University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Friday, February 26
Reed Green Coliseum
7 p.m.
Southern Miss
vs
Florida Atlantic
Southern Miss Set for Home Finales Friday, Saturday Against Florida Atlantic
2/25/2021 12:44:00 PM | Men's Basketball
HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- The Golden Eagle men's basketball team will hold its final two home games Friday (7 p.m.) and Saturday (4 p.m.) against Florida Atlantic. Seniors LaDavius Draine and Clay Weatherspoon will also be honored prior to Saturday's contest.
TV: ESPN Plus (Lee Roberts and Larry Boyd)
Radio: Southern Miss Learfield IMG Sports Network (Rock 104.5 in Hattiesburg/Laurel), Gameday and TuneIn apps (John Cox)
Tickets: None available
Week in Review
Southern Miss got back into the win column in a huge way Friday, shooting 70 percent in the second half and 61 for the game in an 85-72 win at FIU. It marked the most efficient performance since going 64.6 percent field in a 101-51 win over Marshall on Jan. 26, 2019. The Golden Eagles went ahead for good on a 14-0 run through the 2:54 mark of the second half to lead by 15. The 26-10 deficit was their largest to overcome since Dec. 7, 2019 (trailed Southern Illinois 24-7 before winning 72-69.
Hardy's Recognition
Tae Hardy exploded for 19 points (career-high in itself), five rebounds and five assists in the second half alone, helping him to earn C-USA Player of the Week honors. He has reached double-figure scoring in six of his last seven road games. Hardy is shooting 52.1 percent in wins and 35.0 in defeats, the largest disparity on the team.
New Weapon Keeps Growing
Justin Johnson, one of the team's more-heralded signees, has played his best over the recent stretch. Over his last five games, he is averaging 10.3 ppg on 24-for-41 shooting (58.5 percent) and 25.5 mpg. Johnson was averaging 3.0 points over 13.3 minutes per game going in. He played a season-high 32 minutes in the second North Texas game, and his last two starts mark his first lineup spot since Dec. 12.
Stevenson's New Feat
Tyler Stevenson led the way with 26 points and nine boards at FIU. His 29-point, 10-rebound in the second Rice game ranks as the second-highest scoring double-double in C-USA play, as well as Southern Miss' highest-scoring one since Gary Flowers on Feb. 19, 2011 against ECU. It's the highest-scoring, two-road-game stretch by a Golden Eagle since Kourtlin Jackson had 55 at WKU and Marshall (March 3-5, 2016).
Stevenson's Year as a Whole
Stevenson is leading the team with 14.9 ppg, a 52.2 percent clip from the field, 71 made free-throws (next is Hardy at 41), and rebounds (7.3 per game). He is one of two players to rank in the top-six for scoring, rebounding and field-goal percentage in league play. He and Hardy became the first Southern Miss teammates with 20-plus points in a game since Jan. 23, 2020 at UAB.
Last Meeting with FAU
Stevenson was also the hero when the two teams last met, a 68-66 win on Feb. 13, 2020 in Hattiesburg. He was fouled on an offensive rebound with four seconds left and proceeded to make each foul shot before the Owls' three-point attempt missed. FAU had scored eight-straight points to tie it with 2:20 left. Each team struggled from deep (USM 5-for-19, FAU 5-for-28), but the Golden Eagles won the rebounding battle, 41-32, for their third-straight win over the Owls.
About the Owls
COVID-19 has wreaked havoc on FAU's schedule, playing just one weekend of its last four. Its three C-USA wins came against FIU (twice) and Charlotte, all consecutively from Jan. 14-22. The Owls lead in C-USA play for rebounding margin (plus-9.63) while ranking third in scoring (75.3 ppg). This will be Southern Miss' first opponent that missed its previous week since facing UAB from Jan. 8-9.
From Deep
FIU entered last weekend as the national leader in three-point makes and attempts, but the Golden Eagles held it to 2-of-16 shooting in the second half. With the exception of the first half, Southern Miss has held its last three opponents to 15-for-61. In its last two wins, Southern Miss has made three treys in each, but that is also not in its repertoire, as it is attempting a league-low 14.0 per game in C-USA play.
Last Lap for the Seniors
Draine, who broke the school's single-season three-point record as a sophomore (46.4 percent) while being named C-USA's Sixth Man of the Year, ranks second in career treys (216) and No. 33 in scoring (1,104 points). Weatherspoon, the son of assistant coach and Southern Miss legend Clarence, has appeared in 45 games over his five-year career.
TV: ESPN Plus (Lee Roberts and Larry Boyd)
Radio: Southern Miss Learfield IMG Sports Network (Rock 104.5 in Hattiesburg/Laurel), Gameday and TuneIn apps (John Cox)
Tickets: None available
Week in Review
Southern Miss got back into the win column in a huge way Friday, shooting 70 percent in the second half and 61 for the game in an 85-72 win at FIU. It marked the most efficient performance since going 64.6 percent field in a 101-51 win over Marshall on Jan. 26, 2019. The Golden Eagles went ahead for good on a 14-0 run through the 2:54 mark of the second half to lead by 15. The 26-10 deficit was their largest to overcome since Dec. 7, 2019 (trailed Southern Illinois 24-7 before winning 72-69.
Hardy's Recognition
Tae Hardy exploded for 19 points (career-high in itself), five rebounds and five assists in the second half alone, helping him to earn C-USA Player of the Week honors. He has reached double-figure scoring in six of his last seven road games. Hardy is shooting 52.1 percent in wins and 35.0 in defeats, the largest disparity on the team.
New Weapon Keeps Growing
Justin Johnson, one of the team's more-heralded signees, has played his best over the recent stretch. Over his last five games, he is averaging 10.3 ppg on 24-for-41 shooting (58.5 percent) and 25.5 mpg. Johnson was averaging 3.0 points over 13.3 minutes per game going in. He played a season-high 32 minutes in the second North Texas game, and his last two starts mark his first lineup spot since Dec. 12.
Stevenson's New Feat
Tyler Stevenson led the way with 26 points and nine boards at FIU. His 29-point, 10-rebound in the second Rice game ranks as the second-highest scoring double-double in C-USA play, as well as Southern Miss' highest-scoring one since Gary Flowers on Feb. 19, 2011 against ECU. It's the highest-scoring, two-road-game stretch by a Golden Eagle since Kourtlin Jackson had 55 at WKU and Marshall (March 3-5, 2016).
Stevenson's Year as a Whole
Stevenson is leading the team with 14.9 ppg, a 52.2 percent clip from the field, 71 made free-throws (next is Hardy at 41), and rebounds (7.3 per game). He is one of two players to rank in the top-six for scoring, rebounding and field-goal percentage in league play. He and Hardy became the first Southern Miss teammates with 20-plus points in a game since Jan. 23, 2020 at UAB.
Last Meeting with FAU
Stevenson was also the hero when the two teams last met, a 68-66 win on Feb. 13, 2020 in Hattiesburg. He was fouled on an offensive rebound with four seconds left and proceeded to make each foul shot before the Owls' three-point attempt missed. FAU had scored eight-straight points to tie it with 2:20 left. Each team struggled from deep (USM 5-for-19, FAU 5-for-28), but the Golden Eagles won the rebounding battle, 41-32, for their third-straight win over the Owls.
About the Owls
COVID-19 has wreaked havoc on FAU's schedule, playing just one weekend of its last four. Its three C-USA wins came against FIU (twice) and Charlotte, all consecutively from Jan. 14-22. The Owls lead in C-USA play for rebounding margin (plus-9.63) while ranking third in scoring (75.3 ppg). This will be Southern Miss' first opponent that missed its previous week since facing UAB from Jan. 8-9.
From Deep
FIU entered last weekend as the national leader in three-point makes and attempts, but the Golden Eagles held it to 2-of-16 shooting in the second half. With the exception of the first half, Southern Miss has held its last three opponents to 15-for-61. In its last two wins, Southern Miss has made three treys in each, but that is also not in its repertoire, as it is attempting a league-low 14.0 per game in C-USA play.
Last Lap for the Seniors
Draine, who broke the school's single-season three-point record as a sophomore (46.4 percent) while being named C-USA's Sixth Man of the Year, ranks second in career treys (216) and No. 33 in scoring (1,104 points). Weatherspoon, the son of assistant coach and Southern Miss legend Clarence, has appeared in 45 games over his five-year career.
Players Mentioned
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