Southern Miss Set to Tangle With UTEP in El Paso

EL PASO, Texas -- After a milestone win Thursday night against UTSA, the Southern Miss men's basketball continues its westward journey to El Paso, Texas to take on UTEP. The Golden Eagles and Miners will meet on Saturday night at the Don Haskins Center. Tip is scheduled for 8 p.m. CST.

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The Need to Know
- The Golden Eagles are coming off a 74-73 win at UTSA on Thursday night. It was the programs first win inside the Convocation Center and its first win since beating UC San Diego on Nov. 25.
- Freshman Jaron Pierre, Jr. has gone for at least 20 points in each of his last two games, including a 20-point output on Thursday.
- Junior Tyler Stevenson's 8.2 rebounds per game ranks third in the conference and he added to that total against UTSA, pulling down six.
- Freshman Rashad Bolden has scored in double figures in his last three games. Against UTSA, he finished with 17 points.
- The Golden Eagles shot at least 49 percent from the floor for the third time this season on Thursday and it was the second time in consecutive games.
- Head coach Jay Ladner is two wins away from reaching 100 for his career.
- In the second game against UTEP last season, Pierre and Stevenson went for 15 and 10 points, respectively. DeAndre Pinckney pulled down a team-best eight rebounds.
- Sophomore Walyn Napper's 57 total assists rank him sixth in the conference.
- The Golden Eagles have won in El Paso since 2014, although that win was vacated. UTEP has won 14 of the 16 games played in El Paso, including the last five.
- The all-time series is tied at 17-all. The Golden Eagles beat the Miners last season before falling in the second game of a back-to-back.

Scouting the Miners
- UTEP has used 12 different starting combinations in 14 games this season.
- The Miners are led by Souley Boum who is averaging 18.7 points per game.
- Against LA Tech on Thursday night, Jamal Bieniemy dropped 28 points to up his average to 13.8 points per game. Bienemy had a game-high 20 points against the Golden Eagles last season.
- UTEP has kept nine of its last 11 opponents to at least five points below their scoring average. The Miners kept LA Tech to 16 points under its scoring average on Thursday night.
- The Miners are averaging 10.2 offensive rebounds per game, led by Tydus Verhoeven's 1.9 offensive boards per game.
- The Miners have been backed by their bench for much of the season and have outscored the opponent's bench 10 times this season.
- UTEP has forced at least 16 turnovers eight times this season and own the second-best turnover margin in the conference.
- Miner freshman Kevn Kalu earned CUSA Freshman of the Week honors prior to Golden Eagle freshman Rashad Bolden earning the honor the following week.
- Joe Golding is in his first season at the helm of UTEP.

The Road Ahead
- Southern Miss will hit the road on Thursday to play CUSA rival LA Tech in Ruston.
- The Golden Eagles return home on Sunday, Jan. 16 to host the Bulldogs.

Southern Miss Set to Tangle With UTEP in El Paso

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Players Mentioned

Rashad Bolden

Walyn Napper

Jaron Pierre, Jr.

DeAndre Pinckney

Tyler Stevenson