Troy edges Southern Miss in Sun Belt tournament semifinals

PELSACOLA, Fla. — Troy defeated Southern Miss 78-70 on Sunday night in the semifinals of the Sun Belt Conference men’s basketball tournament, ending the Golden Eagles’ postseason run. Troy’s win moves them to the conference final, while Southern Miss finishes with a 19-16 record, including a 9-9 mark in league play.

Southern Miss’s Isaac Taveras scored a career-high 32 points, marking his fifth 20-point game of the season. Taveras, along with Tylik Weeks, who added 15 points, led the Golden Eagles. Weeks finished the tournament with 106 points, the most in program history for a conference tournament.

Southern Miss started strong, with both teams hitting their first seven shots. The Golden Eagles led early, but Troy took control, closing the first half with a 41-28 lead. Troy shot 53.8% from the floor in the first half, while Southern Miss shot 36.7%. Taveras scored 15 points in the first half and added his 32nd point early in the second period.

The Golden Eagles trimmed Troy’s lead to 13 points at one stage but struggled with outside shooting, making just 1 of 9 three-pointers. Troy went nearly eight minutes without a field goal late in the game but maintained a comfortable lead. Southern Miss made a late push, with baskets from Dylan Brumfield and Djahi Binet, but Troy responded with free throws to seal the victory.

Southern Miss finished with season highs in offensive rebounds with 19 and had a 5-1 record at the Pensacola Bay Center this season. Despite the loss, the team achieved its best Sun Belt tournament showing since joining the league.

Source: Original Article