Memphis....-8'
I feel Memphis is a strong play tonight because of the contrasting styles of play that these two teams utilize....giving this thought a closer look , I considered earlier USM match-ups w/ S. Florida (74-54 Loss) W. Kentucky (74-50 Loss) and Ark.ST.(85-61 Loss)....
combine this w/ the Memphis win two weeks ago in Memphis (75-53)......and one thing sticks out....USM struggles when forced to play a full court, up and down pace of basketball.
S.Flor. averages 78 pts/g....W. Kent averages 78pts/g....Ark St. averages 80 pts/g...and last but not least MEMPHIS averages 82 pts/g..............After watching Memphis play ARK on tv this past week, I can't help but think Calipari's boys aren't going to turn up the heat in Hattiesburg tonight...bottom line, USM struggles playing teams that do exactly what Memphis does best. RUN!!
P.S.--I also like Seton Hall and Fairfield tonight.Good Luck guys...crib
Here's some reading for you boys as you look at this game:
January 6, 2002
Memphis rumbles past shorthanded USM
By Tim Doherty
Clarion-Ledger Staff Writer
MEMPHIS ? Southern Miss came into The Pyramid Saturday night without senior forward Elvin Mims, its leading scorer and rebounder.
Memphis saw its top two scorers, freshman guard Dajuan Wagner and senior forward Kelly Wise, combine for three baskets and 12 points.
But the Tigers were able to weather the lack of pop from their big guns much better than the Golden Eagles, who had trouble finding the basket early and then couldn't keep Memphis from owning it late.
USM hung around for most of the first half, and trailed by only six with 16 minutes, 22 seconds, left to play. But the bigger and broader Tigers wore down the Golden Eagles and muscled their way to a 75-53 victory in the Conference USA opener for both teams.
It was the first time Memphis, 10-5, had beaten USM, 4-5, since the 1999-98 season, and marked only the Tigers' second win in the past nine games with the Golden Eagles.
"For us to beat this team, a team that beat us twice last year good and prior to that had roughed up Memphis twice again, it was an important win," Memphis coach John Calipari said. "But you have to understand, they were undermanned. They made it a game because they're well-coached."
USM lost its third consecutive game and the second of a three-game road trip that will wrap up at South Florida Tuesday night.
Mims likely won't travel to Tampa, either. The 6-foot-5 senior, whose 18.0-point, 6.9-rebound averages top USM, did not make the trip to Memphis after being suspended "indefinitely" by USM coach James Green for what was termed an "on-court violation" of team rules. Green would not specify what had taken place, confirming only that it occurred during a practice sometime during the week before the team left Hattiesburg Friday for Memphis.
"Elvin Mims or no Elvin Mims, I don't worry about it," Green said.
USM opened the game by making just one of its first 17 shots, yet thanks to Clement Carter's nine first-half points and Memphis' own scoring woes, the Golden Eagles never trailed by more than seven points and actually took an 19-18 lead on a Carter basket.
But the Tigers ended the first half on a 11-2 run, and then after USM had closed to 36-30 on a Mario Myles bucket, Memphis went on a 16-2 run for a 52-32 lead.
USM hit a nine-minute stretch where it scored just five points. By then, Memphis led 62-35. The Golden Eagles' 15 baskets set a Pyramid record for fewest in a game as USM wound up shooting a season-low 25.4 percent.
"Elvin's a great scorer, but what does he average? Eighteen points?" said Carter, who finished with 14 points. "Add that to our score and we still lose."
Reserve forward Chris Massie came off the bench for 15 points and 13 rebounds to lead Memphis. Center Earl Barron and guard Scooter McFadgon each added 10.
Myles had 13 points for USM, while Brad Richardson added 11.
JANUARY 16, 2002: Lackluster Golden Eagles soaked by Wave 70-61
Date Opponent Location Time/Score
Nov. 7 Global Sports (exh.) Hattiesburg L, 77-78
Nov. 14 Spirit Express (exh.) Hattiesburg W, 87-65
Nov. 17 Jackson St Hattiesburg W, 83-58
Nov. 23 West Virginia Albuquerque, N.M. L, 59-66
Nov. 24 Pacific Albuquerque, N.M. L, 50-65
Nov. 27 Alcorn St. Hattiesburg W, 66-60
Dec. 1 Arkansas St. Jonesboro, Ark. L, 61-85
Dec. 5 South Alabama Mobile, Ala. W, 76-66
Dec. 15 Morris Brown Hattiesburg W, 73-47
Dec. 18 Millsaps Hattiesburg W, 64-51
Dec. 22 Western Kentucky Hattiesburg L, 50-74
Dec. 29 Auburn Auburn, Ala L, 64-55
Jan. 5 Memphis Memphis, Tenn. 7 p.m.
Jan. 8 South Florida Tampa, Fla. L, 74-54
Jan. 12 UAB (ESPN Plus) Hattiesburg W, 50-36
Jan. 15 Tulane Hattiesburg L, 70-61
January 18, 2002
USM focused on Memphis, but empty seats worrisome
By Tim Doherty
Clarion-Ledger Staff Writer
HATTIESBURG ? When Southern Miss and Memphis first met less than two weeks ago, more than 13,500 people took in the Conference USA basketball game at The Pyramid in Memphis.
Tonight when the two teams meet in a nationally televised (ESPN, 8 p.m.) rematch here, the crowd at Green Coliseum likely won't be more than a quarter of that figure.
Times are tough for USM basketball these days ? not only on the court but at the turnstiles as well.
The Golden Eagles, 6-8, 1-3, have lost five of their last six games, including a 70-61 decision to Tulane Tuesday.
That game drew an announced crowd of 3,057, though 8,095-seat Green Coliseum was nowhere near half full. In fact, the actual attendance appeared closer to about half the announced figure, somewhere between 1,600 and 2,000 people.
Through seven home games, the average crowd has been 3,034; the largest, 4,032.
"I don't understand it," said Paige Howell of McComb, a USM alumnus who has been attending games on campus since he was a boy. "The thing is, most of the people that sit around me are basically from the McComb or Jackson areas.
"What frustrates me is that you would think you ought to be able to draw 4,000 or 5,000 from the metro Hattiesburg area, say within a 25-mile radius. It doesn't make sense."
Attendance at USM has been a declining issue since the heydays of the "Fab Four" in the late 1980s and the Clarence Weatherspoon-Darrin Chancellor NCAA teams in 1990 and 1991.
Since 1992-93, USM's average home attendance has topped 4,500 only once. In the six seasons since James Green assumed the coaching reins from M.K. Turk, the season average has topped 4,000 only once.
Twice, Green's teams have posted 22-win seasons and earned bids to the National Invitation Tournament. The average attendance in those years were 3,936 in 1997-98 and 3,879 last season.
"Our people must support the program, be basketball fans," USM athletic director Richard Giannini said. "I'd really be upset if our guys were just laying down or we didn't have quality student-athletes. But we do. They're giving it 110 percent."
USM is not the only C-USA program that is playing to half-empty arenas.
South Florida, 12-4, has had one sellout this season at the 10,444-seat Sun Dome, and has averaged about 4,000 for its last five home games.
UAB, 8-9, has drawn a crowd of 6,000 or more to 8,500-seat Bartow Arena once in nine games, with an average crowd of 4,034.
Tulane's average crowd is skewed because it plays most of its home schedule at 3,600-seat Fogelman Arena. But the Green Wave drew only 3,859 to 17,500-seat New Orleans Arena for a December home game with Mississippi State.
But the more immediate challenge facing the Golden Eagles tonight will be how to handle a Memphis team that whipped USM 75-53 in the first go-round.
USM slowed Memphis' top scorers, guard Dajuan Wagner and forward Kelly Wise, limiting them to a combined 12 points.
But forward Chris Massie (15 points, 13 rebounds) and center Earl Barron (10 points, four rebounds) led a an inside game that decimated the Golden Eagles. Memphis out-rebounded USM 47-41, with 21 rebounds coming on the offensive end.
I feel Memphis is a strong play tonight because of the contrasting styles of play that these two teams utilize....giving this thought a closer look , I considered earlier USM match-ups w/ S. Florida (74-54 Loss) W. Kentucky (74-50 Loss) and Ark.ST.(85-61 Loss)....
combine this w/ the Memphis win two weeks ago in Memphis (75-53)......and one thing sticks out....USM struggles when forced to play a full court, up and down pace of basketball.
S.Flor. averages 78 pts/g....W. Kent averages 78pts/g....Ark St. averages 80 pts/g...and last but not least MEMPHIS averages 82 pts/g..............After watching Memphis play ARK on tv this past week, I can't help but think Calipari's boys aren't going to turn up the heat in Hattiesburg tonight...bottom line, USM struggles playing teams that do exactly what Memphis does best. RUN!!
P.S.--I also like Seton Hall and Fairfield tonight.Good Luck guys...crib
Here's some reading for you boys as you look at this game:
January 6, 2002
Memphis rumbles past shorthanded USM
By Tim Doherty
Clarion-Ledger Staff Writer
MEMPHIS ? Southern Miss came into The Pyramid Saturday night without senior forward Elvin Mims, its leading scorer and rebounder.
Memphis saw its top two scorers, freshman guard Dajuan Wagner and senior forward Kelly Wise, combine for three baskets and 12 points.
But the Tigers were able to weather the lack of pop from their big guns much better than the Golden Eagles, who had trouble finding the basket early and then couldn't keep Memphis from owning it late.
USM hung around for most of the first half, and trailed by only six with 16 minutes, 22 seconds, left to play. But the bigger and broader Tigers wore down the Golden Eagles and muscled their way to a 75-53 victory in the Conference USA opener for both teams.
It was the first time Memphis, 10-5, had beaten USM, 4-5, since the 1999-98 season, and marked only the Tigers' second win in the past nine games with the Golden Eagles.
"For us to beat this team, a team that beat us twice last year good and prior to that had roughed up Memphis twice again, it was an important win," Memphis coach John Calipari said. "But you have to understand, they were undermanned. They made it a game because they're well-coached."
USM lost its third consecutive game and the second of a three-game road trip that will wrap up at South Florida Tuesday night.
Mims likely won't travel to Tampa, either. The 6-foot-5 senior, whose 18.0-point, 6.9-rebound averages top USM, did not make the trip to Memphis after being suspended "indefinitely" by USM coach James Green for what was termed an "on-court violation" of team rules. Green would not specify what had taken place, confirming only that it occurred during a practice sometime during the week before the team left Hattiesburg Friday for Memphis.
"Elvin Mims or no Elvin Mims, I don't worry about it," Green said.
USM opened the game by making just one of its first 17 shots, yet thanks to Clement Carter's nine first-half points and Memphis' own scoring woes, the Golden Eagles never trailed by more than seven points and actually took an 19-18 lead on a Carter basket.
But the Tigers ended the first half on a 11-2 run, and then after USM had closed to 36-30 on a Mario Myles bucket, Memphis went on a 16-2 run for a 52-32 lead.
USM hit a nine-minute stretch where it scored just five points. By then, Memphis led 62-35. The Golden Eagles' 15 baskets set a Pyramid record for fewest in a game as USM wound up shooting a season-low 25.4 percent.
"Elvin's a great scorer, but what does he average? Eighteen points?" said Carter, who finished with 14 points. "Add that to our score and we still lose."
Reserve forward Chris Massie came off the bench for 15 points and 13 rebounds to lead Memphis. Center Earl Barron and guard Scooter McFadgon each added 10.
Myles had 13 points for USM, while Brad Richardson added 11.
JANUARY 16, 2002: Lackluster Golden Eagles soaked by Wave 70-61
Date Opponent Location Time/Score
Nov. 7 Global Sports (exh.) Hattiesburg L, 77-78
Nov. 14 Spirit Express (exh.) Hattiesburg W, 87-65
Nov. 17 Jackson St Hattiesburg W, 83-58
Nov. 23 West Virginia Albuquerque, N.M. L, 59-66
Nov. 24 Pacific Albuquerque, N.M. L, 50-65
Nov. 27 Alcorn St. Hattiesburg W, 66-60
Dec. 1 Arkansas St. Jonesboro, Ark. L, 61-85
Dec. 5 South Alabama Mobile, Ala. W, 76-66
Dec. 15 Morris Brown Hattiesburg W, 73-47
Dec. 18 Millsaps Hattiesburg W, 64-51
Dec. 22 Western Kentucky Hattiesburg L, 50-74
Dec. 29 Auburn Auburn, Ala L, 64-55
Jan. 5 Memphis Memphis, Tenn. 7 p.m.
Jan. 8 South Florida Tampa, Fla. L, 74-54
Jan. 12 UAB (ESPN Plus) Hattiesburg W, 50-36
Jan. 15 Tulane Hattiesburg L, 70-61
January 18, 2002
USM focused on Memphis, but empty seats worrisome
By Tim Doherty
Clarion-Ledger Staff Writer
HATTIESBURG ? When Southern Miss and Memphis first met less than two weeks ago, more than 13,500 people took in the Conference USA basketball game at The Pyramid in Memphis.
Tonight when the two teams meet in a nationally televised (ESPN, 8 p.m.) rematch here, the crowd at Green Coliseum likely won't be more than a quarter of that figure.
Times are tough for USM basketball these days ? not only on the court but at the turnstiles as well.
The Golden Eagles, 6-8, 1-3, have lost five of their last six games, including a 70-61 decision to Tulane Tuesday.
That game drew an announced crowd of 3,057, though 8,095-seat Green Coliseum was nowhere near half full. In fact, the actual attendance appeared closer to about half the announced figure, somewhere between 1,600 and 2,000 people.
Through seven home games, the average crowd has been 3,034; the largest, 4,032.
"I don't understand it," said Paige Howell of McComb, a USM alumnus who has been attending games on campus since he was a boy. "The thing is, most of the people that sit around me are basically from the McComb or Jackson areas.
"What frustrates me is that you would think you ought to be able to draw 4,000 or 5,000 from the metro Hattiesburg area, say within a 25-mile radius. It doesn't make sense."
Attendance at USM has been a declining issue since the heydays of the "Fab Four" in the late 1980s and the Clarence Weatherspoon-Darrin Chancellor NCAA teams in 1990 and 1991.
Since 1992-93, USM's average home attendance has topped 4,500 only once. In the six seasons since James Green assumed the coaching reins from M.K. Turk, the season average has topped 4,000 only once.
Twice, Green's teams have posted 22-win seasons and earned bids to the National Invitation Tournament. The average attendance in those years were 3,936 in 1997-98 and 3,879 last season.
"Our people must support the program, be basketball fans," USM athletic director Richard Giannini said. "I'd really be upset if our guys were just laying down or we didn't have quality student-athletes. But we do. They're giving it 110 percent."
USM is not the only C-USA program that is playing to half-empty arenas.
South Florida, 12-4, has had one sellout this season at the 10,444-seat Sun Dome, and has averaged about 4,000 for its last five home games.
UAB, 8-9, has drawn a crowd of 6,000 or more to 8,500-seat Bartow Arena once in nine games, with an average crowd of 4,034.
Tulane's average crowd is skewed because it plays most of its home schedule at 3,600-seat Fogelman Arena. But the Green Wave drew only 3,859 to 17,500-seat New Orleans Arena for a December home game with Mississippi State.
But the more immediate challenge facing the Golden Eagles tonight will be how to handle a Memphis team that whipped USM 75-53 in the first go-round.
USM slowed Memphis' top scorers, guard Dajuan Wagner and forward Kelly Wise, limiting them to a combined 12 points.
But forward Chris Massie (15 points, 13 rebounds) and center Earl Barron (10 points, four rebounds) led a an inside game that decimated the Golden Eagles. Memphis out-rebounded USM 47-41, with 21 rebounds coming on the offensive end.
