Golden Eagles coast to big win over Texas Southern

By By Austin Bishop / EMG regional sports director
Nov. 26, 2003
HATTIESBURG Southern Miss head basketball coach James Green had a hard time deciding whether to smile or frown during his team's 77-63 win over Texas Southern on Tuesday night.
The Golden Eagles used a 20-6 run in the last 10 minutes of the first half to roll to a 48-29 lead at the intermission, but performed sloppily in the second half and were never able to really put the visiting Tigers away in front of a sparse Reed Green Coliseum crowd of 2,664.
USM led by as many as 22 points in the second half, but allowed the Tigers to get back within 13 late in the game.
Texas Southern came into Tuesday night's game touted as the cream of the crop in the Southwestern Athletic Conference, but by halftime they looked a whole lot like a pre-conference patsy.
Three was definitely USM's favorite number as the 2-0 Golden Eagles fired up 16 three-point attempts in the first half alone, two more than they shot in the entire 79-67 season-opening win over Alcorn State four days earlier.
Southern Miss hit seven three-pointers in the first half, but missed all eight of their shots from behind the arc in the second half.
Jasper Johnson scored 10 points in a 20-6 run to close the first half that saw the Golden Eagles turn a five-point advantage into a commanding 48-29 lead at the intermission.
The 6-foot-8, 280-pound sophomore from Hollandale scored 17 of his 23 points on the night in the first half, finishing 10-of-15 from the floor, including a 3-for-6 night from behind the three-point arc.
Senior center Charles Gaines posted a double-double for the Golden Eagles, scoring 17 points on 7-of-12 shooting from the field and pulling down a game-high 14 rebounds.
Greg Johnson scored 10 points for USM, while Jason Forte and Clement Carter hit for nine each.
Sophomore guard Sean Walker led 0-2 TSU with 17 points, while Larry Evans added 13 and Damien Smith had 12.
The Golden Eagles enjoyed their two-game mini homestand to open the 2003-04 season, but will play five of their next seven games on the road.
The task begins on Saturday when USM pays a visit to Murray State, then travel to Rock Hill, S.C. the following weekend to take part in the Brothers Air/Heat Shootout hosted by Winthrop.