HATTIESBURG, Miss. (WTVA/USM Athletics) — Southern Miss ended the game on a 12-2 run, turning a 53-47 deficit into a 59-55 victory over rival UAB on Saturday afternoon.
The victory snapped a three-game losing streak to the Blazers in Hattiesburg. Southern Miss now moves to 16-3 overall and 3-1 in Conference USA.
Darnell Dodson had a team-high 15 points and Neil Watson scored 11. Maurice Bolden recorded nine points and a team-high seven rebounds and Angelo Johnson added nine points, three assists and three steals.
“(UAB) gave us everything that they had,” said head coach Larry Eustachy. “I really think our team learned a very valuable lesson while escaping with a win that we were fortunate to get. But, at the same time, give our guys credit. They stepped up and made the plays when they needed to be made.”
UAB (5-11, 0-3) led 53-47 with 4:58 to play. Following a timeout, Watson hit LaShay Page for an open three-pointer to cut the deficit to three. UAB’s Preston Purifoy turned the ball over on its next possession and Bolden hit a jumper to make it a one point game.
Following another UAB turnover, Angelo Johnson found Bolden at the top of the key, and Bolden nailed a trey to give Southern Miss a 55-54 lead with 59 seconds to play. Jonathan Mills then fouled Cameron Moore, who missed the front end of a one-and-one, and Bolden pulled down the rebound.
Southern Miss then ran the clock down to 14 seconds when Watson was fouled. The Kansas City, Kan. native hit a pair of free throws for a 57-53 lead. Following a timeout, Quincy Taylor connected on a lay-up with nine seconds left, but was also called for a charging foul. Mills hit both free throws to push the lead back to four.
Taylor had an opportunity to cut into the lead, but he turned the ball over with three seconds left, clinching the victory for the Golden Eagles.
Johnson opened the game for USM hitting a three pointer, but Southern Miss missed its next six shots as UAB took a 4-3 lead. Southern Miss hit consecutive jumpers to go up 7-4, but the Blazers scored the next eight points, capped by consecutive three-pointers by Cameron Moore and Purifoy.
After trading baskets, Southern Miss pulled to with one point at 14-13 midway through the second half. The teams traded buckets before a Jordan Swing three-pointer gave UAB a 22-17 lead with 5:39 to play in the half.
But Southern Miss scored eight of the final 10 points to take a 25-24 lead into halftime.
Swing led all players with 17 points on 5-of-9 three-pointers, while Moore added 13 points and a game-high nine rebounds.
The Golden Eagles shot 41.5-percent (22-of-53) from the field and just 5-of-15 (33.3%) from three-point land. UAB connected on 50.0% (22-of-44) of its shots and 52.9-percent (9-of-17) from three-pointers. Southern Miss was 10-of-14 (71.4%) from the free throw line, while the Blazers were just 2-of-6 (33.3%). UAB also won the rebounding edge, 31-to-28.
Southern Miss will take a week off before hosting Marshall next Saturday, January 21.
