Golden Eagles Drop Saturday Contest at ULM

Saturday, December 18

Monroe, LA

2:00 PM

Southern Miss

-47,00 CUSA

ULM

7-4,0-0Sun Belt

Southern Miss.

La.-Monroe

Golden Eagles Drop Saturday Contest at ULM

12/18/2021 5:59:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Game Book

MONROE, La. -- Freshman Rashad Bolden held the hot hand for the Southern Miss men's basketball team in its 74-65 loss at ULM Saturday afternoon. Bolden had the second-best scoring output of his Southern Miss career, going for a game-high 19 points. Junior Tyler Stevenson became the 30^thGolden Eagle in program history to reach 500 career rebounds.

Southern Miss shot 48.1 percent from the floor to record its best shooting performance since shooting 61 percent at FIU last February. The Golden Eagles knocked down seven three-pointers to shoot 50 percent from deep for the first time since going 10-of-20 at FIU in 2020.

Bolden scored the first Southern Miss points 2:59 into the game as ULM had jumped out a 6-0 advantage. The Jackson, Miss. native drilled another jumper just minutes later to tie the game at 12. The future Sun Belt foes traded baskets from that point on and found themselves still tied with 6:17 left in the half. DeAndre Pinckney showed poise at the line with four minutes left in the half as the junior college product hit two free throws to give Southern Miss a two-point advantage.

ULM answered with a slew of baskets and eventually tied the game at 31 heading into the half when Thomas Howell scored at the buzzer. The Golden Eagles shot 46.2 percent from the floor in the first half while Bolden scored 13 of his points in the opening 20 minutes. Jeffery Armstrong gave a spark to Southern Miss as the sophomore came off the bench and drew two charges in just seven minutes of playing time in the first half.

Only four minutes ticked off the clock before Mo Arnold gave Southern Miss a one-point advantage early in the second half. Things quickly turned for the Golden Eagles as the Warhawks outscored them 17-8 over the next 10 minutes to take an 11-point lead with six minutes left in the game.

A Stevenson jumper made it a seven-point contest with 48 seconds left, but ULM made seven free throws down the stretch to hold on for the nine-point win. The loss was Southern Miss' fifth-straight and moved Jay Ladner's squad to 4-7 on the season.

Jaron Pierre, Jr. added nine points and six rebounds in just under 30 minutes of playing time. The Golden Eagles grabbed 34 rebounds compared to ULM's 31, but turned the ball over 18 times. The Warhawks turned the ball over 11 times and finished with seven steals. Walyn Napper finished with seven points and three assists.

Southern Miss closes out its non-conference slate on Tuesday, Dec. 21 at East Carolina. Tip from Greenville, N.C. is scheduled for 11 a.m. CST.

Game Notes
- Southern Miss used its seventh different starting lineup. Jay Ladner went with Mo Arnold, Rashad Bolden, Jaron Pierre, Jr., Isaih Moore, and Tyler Stevenson.
- Rashad Bolden led all scorers at the half with 13 points. He finished with 19.
- Bolden's 18 points were his most in a game since scoring a career-high 29 against UNCW at the Zootown Classic on Nov. 24, 2021.
- DeAndre Pinckney finished with seven points. It was his most since he scored 12 at Montana on Nov. 26, 2021.
- Tyler Stevenson finished with four rebounds and now has 500 rebounds for his Southern Miss career.
- Stevenson scored in double figures for the 52nd time and seventh time this season.
- Stevenson attempted his first-ever three-pointer late in the second half. It was his first attempt in 692 career shots.