Southern Miss men’s basketball set to face Arkansas State in regular-season finale
The University of Southern Mississippi men’s basketball team will travel to Arkansas State on Tuesday for their final road game of the regular season. The game is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. in Jonesboro and will be streamed on ESPN+.
Southern Miss enters the game with a 15-14 overall record and an 8-8 mark in Sun Belt play. Arkansas State holds an 18-11 record and is 9-7 in conference. The Golden Eagles are coming off an 86-81 comeback win over Old Dominion, erasing an 18-point deficit in the fourth quarter, according to team notes.
Southern Miss coach Jay Ladner noted that this win was the fourth-largest comeback in program history. Tylik Weeks scored 32 points against Troy on Feb. 14, including 30 in the second half, making him the only Golden Eagle to score 30 points in a 20-minute half this season. Weeks also posted his first career double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds against Ole Miss.
Djahi Binet was named the Sun Belt Player of the Week on Feb. 10 after averaging 24 points and 11 rebounds in two games. He also became the first player in the conference this season with a 30-point, 15-rebound game, tallying 31 points and 15 boards at Marshall on Feb. 4. Binet helped Southern Miss to a 14-12 record in the MAC-SBC Challenge after beating Kent State 66-65 on Feb. 7.
Arkansas State, meanwhile, is riding a five-game winning streak, with their last loss in that stretch coming in overtime against South Alabama. The Red Wolves are led by Christian Harmon, who averages 13.1 points per game. The team ranks among the top in the Sun Belt in assists, rebound margin, and scoring offense, among other categories.
This will be the 35th meeting between the two programs. Arkansas State leads the series 17-17 overall and has an 11-4 advantage in Jonesboro. The Red Wolves have won the last four matchups, including a 93-86 victory earlier this season in Hattiesburg.
Southern Miss has a strong home record at Reed Green Coliseum, going 45-12 since the start of the 2022-23 season. The team is 7-0 in home openers under coach Ladner, with six of those wins by double digits. The Golden Eagles also have a history of successful performances on February 24, including clinching conference titles in recent years.
The team’s roster includes veteran players like Curt Lewis, one of the oldest players in Division I basketball, born May 19, 1999. Fans can follow updates on social media at @SouthernMissMBB.
Source: Original Article
