Sunday, November 21
Reed Green Coliseum
2:00 PM
Southern Miss
-22,00 CUSA
82
vs
75
Lamar
1-4,0-0WAC
1
2
F
Lamar University
36
39
75
Southern Miss.
33
49
82
Big Second Half Propels Southern Miss Past Lamar
11/21/2021 6:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
HATTIESBURG, Miss. --Â Five players finished in double figures for Southern Miss as the Golden Eagles dumped Lamar, 82-75, on Sunday afternoon at Reed Green Coliseum. The win moved the Golden Eagles to 2-2 on the season and 2-1 at home.
"I was proud for our players after I thought they really got grounded after TCU," said head coach Jay Ladner. "We are far from a finished product, but the fact that we got down 10 early and were able to comeback made me very proud. During the 23-minute stretch [before half and then after], we outscored them by 24 points."
Of the five players to finish in double figures, junior Tae Hardy led the way with 23 points on 8-of-14 from the floor. Southern Miss fans welcomed back Tyler Stevenson to the floor as the junior missed Monday's game at TCU due to injury. The Columbus, Miss. native had an efficient night, finishing with 11 points and 12 rebounds for ninth double-double of his career.Â
The Golden Eagles dug themselves into a hole early as Lamar jumped to a 10-5 lead at the first media timeout. The Cardinals pushed their lead to 10 halfway through the opening 20 minutes, but Southern Miss quickly responded and pulled within three when Isaih Moore made the backend of two free throws with five minutes left in the half. The deficit was then cut to one after DeAndre Pinckney made the first half of two free throws. The Golden Eagles would miss two open looks before heading into the locker room, while Lamar added two more points to its lead on a jumper with 25 seconds left.Â
Pinckney finished with 11 of his 13 points coming in the first half as he went 4-of-6 from the floor in the opening frame. As a team, the Golden Eagles went 11-of-33 from the floor and 4-of-11 from deep in the half. Southern Miss limited its first-half turnover total to just six, the second fewest in a half for the Golden Eagles this season.Â
"I thought we defended smarter in the second half," Ladner said. "I thought in the first half we were being aggressive, but we had a few too many breakdowns that drove us to the basket late with time on the clock. We talked at halftime about not gambling so much. We were so close to stealing a couple of balls, but just needed to be fundamentally sound and patient."
Southern Miss played from behind for a good chunk of the second half before Jaron Pierre, Jr. drilled a three-pointer to give the Golden Eagles the lead with 12:20 left in the game. That would be the final time Lamar led in the game as Southern Miss made nine consecutive field goals during a six-minute span to open its lead to 14, its largest of the game. The Cardinals drilled a three-pointer with 29 seconds left to pull within six, but Hardy made two free throws to lock up the win.Â
Pierre, Jr. finished with 10 points and Moore finished with 19 to tie his highest point output this season. Sophomore Walyn Napper facilitated the ball well for the Golden Eagles as the Dodge City CC transfer finished with five assists and added two steals on the defensive side of the ball. The Southern Miss bench exploded for 35 points and the offense limited its turnovers to a season-low 11. The Golden Eagles finished 27-of-57 from the floor for a 47.4 percent shooting clip. Their 66.7 second-half field goal percentage was their highest since the Feb. 19, 2021 game at FIU where they shot 70 percent in the second half. Southern Miss also finished 8-of-20 from three-point range. Sunday's contest marked the first time five Golden Eagles finished in double figures for the first time since 2019.Â
The Golden Eagles leave Monday for the Zootown Classic in Missoula, Mont. The Golden Eagles open against UNC Wilmington on Nov. 24 at 6 p.m. cst.Â
Notes
- Freshman Rashad Bolden made the first start of his career.Â
- Five Golden Eagles finished in double figures for the first time since Jan. 26, 2019. LaDavius Draine (18), Kevin Holland (16), Cortez Edwards (15), Leonard Harper-Baker 15), and Tim Rowe (15) all finished in double figures against Marshall.
- Southern Miss' 11 turnovers was its fewest of the season.Â
- Southern Miss' 66.7 field goal percentage in the second half was the highest since shooting 70 percent in the second half at FIU on Feb. 19, 2021.Â
- Isaih Moore's 19 points tie his highest scoring output this season.
- Tyler Stevenson finished with the ninth double-double of his career.Â
"I was proud for our players after I thought they really got grounded after TCU," said head coach Jay Ladner. "We are far from a finished product, but the fact that we got down 10 early and were able to comeback made me very proud. During the 23-minute stretch [before half and then after], we outscored them by 24 points."
Of the five players to finish in double figures, junior Tae Hardy led the way with 23 points on 8-of-14 from the floor. Southern Miss fans welcomed back Tyler Stevenson to the floor as the junior missed Monday's game at TCU due to injury. The Columbus, Miss. native had an efficient night, finishing with 11 points and 12 rebounds for ninth double-double of his career.Â
The Golden Eagles dug themselves into a hole early as Lamar jumped to a 10-5 lead at the first media timeout. The Cardinals pushed their lead to 10 halfway through the opening 20 minutes, but Southern Miss quickly responded and pulled within three when Isaih Moore made the backend of two free throws with five minutes left in the half. The deficit was then cut to one after DeAndre Pinckney made the first half of two free throws. The Golden Eagles would miss two open looks before heading into the locker room, while Lamar added two more points to its lead on a jumper with 25 seconds left.Â
Pinckney finished with 11 of his 13 points coming in the first half as he went 4-of-6 from the floor in the opening frame. As a team, the Golden Eagles went 11-of-33 from the floor and 4-of-11 from deep in the half. Southern Miss limited its first-half turnover total to just six, the second fewest in a half for the Golden Eagles this season.Â
"I thought we defended smarter in the second half," Ladner said. "I thought in the first half we were being aggressive, but we had a few too many breakdowns that drove us to the basket late with time on the clock. We talked at halftime about not gambling so much. We were so close to stealing a couple of balls, but just needed to be fundamentally sound and patient."
Southern Miss played from behind for a good chunk of the second half before Jaron Pierre, Jr. drilled a three-pointer to give the Golden Eagles the lead with 12:20 left in the game. That would be the final time Lamar led in the game as Southern Miss made nine consecutive field goals during a six-minute span to open its lead to 14, its largest of the game. The Cardinals drilled a three-pointer with 29 seconds left to pull within six, but Hardy made two free throws to lock up the win.Â
Pierre, Jr. finished with 10 points and Moore finished with 19 to tie his highest point output this season. Sophomore Walyn Napper facilitated the ball well for the Golden Eagles as the Dodge City CC transfer finished with five assists and added two steals on the defensive side of the ball. The Southern Miss bench exploded for 35 points and the offense limited its turnovers to a season-low 11. The Golden Eagles finished 27-of-57 from the floor for a 47.4 percent shooting clip. Their 66.7 second-half field goal percentage was their highest since the Feb. 19, 2021 game at FIU where they shot 70 percent in the second half. Southern Miss also finished 8-of-20 from three-point range. Sunday's contest marked the first time five Golden Eagles finished in double figures for the first time since 2019.Â
The Golden Eagles leave Monday for the Zootown Classic in Missoula, Mont. The Golden Eagles open against UNC Wilmington on Nov. 24 at 6 p.m. cst.Â
Notes
- Freshman Rashad Bolden made the first start of his career.Â
- Five Golden Eagles finished in double figures for the first time since Jan. 26, 2019. LaDavius Draine (18), Kevin Holland (16), Cortez Edwards (15), Leonard Harper-Baker 15), and Tim Rowe (15) all finished in double figures against Marshall.
- Southern Miss' 11 turnovers was its fewest of the season.Â
- Southern Miss' 66.7 field goal percentage in the second half was the highest since shooting 70 percent in the second half at FIU on Feb. 19, 2021.Â
- Isaih Moore's 19 points tie his highest scoring output this season.
- Tyler Stevenson finished with the ninth double-double of his career.Â
Team Stats
Lamar
USM
FG%
.450
.474
3FG%
.400
.400
FT%
.786
.714
RB
34
37
TO
15
11
STL
8
9
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
19
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
9
Pts
13
FGM
5
3FGM
2
FTM
1
Pts
11
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
5
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's BasketballF
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