Southern Miss Set to Open CUSA Play at UTSA Thursday

HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- The Southern Miss (4-8, 0-0 CUSA) men's basketball team makes its return to the hardwood for the first time in 16 days when it travels to UTSA (7-7, 0-1 CUSA) for a Thursday night tilt at the Convocation Center in San Antonio, Texas. Tip in San Antonio is slated for 7 p.m.

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The Need to Know
- The Golden Eagles are making their first appearance in a game setting since Dec. 21 after falling by one point in a Tuesday morning thriller at East Carolina. Southern Miss then went on a brief holiday break before returning to originally play Western Kentucky and Marshall in Conference USA play, however, both were postponed due to COVID protocols.
- Forward Isaih Moore leads the healthy Golden Eagles in the scoring column at 12.2 points per game and is averaging 6.8 boards per game.
- Tyler Stevenson leads the Black and Gold at 8.4 rebounds per game and is 69 points away from becoming the 16^th player in program history to reach 1,000 points and 500 rebounds.
- Stevenson's 7.1 defensive rebounds per game leads the conference and is 16^th nationally.
- Freshman Jaron Pierre, Jr. enters Thursday's matchup after scoring a season-best 20 points at ECU and is averaging 8.6 points per game. The New Orleans, La. native has scored 37 points over his last three games after scoring eight in his previous three games.
- Fellow freshman Rashad Bolden is coming into form as the Jackson, Miss. native has scored 15.5 points over his last two appearances.
- Walyn Napper's 1.89 assist/turnover ratio is sixth in the conference.
- Against ECU, Southern Miss dished out a season-best 22 assists.
- The all-time series is tied at 7-all. The home team has won every game in the series.
- The Roadrunners have won the last three meetings, including both last season.

Scouting the Roadrunners
- UTSA averages 69.7 points per game and pulls down 40.9 rebounds per game.
- The Roadrunners a -re the top defensive rebounding team in the conference and the fourth-best nationally.
- Dhiue Deing, a six-foot-five guard, leads the team in scoring at 15.3 points per game, but did not play in UTSA's 101-48 win over Dallas Christian on Monday night. His scoring output is the sixth-best in Conference USA.
- Deing and Southern Miss' Walyn Napper were teammates at Dodge City CC last season.
- Senior Cedrick Alley Jr. is leading the team at 7.2 rebounds per game.
- UTSA ranks third nationally in offensive rebounds with 15.1 per game and is tops in Conference USA.
- The Roadrunners are 6-3 at home.
- UTSA won 10 of its last 13 games last season.
- UTSA lost its Conference USA opener at UAB last Saturday, 87-59.

The Road Ahead
- The Golden Eagles will travel to UTEP on Friday morning for a Saturday night matchup.
- Southern Miss stays on the road as it travels to Ruston for a Thursday night game against LA Tech.

Southern Miss Set to Open CUSA Play at UTSA Thursday

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Players Mentioned

Rashad Bolden

Isaih Moore

Walyn Napper

Jaron Pierre, Jr.

Tyler Stevenson