Saturday, January 20
Hattiesburg, Miss.
2:30 PM
Southern Miss
11-8,5-2Sun Belt
64
vs
63
Troy
11-8,5-2Sun Belt
1
2
F
Troy
34
29
63
Southern Miss.
33
31
64
Photo by: Joe Harper/bgnphoto.com
Southern Miss Stuns Troy in 18-Point Comeback Win
1/20/2024 6:06:00 PM | Men's Basketball
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Victor Iwuakor played hero on Saturday afternoon as the Nigerian made a layup with 2.9 seconds left to give Southern Miss (11-8, 5-2 Sun Belt) a 64-63 win over Troy (11-8, 5-2 Sun Belt). The Golden Eagles stormed back from down as many as 18 at Reed Green Coliseum to remain unbeaten at home in Sun Belt play.
The Golden Eagles took a 4-2 lead early in the ballgame after Donovan Ivory took advantage of a pair of free throws, but the Trojans answered with a Theo Send triple that sparked a 6-0 run and put them up six. Jeffery Armstrong tied the game with his second three-pointer of the game, though it didn't last long as Troy answered with a flurry of points to go ahead by eight.
Troy's lead in the first half reached nine but hovered around five for a majority of the first 20 minutes. With 6:34 left in the half, Cobie Montgomery nailed a three-pointer that started a 6-0 run for Southern Miss and got it within two. Donovan Ivory then answered a Trojan basket with a clutch three-pointer to make it 34-33 right before the half.
Southern Miss' run in the second half started with an Ivory three-pointer and followed with another jumper from the senior. Montgomery added another three-pointer to get within 11. Christyon Eugene, who had 19 points for Troy, hit two free throws during the stretch put the Trojans back ahead by 13. The Golden Eagles laid the hammer down on a 9-0 run that got the Coliseum faithful rocking and trailed 58-54 with 8:45 on the clock.
Troy answered a pair of Golden Eagles baskets to keep its six-point lead, but Mo Arnold nailed a huge three-pointer that stopped the Trojans' momentum. Iwuakor followed with a free throw to get within two, but the Trojans answered once again. Luckily for Southern Miss, Troy ran out of answers after Eugene made a freebie with 1:55 to play.
The final sequence of the game started with a Crowley jumper in the lane that put Southern Miss down one with 1:32 left. Southern Miss then forced a shotclock violation and Ivory grabbed a rebound on the ensuing possession that gave Southern Miss 17 seconds to work with. That's when Crowley found Iwuakor for the game-winner.
Iwuakor finished the game with 11 points, eight rebounds and three blocks. The 6-foot-8 forward has swatted 20 shots in his last six games. Crowley's assist on the final basket was his fifth of the game as the West Point native also added 11 points and two rebounds.
Ivory led the offensive charge with 20 points on 7-of-13 shooting from the floor. Montgomery went 3-for-4 from deep and finished with 13 points. As a team, Southern Miss shot 23-for-51 from the floor and 10-for-21 from deep. The Golden Eagles held Troy to 63 points seven days after the Trojans put up 82 on them.
Southern Miss' win was the 13th at home since joining the Sun Belt and it has still yet to lose a home conference game. The Golden Eagles now hit the road for a four-game swing at Coastal Carolina, Marshall, Arkansas State and Texas State. The trip starts on Wednesday night in Conway, S.C. against the Chanticleers. Tip-off from the HTC Center is scheduled for 6 p.m. CST on ESPN+.
Follow @SouthernMissMBB on Facebook, Instagram and X for updates. Season tickets are available for the 2023-24 season -- Fans can purchase tickets at SouthernMissTickets.com, by calling 1-800-844-TICK (8425) or visit the Pat Ferlise Ticket Office on campus weekdays during normal business hours.
Game Notes
- After his three blocks today, Victor Iwuakor now has 20 in his last six games
- The 18-point comeback-win marks the third largest in program history and the biggest at Reed Green Coliseum
- Cobie Montgomery tied his career high in made three-pointers with three
- Austin Crowley dished out at least five assists for the fourth time this season
Iwuakor's basket sealed the third-largest comeback win in Southern Miss history and the biggest since it trailed by 19 at SMU in 2013. It was also the largest comeback victory at home in program history. The Golden Eagles faced an 18-point deficit with just under 14 minutes to play after Troy exploded for a 22-3 early in the second half.𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗣𝗟𝗔𝗬 ‼️@solid_2500 | #SMTTT pic.twitter.com/RUulxvpUJs
— Southern Miss MBB (@SouthernMissMBB) January 20, 2024
The Golden Eagles took a 4-2 lead early in the ballgame after Donovan Ivory took advantage of a pair of free throws, but the Trojans answered with a Theo Send triple that sparked a 6-0 run and put them up six. Jeffery Armstrong tied the game with his second three-pointer of the game, though it didn't last long as Troy answered with a flurry of points to go ahead by eight.
Troy's lead in the first half reached nine but hovered around five for a majority of the first 20 minutes. With 6:34 left in the half, Cobie Montgomery nailed a three-pointer that started a 6-0 run for Southern Miss and got it within two. Donovan Ivory then answered a Trojan basket with a clutch three-pointer to make it 34-33 right before the half.
Southern Miss' run in the second half started with an Ivory three-pointer and followed with another jumper from the senior. Montgomery added another three-pointer to get within 11. Christyon Eugene, who had 19 points for Troy, hit two free throws during the stretch put the Trojans back ahead by 13. The Golden Eagles laid the hammer down on a 9-0 run that got the Coliseum faithful rocking and trailed 58-54 with 8:45 on the clock.
Troy answered a pair of Golden Eagles baskets to keep its six-point lead, but Mo Arnold nailed a huge three-pointer that stopped the Trojans' momentum. Iwuakor followed with a free throw to get within two, but the Trojans answered once again. Luckily for Southern Miss, Troy ran out of answers after Eugene made a freebie with 1:55 to play.
The final sequence of the game started with a Crowley jumper in the lane that put Southern Miss down one with 1:32 left. Southern Miss then forced a shotclock violation and Ivory grabbed a rebound on the ensuing possession that gave Southern Miss 17 seconds to work with. That's when Crowley found Iwuakor for the game-winner.
Iwuakor finished the game with 11 points, eight rebounds and three blocks. The 6-foot-8 forward has swatted 20 shots in his last six games. Crowley's assist on the final basket was his fifth of the game as the West Point native also added 11 points and two rebounds.
Ivory led the offensive charge with 20 points on 7-of-13 shooting from the floor. Montgomery went 3-for-4 from deep and finished with 13 points. As a team, Southern Miss shot 23-for-51 from the floor and 10-for-21 from deep. The Golden Eagles held Troy to 63 points seven days after the Trojans put up 82 on them.
Southern Miss' win was the 13th at home since joining the Sun Belt and it has still yet to lose a home conference game. The Golden Eagles now hit the road for a four-game swing at Coastal Carolina, Marshall, Arkansas State and Texas State. The trip starts on Wednesday night in Conway, S.C. against the Chanticleers. Tip-off from the HTC Center is scheduled for 6 p.m. CST on ESPN+.
Follow @SouthernMissMBB on Facebook, Instagram and X for updates. Season tickets are available for the 2023-24 season -- Fans can purchase tickets at SouthernMissTickets.com, by calling 1-800-844-TICK (8425) or visit the Pat Ferlise Ticket Office on campus weekdays during normal business hours.
Game Notes
- After his three blocks today, Victor Iwuakor now has 20 in his last six games
- The 18-point comeback-win marks the third largest in program history and the biggest at Reed Green Coliseum
- Cobie Montgomery tied his career high in made three-pointers with three
- Austin Crowley dished out at least five assists for the fourth time this season
Team Stats
TROY
USM
FG%
.415
.451
3FG%
.476
.476
FT%
.692
.615
RB
32
33
TO
12
14
STL
12
6
Game Leaders
Pts
20
FGM
7
3FGM
3
FTM
3
Pts
13
FGM
5
3FGM
3
FTM
0
Pts
11
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
4
Pts
11
FGM
5
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's BasketballG
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