eagles shot 32.1 percent in the first half (third-lowest in a C-USA game this year) and trailed 34-21 at the half. The squad attacked in the second half, several times getting within three, but couldn't close the gap anymore. LaDavius Draine made four three-pointers in the second half, and Leonard Harper-Baker finished with 18 points and 15 rebounds. The Golden Eagles then defeated Marshall, 101-51, two days later to kick off a six-game win streak.
–    The Golden Eagles will have to protect the paint against likely Freshman of the Year, Charles Bassey, who had 17 points and 15 rebounds in the previous meeting. WKU outscored Southern Miss 40-24 in the paint to counter a 6-for-21 shooting night from beyond the arc. Southern Miss' six road wins are tied for second in C-USA after having five the previous four years, and the Hilltoppers are 9-3 this year at home (losses to Troy, UAB and FIU), including a win over No. 15 Wisconsin.
–    Edwards (four steals from tying the school record) needs one rebound to become the only player in school history to rank in the top-20 for scoring, top-15 for boards and top-10 in assists. He scored 20-plus points in three consecutive games from Feb. 2-14, the second time he's accomplished the feat (also did it four-straight times from March 3-9, 2018). He and Griffin are the only teammates in the top-14 for assist/TO ratio in C-USA play.
–    League wins and losses have shown significant separation for Southern Miss in several categories. In victories, the team out-shoots its opponent 51.5 - 38.4 percent, including 43.3 to 31.1 from deep. This includes a win margin average of 78.3 to 64.8. The losses, however, amount to being out-shot 45.4 - 42.4 percent (and 37.7-36.4 from deep) while averaging 63.3 ppg and allowing 71.2. Harper-Baker in C-USA action is second in shooting (61.5 percent) and third in rebounds (9.0 pg). As of now, his 8.2 rpg is the highest-season average since Gary Flowers in 2009-10.
–   The Golden Eagles are 8-1 when making 73.9 percent or more of their free-throws (five of those wins in C-USA play). The squad is also 15-3 when scoring 70-plus points and 4-2 when taking 15 or fewer three-pointers. The UAB loss on Feb. 23 saw the team have its best free-throw night of the season (15-18, 83.3 percent) and go 5-for-15 from deep.
–    Southern Miss is the only C-USA school to have not allowed 80 points in a game this season.  It happened to the Golden Eagles eight times in each of the last two seasons, and this current 27-game streak is a single-season best since Jan. 5 - Dec. 1, 2010. The Black and Gold ranks No. 4 nationally for assist-turnover ratio (1.68) and No. 13 for fewest turnovers (10.3 pg). In league play, the Golden Eagles rank first in field goal percentage (47.9), three-point shooting (40.6) and assists (16.8) while holding third in FG defense (41.1) and steals (7.3).
–    Griffin against C-USA opponents is first in assists (7.2), third in assist-turnover ratio (2.6) and fourth in steals (2.0), while Edwards ranks eighth in assists (4.5) and second for assist/turnover ratio (2.7) and third in steals (2.1). Griffin now ranks No. 5 all-time in school history with 387 assists (despite less than two years with the program), and his 6.9 dimes per game are No. 8 nationally. Holland, who has started 103 games in his career (all consecutive) is also now No. 1 in C-USA play for three-point shooting (53.5 percent) and ahead of Draine, second at 50.6. Holland was at 31.4 percent in non-conference, and his 126 career three-pointers is No. 8 in program history.
Players Mentioned
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