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| INSIDE THE NUMBERS |
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2000-01 record: 10-17;
4-12 in C-USA (7th/National)
Postseason: None. Last NCAA appearance was in 1991.
RETURNING LEADERS
Points: Carter 10.0
Rebs: Carter 7.8
Assists: Stiggers 3.3
FG: Lambert 46.7%
3pt: Carter 30.0%
FT: Carter 72.5%
01-02 Stats:
So. Mississippi | C-USA
KEY LOSSES
Elvin Mims | 18.9 ppg
Brad Richardson | 8.6 ppg
Bernard Duncan | 4.6 ppg
PROJECTED STARTERS
G | Dante Stiggers | Soph
G | Mario Myles | Senior
C | Ben Lambert | Senior
F | Charles Gaines | Junior
F | Clement Carter | Junior
Player to Watch
Clement Carter
Junior Forward
The closest thing to a go-to player to start the season, he did score in double digits in 11 games last season.
DATE TO REMEMBER
Southern Miss visits Western Kentucky. A 24-point home loss to the Hilltoppers started the tailspin last year, as the Eagles lost 12 of their next 14. Maybe this time they start a streak in the other direction.
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SO. MISS GOLDEN EAGLES
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James Green went from 2001 C-USA Coach of the Cear to 2002 punching bag, taking jabs for the Golden Eagles' swift fall from 22-9 to 10-17. Problem is, this season doesn't hold a whole lot of potential for being better. Four players return who averaged 23 minutes or more, but none appear to have star potential. Leading scorer and rebounder Elvin Mims has departed, as have the two other most productive three-point shooters in Brad Richardson and Pete Meneses. Green has gone to the junior-college ranks to get some size, bringing in 6-9 Ben Lambert last year to start at center, and adding 6-11 Geoffrey Brown this year. Charles Gaines, a transfer from Southwest Missouri, should help immediately at forward. Clement Carter is the returning leader in scoring (10) and rebounding (5.3). Green's teams have always been tough defensively, but scoring points became a serious problem last year. Hard to believe, but Southern Miss went 17 straight games last year without scoring more than 66 points. The Eagles were 13th in the conference in scoring at 61.2 per game.
TOUGH ENOUGH..............................
Defense will keep Southern Miss in games. Half of the Eagles' 12 league losses last year were by single digits, so if they can find a way to win at the end that could turn around at least a little bit. Dante Stiggers is a solid ball-handler at point.
TOUGH ENOUGH?..............................
Southern Miss shot just 40.6 percent overall and 30.6 percent from three-point range. Both percentages ranked 13th in the league. Making things worse, the Eagles were last in C-USA in three-point defense, allowing 38 percent accuracy. There is precious little firepower here.
BOTTOM LINE..............................
There's some heat building under Green. That seems a bit premature given the fact that he's had two 22-win seasons at a place that is in a bit over its head in C-USA in terms of facilities, fan interest and commitment to the program. But unless an unforeseen turnaround takes place, that heat will probably intensify after this year.
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