2010-11 College Basketball Season Preview: Southern Miss

Written by Paul Banks of the Washington Times, David Kay and Peter Christian of the The Sports Bank. Send Paul an e-mail here: paulb05 AT hotmail DOT com.
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MISSING
Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles (Last Year: 20-14, 8-8 in C-USA)



2010-11 Projected Depth Chart:


F/C: Torye Pelham (Sr)/Josimar Ayarza (Sr)

F: Gary Flowers (Sr)/Ahyaro Phillips (Jr)

G/F: Sai’Quon Stone (Sr)/Maurice Bolden (Jr)

G: R.L. Horton (Sr)/D.J. Newbill (Fr)/Trency Jackson (Fr)/Cedric Jenkins (Fr)

PG: Angelo Johnson (Jr)/Kody Williams (Fr)/Lashay Page (So)

Gone: SG-Buchi Awaje, PF-Andre Stephens, C-Gustavo Lino, PG-Kenneth Ortiz (transfer-Wagner)



2010-11 Outlook:
After Memphis, Conference USA is pretty wide open. Southern Mississippi has an experienced group returning and could be poised to make their first NCAA Tournament in 20 years.

The Golden Eagles return their top six scorers, and seven of their eight rotation guys. Leading that group is former JUCO transfer Gary Flowers who had a huge impact in his first season at Southern Miss. Flowers averaged 15 points and 8.3 rebounds per game, and is a Conference USA Player of the Year candidate. USC transfer Angelo Johnson was also impressive in his first season with the Golden Eagles and will be back to run the point.

Larry Eustachy has options around Flowers and Johnson. R.L. Horton and Sai’Quon Stone figure to start at the two and three with 6-10 wing Maurice Bolden seeing plenty of playing time off the bench. Torye Pelham and Josimar Ayarza will compete for minutes alongside Flowers inside. All seven of those players were a part of Eustachy’s rotation and figure to be counted on heavily this season.

Southern Miss welcomes in six newcomers, five of whom are guards. The Golden Eagles don’t need to rely on any of them to play major roles this season, but it would definitely be an added bonus and only make them a more competitive team if the new faces can contribute off the bench.





Player to Watch: Maurice Bolden, G/F
Bolden is a very unique talent. At 6-10, he is the tallest player on the Southern Miss roster, but is listed as a guard. His length allows him to be an effective rebounder but he can also stroke it from the outside. Eustachy’s most talented lineup is probably when the Golden Eagles go “small” with a four-guard lineup putting Bolden in off the bench and having Flowers play the five. Bolden’s versatility is a major asset and if he can build off a solid sophomore season, it will only make Southern Miss a more dangerous squad.



Key Non-Conference Games:
  • 11/12 at South Florida
  • 12/4 at Mississippi
  • 12/12 at California
  • 12/23 vs. St. Louis/Northeastern (Cancun’s Governor Cup)
  • 12/24 vs. Mississippi/Texas State/Colorado State/Appalachian State (Cancun’s Governor Cup)



    MISSING



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