C-USA Tourney berth on the line
Mathematically, Southern Miss hasn't been eliminated from the season-ending Conference USA Tournament in Memphis next month. But it's a longshot; the team is riding a seven-game losing streak and will play two of its final three games on the road.
To qualify for the tournament in Memphis, the Golden Eagles (10-15, 1-12) must beat East Carolina today, Charlotte on Saturday and win the season finale at home against Texas Christian on March 5.
"We still have something to play for," Southern Miss junior guard Rashaad Carruth said. "We are going to win another game."
Carruth leads the Golden Eagles in scoring at 13.4 points, and junior point guard Michael Ford is second with 10.1.
The Golden Eagles, coming off an 85-73 loss to Memphis at home, shoot 43.8 percent from the floor compared with 46.3 by opponents. Through 25 games, the Golden Eagles have turned the ball over 341 times and average 68.3 points per game, yielding 70.4.
"I'm going to continue to coach the game the way I think it should be played," Southern Miss coach Larry Eustachy said. "We have to be more physical and can't get pushed around."
East Carolina (8-17, 3-10) has beaten the Golden Eagles in all five previous meetings, including a 63-50 win at Reed Green Coliseum last season.
Mike Cook leads the Pirates with 14.6 points per game, followed by Moussa Badiane (11.9) and Corey Rouse (10.1).
Southern Miss' seven-game losing streak is its longest of the season and the longest since the 1998-99 season, when the team lost eight consecutive games.
If the Golden Eagles fail to win one more game, they will become the third C-USA team to win only one conference game, joining South Florida from last season.
Mathematically, Southern Miss hasn't been eliminated from the season-ending Conference USA Tournament in Memphis next month. But it's a longshot; the team is riding a seven-game losing streak and will play two of its final three games on the road.
To qualify for the tournament in Memphis, the Golden Eagles (10-15, 1-12) must beat East Carolina today, Charlotte on Saturday and win the season finale at home against Texas Christian on March 5.
"We still have something to play for," Southern Miss junior guard Rashaad Carruth said. "We are going to win another game."
Carruth leads the Golden Eagles in scoring at 13.4 points, and junior point guard Michael Ford is second with 10.1.
The Golden Eagles, coming off an 85-73 loss to Memphis at home, shoot 43.8 percent from the floor compared with 46.3 by opponents. Through 25 games, the Golden Eagles have turned the ball over 341 times and average 68.3 points per game, yielding 70.4.
"I'm going to continue to coach the game the way I think it should be played," Southern Miss coach Larry Eustachy said. "We have to be more physical and can't get pushed around."
East Carolina (8-17, 3-10) has beaten the Golden Eagles in all five previous meetings, including a 63-50 win at Reed Green Coliseum last season.
Mike Cook leads the Pirates with 14.6 points per game, followed by Moussa Badiane (11.9) and Corey Rouse (10.1).
Southern Miss' seven-game losing streak is its longest of the season and the longest since the 1998-99 season, when the team lost eight consecutive games.
If the Golden Eagles fail to win one more game, they will become the third C-USA team to win only one conference game, joining South Florida from last season.
