MBB: Harris Scores Double-Double in Loss at South Dakota State

Wednesday, November 20

Brookings, SD

7 PM

Southern Miss

2-2,0-0Sun Belt

101

South Dakota State

4-1,0-0Summit League

Southern Miss.

South Dakota St.

101

MBB: Harris Scores Double-Double in Loss at South Dakota State

11/20/2024 10:07:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Game Book Postgame Notes

BROOKINGS, S.D. – On a blistering cold night in Brookings, Southern Miss men's basketball (2-2, 0-0 Sun Belt) fell 101-76 to South Dakota State (4-1, 0-0 Summit) at First Bank & Trust Arena.

The story of the game was the Jackrabbits' quick start shooting the ball as they opened the game 11-for-14 from the floor. That included a 10-0 run to open the game and another 7-0 run to make it 17-1 five minutes into the game.

Southern Miss failed to control the efficient scoring hand from the Jackrabbits and saw the deficit continue to balloon. The slow start from the Golden Eagles saw the road team reach double-digit points at the 10-minute mark in the first half.

Neftali Alvarez, who led the Golden Eagles in scoring, tried to put them back into the game with 13 first half points. Christian Watson aided Alvarez in the scoring department with seven points in the first half before finishing with 12.

South Dakota State shot 67.6 percent from the floor over the first 20 minutes compared to Southern Miss' 30.7 percent. The Golden Eagles bumped that to a 38.5 percent clip in the second half but never had an answer for South Dakota State.

The Jackrabbits pulled ahead by 32 in the second half as Jay Ladner used the moment to extent the benches minutes. All three freshmen played almost eight minutes and all three found the scoring column. Jett Montgomery knocked down two three-pointers, while Christian Reid and Brewer Carruth finished with six and five points, respectively.

Denijay Harris picked up his second double-double of the season as the graduate transfer finished with 11 points and 12 rebounds. Alfred Worrell Jr. added nine points off the bench that was part of Southern Miss' 31 bench points.

Andre Curbelo nabbed a career-high six steals to tie Austin Crowley for the most by a player during Ladner's Southern Miss tenure. Curbelo also had eight points and four assists. Southern Miss set a new season high in steals (13) and offensive rebounds (13), but South Dakota State outrebounded the Golden Eagles, 50-32.

Southern Miss will head to Bozeman, Mont. early Thursday morning as it will play in the Basketball Travelers Invitational. The Golden Eagles open the multi-team event against Montana State on Sunday night, then play Abilene Christian on Monday to close the seven-day road trip.

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