USM blasts Memphis
By By Stan Caldwell / EMG Sports Writer
Jan. 12, 2003
Golden Eagles grab 84-67 victory
HATTIESBURG It is no big secret that the University of Southern Mississippi men have had a tough time getting respect in college basketball circles.
But that may change after the Golden Eagles thoroughly trashed the University of Memphis 84-67 Saturday in a Conference USA game at Reed Green Coliseum.
A boisterous crowd estimated at around 4,500 saw the Golden Eagles remain undefeated in C-USA play at 2-0, 9-4 overall, while Memphis dropped to 10-3 and 1-1.
USM was a 3-point underdog coming into the game, but the Eagles sure didn't play like it. The Golden Eagles hung with the Tigers through most of the first half, then played a scintillating second half to win going away.
The Golden Eagles showed right from the beginning that they weren't the least bit intimidated by Memphis and its glossy reputation.
The two teams played a highly-competitive first half that saw 11 lead changes and seven ties, and USM did it with leading scorer Charles Gaines on the bench after picking up two quick fouls in the first three minutes of play.
Still, it looked like the Tigers had seized command of the game late in the first half, using an 8-0 run over the final 3:54 of the period to forge a 35-29 halftime lead.
Memphis converted five of it last six shots from the field in the half, four by guard Billy Richmond, while USM had three missed shots and a turnover in its last four possessions of the period.
The Tigers took their biggest lead, at 39-31, on a lay-up by Richmond with 18:44 to play in the game, but from that point on, it was all USM.
Greg Johnson got the Eagles going with a jump hook in the lane and a pair of free throws, then Jasper Johnson swished a 3-point shot from the left baseline, then added another pair of free throws to tie the game. Greg Johnson put in a 15-footer to give the Eagles the lead again, 42-40 at 16:12 to play.
Earl Barron hit a jump shot to tie the game one last time, but Jasper Johnson nailed another trey from the right baseline to put USM ahead for good, as the Eagles ripped off separate runs of 18-3 and 14-3.
And if the Golden Eagles can play any better than they did in the second half Saturday, they may well be a force to be reckoned with in C-USA.
In the second half, USM hit 18 of 32 shots from the field (56.3 percent), hit 3 of 5 shots from 3-point range, converted 16 of 18 free throws and outrebounded the Tigers 25-14. In all, the Golden Eagles outscored Memphis 55-32 in the second half.
To be fair, the Tigers contributed mightily to their own demise. Memphis was 0 for 12 from 3-point range in the second half, and was atrocious the entire game from the line, converting 4 of 12 free throws in the second half, and just 7 of 21 for the game.
The Golden Eagles did a splendid job against Memphis center Chris Massie, who leads the Tigers with 19 points a game. Massie did reach his average, scoring 19 to lead the Tigers, but he was a relative non-factor for most of the game.
Jasper Johnson had 17 points for USM, David Haywood added 13 points and Gaines scored 12 points, including 10 in the second half. Richmond added 17 points for Memphis, and Antonio Burks scored 13 points.
The Golden Eagles will take their new-found confidence on the road for a pair of C-USA games next week. USM faces South Florida on Tuesday at Tampa, Fla., then travels to UAB on Saturday. The next home game for the Eagles will be Jan. 25 against Houston in a 2 p.m. tipoff at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum in Biloxi.
