2012_01_23

The

S TUDENT P RINTZ www.studentprintz.com

SERVING SOUTHERN MISS SINCE 1927

January 24, 2012

Volume 96 Issue 32

Justin Sellers/Printz

SMAASH performs duing Eaglepalooza on Nov. 11, 2011. The band is composed of Southern Miss students and alumni and has performed in front of several audiences.

SMAASH will perform as a spotlight artist on BET’s 106 & Park on Feb. 1.

LOCAL

Local band to SMAASH 106 & Park On Feb. 1, local band SMAASH will perform on BET’s music countdown show 106 & Park as a spotlight artist.

The band, composed of six Southern Miss students and alumni, will be performing their original single titled “The Cool.” SMAASH received the

opportunity to appear on the popular television show after auditioning for a talent search program called Blaze the Stage in November.

Senior business administration major Aubrey Stanton plays keyboard and serves as manager for SMAASH. Stanton and the other members of SMAASH call their genre of music “rock hop.”

“Our signature style is a mix-

ture of rock, hip-hop, R&B and jazz,” Stanton said. “We are introducing the world to a new genre. Hopefully we can start a revolution.”

SMAASH first debuted in August 2008 when they started performing with the African American Student Organization (AASO) gospel choir. SMAASH formally introduced themselves as band in December 2008.

“After 106 & Park, hopefully

we can catch the eyes and ears of someone who can take us to the next level,” Stanton said.

SMAASH has played at Eaglepalooza twice and has performed multiple times at Friday Night at the Fountain. They have also opened for Gucci Mane, Jason Mraz, Miguel Jontel and the Ying Yang Twins.

“We have played at every school in the SEC this past semester except for Florida, LSU

BARBIE

BOOK REVIEW

BASKETBALL

WEATHER

Justin Mitchell News Editor

Tuesday

67/55

Wednesday

75/63 Thursday

Page 5

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and Arkansas,” Stanton said.

“Our musical inspirations range from Kanye West and N.E.R.D to Dave Matthews Band and Coheed and Cambria to Lil Wayne and Michael Jackson.”

Several Southern Miss students, along with students from other universities, think SMAASH deserves the opportunity to perform live on television before millions of viewers.

See SMAASH, 4

INDEX

Calendar ........................ 2 Sudoku ............................2 News .............................. 4 Opinion ...........................5 Feature ...........................7 Sports...............................8

Calendar

Page 2, Student Printz

The

Student Printz

Serving Southern Miss since 1927

Executive Editor Mary Margaret Halford mary.halford@eagles.usm.edu 601.266.6431

Managing Editor Hannah Jones hannah.jones@eagles.usm.edu Art Director Justin Sellers justin.sellers@eagles.usm.edu Sports Editor Josh Seabrook joshua.seabrook@eagles.usm.edu

Mark Your Planner 24 25 26 27 28 10 a.m.

Disney Recruitment Table Union Lobby 7 p.m.

Silent Union Union Lobby 8 p.m.

Wesley Refuge Wesley Building

12:30 p.m.

Sports Officials Association Information Table TCC Lobby

10:30 a.m.

Legacy Membership Information Table Thad Cochran Center and 31st Avenue

5:30 p.m.

Rhythm Rush Dance Auditions Union Room B

12:15 p.m.

Big Success Event for All Students Union Lobby

7 p.m.

Helping Young People Evolve General Meeting TCC 227

7 p.m.

COGIC Fellowship Bible Study

Copy Editor Stormy Speaks stormy.speaks@eagles.usm.edu

Level:

Design Editor Lisa Gurley lisa.gurley@eagles.usm.edu

News Content Adviser Chuck Cook 601.266.4288 chuck.cook@usm.edu

Ad Graphic Designer Kiza Jordan jennifer.f.jordan@eagles.usm.edu

Advertising Manager Lesley Sanders-Wood 601.266.5188 lesley.sanders@usm.edu Advertising e-mail printzad@usm.edu

Find us online at: www.studentprintz.com

The Student Printz is published every Tuesday and Thursday during the fall and spring semesters. Signature Offset of Hattiesburg provides printing services.

Opinions expressed in The Student Printz are those of the writer and not necessarily those of The Student Printz, its publications manager, USM, the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning or the USM Board of Student Publications.

2

3

4

SOLUTION TO LAST WEEK’S PUZZLE

Designers Taylor Fesenmeier Taylor Henry

Sales Representative Joslynn Araujo joslynn.araujo@eagles.usm.edu

1

Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit, 1 to 9. For strategies on how to solve Sudoku, visit www.sudoku.org.uk

Webmaster Chris Greene chris.greene@eagles.usm.edu

2/12/12

© 2012 The Mepham Group. Distributed by Tribune Media Services. All rights reserved.

12 p.m.

SMAC New Member Retreat TCC Ballroom I 8 p.m.

Wesley Foundation Resolution Wesley Building

TCC 216

Web Editor Ashton Pittman ashton.pittman@eagles.usm.edu

Senior Sales Representative Angel Wells angelique.wells@eagles.usm.edu

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

5 ways to eat out without breaking your diet * Beware these high-fat menu buzz words: Cream sauce, butter, oil, au gratin, breaded, Alfredo, battered or batter-dipped, “with gravy,” or smothered. * Modify the menu. Many restaurants will take your dietary needs into account. Don’t hesitate to request anything on the menu to be prepared in a more diet-friendly and for sauces or dressings to be served on the side. * Mini meals are a must. It’s smart to eat smaller meals during the day when you’re planning to dine out. Just don’t eat too sparingly, though - you don’t want to be so famished by the evening that you overeat. * Eat an apple before you go out to dinner to help control your hunger. * You do not have to clean your plate. Try to never finish everything on your plate. Do your best to leave half of the food on your plate.

student SHOUT-OUTS To submit your comment for the Student Shout-Outs visit www.studentprintz.com

Student Printz, Page 3

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

THE NEW EAGLES TRAIL new owners & new management

apply online @ EAGLES TRAIL.COM upgraded amenities coming soon:

upgraded pool area & new sound system + upgraded barbeque grills + new pool furniture + upgraded fitness center new sand volleyball court + upgraded computer center + upgraded tanning bed + new leather-style furniture options available

601.264.6404 • 8 Eagles Trail amenities are subject to change

News

Page 4, Student Printz

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

on campus

SMAC starts spring with student events Arielle Edwards Printz Writer The Southern Miss Activities Council will be hosting two events this week. The first event is Silent Union, modeled after MTV’s “Silent Library.” The event will consist of teams competing to complete various tasks while remaining silent and finishing within set time constraints.

SMAC president Alesha Knox provided one example of a task.

“Someone might have to drink a crazy concoction,” Knox said.

“The teammates have to make sure they don’t make the person drinking laugh or choke.”

For every task silently completed, teams will receive 25 bonus bucks. Silent Union will be held in the Student Union today from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m.

Public relations chairperson Natalie Oalmann said she expects around 15 to 20 people to participate in this event.

“The more the merrier,” Oal-

mann said. “This is a game that they have to get the word out.

“Eagle Dining has a wonderful requires little to no laughter. Having to do some of the stunts in this reputation when it comes to after game in front of the student body hour events,” Oalmann said.

Last semester’s Late Night will definitely add pressure.”

Tomorrow, SMAC will be Breakfast had over 1,300 parhosting Late Night Wings and ticipants. This year, Oalmann Floats at the Fresh Food Com- hopes to have that many, if not pany. Sponsored by Eagles After more, participants.

Hours, this event will take place Oalmann said SMAC is an orgafrom 10 nization that p.m. until means nothWe just want to let midnight. ing without the students.

A buffet of the students know “We are so wings, an how happy we are excited that ice cream students are bar and a that they are back on back on camsalad bar campus. pus because will be this event is available Alesha Knox like the kickfor particioff party for pants. Knox says that the SMAC team mem- the great semester we are going to bers worked very hard in order have,” Oalmann said.

SMAC will host additional to make this a successful event.

“We just want to let the students events as the semester continues. know how happy we are that they For more information on an upare back on campus,” Knox said. coming event, visit the SMAC AtOalmann says that in order to tack Facebook page. make any SMAC event successful,

“

SMAASH members:

Aubrey Stanton- manager/keyboard Chris Carter- lead vocalist Serod Butler- drums Ben Langston- electric guitar Willie Taylor- rhythm guitar Raymond Bradford- bass Shawn Pulliam- co-manager

”

smaash, from 1 Starr Montgomery, junior human resources management major, said she first discovered SMAASH with her older sister.

Since then, she’s been hooked.

“I first saw them perform at a show at the Alumni House and then at Friday Night at the Fountain,” Montgomery said.

“I love live music, and they brought a feel different than any other live music I’ve heard.”

Rachael Edwards, a senior

music major, said that she heard SMAASH for the first time at the old Mugshots. “I loved the blend they played. They’re a very versatile group,” she said.

Alana Reese attends Auburn University and majors in psychology. She attended SMAASH’s first concert at Auburn last January.

“I loved SMAASH’s first show.

They came back a month later, and I made sure I was on time and had a good seat. It was like nothing I’ve ever heard before. It wasn’t repetitive. The music was unique and alternative,” Reese said. “Their music is like nothing you hear on the radio.”

Reese also said SMAASH deserves this opportunity.

“They’ve been doing this for almost four years. They will get a lot of feedback.”

Montgomery said. “This opportunity will put SMAASH out there on a national level,” she said.

SMAASH will perform on Feb. 1 at 5 p.m. on 106th and Park on BET. Anyone who is interested in sponsoring SMAASH can contact the group at smaashtheband@gmail.com or @smaashtheband on Twitter.

Justin Sellers/Printz

SMAASH keyboardist Aubrey Stanton performs at Eaglepalooza on Nov. 11, 2011. SMAASH will appear on BET’s 106 & Park on Feb. 1 at 5 p.m.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

CURRENT

Opinion

Student Printz, Page 5

Barbie: Bald and beautiful?

Jennifer Lowe Web Editor

For a child, Barbie often represents beauty, perfection and a dream. For this reason, Mattel Inc. holds a huge platform in the molding of personality and selfconfidence of young children. A group on Facebook recognized the impact Barbie makes in the lives of children and took action by starting an online petition to the company and asked them to create a bald Barbie for sick children.

The Facebook page, titled “Beautiful and Bald Barbie! Let’s see if we can get it made,” aims to persuade Mattel Inc. that a bald Barbie will make children who suffer with cancer, alopecia or trichotillomania feel confident, even when their hair is gone – and it doesn’t stop there. The group also requests that a portion of the proceeds benefit childhood cancer research and treatment.

Children grow up in a world

where they have to own a certain toy, wear a particular clothing brand or act a certain way to have friends and be accepted. No child should grow up feeling like she is not as pretty as other kids because she suffers from a disease that’s taken her hair from her. A disease is simply something she can’t help, and we as people should take it upon ourselves to let her know that she is still beautiful, with or without hair.

According to the Facebook page, the petition currently has over 22,000 signatures. Users and fans of the petition post photos of themselves bald and proud, and others offer encouraging words and well-wishes to the website’s cause. A few users have taken it a step further and suggested the idea of creating a bald G.I. Joe or Ken doll for young boys.

However, much to my surprise, I came across a Facebook user who felt differently on the topic.

This user raised the thought that when his previous wife died of ovarian cancer, he didn’t demand a bald Barbie, nor did he demand a Barbie with no breasts when his current wife suffered breast cancer. Instead, he explained to his six-year-old daughter that bad things happen to good people.

While bad things do happen to good people, children react differently to difficult situations and maybe, just maybe, a doll that favors them will reach their emotions easier than the typical “everything will be okay” and “it’s okay to be different” method.

Unfortunately, yet somehow not surprisingly, Mattel reportedly wrote a response letter to women who petitioned, and said the company did not accept ideas from outside sources. Well, maybe if the company cared about

its consumers as people other than dollars, making a Barbie for the esteem and wellness of sick children wouldn’t be such a huge problem.

If molding children’s self-confidence isn’t reason enough, try the usage of Barbie to teach tolerance to those children who are happy and healthy and make jokes at the expense of those who are not.

Many Facebook users and myself agree, if children’s parents purchased bald Barbie dolls for their child and explained the dolls hairless head, maybe more children wouldn’t see it as being so strange that a little girl lacks the hair that we often take advantage or wish was different in color or volume.

If Barbie’s looks represent beauty, her body represents perfection, her different professions and hobbies represent dreams, and little girls all over the globe want her in their possession, maybe it’s time Mattel stands up for children who are just like others in every way except their hair.

This was an article of opinion by Jennifer Lowe, a writer for the Student Printz. Email questions or comments to jennifer.lowe@eagles. usm.edu.

Student Shout-outs

“

Shout out to the best tattoo artist in MS Saint at Get Some Ink Tattoo and Body Piercing(cross 49 from football stadium)!!!!!! Great Prices, Great Art, Great Artist. My wallet and body thanks you!

Single girl seek relationship with weed. Enjoys trips to the beach, frozen yogurt, Wes Anderson movies, and rollng balls.

If you are walking on a city street, please walk toward traffic. It’s safer for you and the car that is coming up behind you! Also, please look both ways when crossing a street, even in a crosswalk.

4.0 here I come! Going to dominate this year!

”

To see your anonymous comment in The Student Printz, submit it under the ‘Contact’ tab on studentprintz.com.

Opinion

Page 6, Student Printz

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

NATIONAL

Student Shout-outs

“

Not trying to make an excuse for running over pedestrians, but maybe there were so many incidences last year is because some of the cross walks are hard to see....

Can we get some paint here??

It was easier to track down a syllabus from 7 years ago from a JUNIOR college than it has been to get my credits applied to my record here at the local, present day, University level... makes no sense!

Can someone tell me where they're taking the hobbits?!

To the sweetest person I know..Happy Birthday KK! You're the best.

”

To see your anonymous comment in The Student Printz, submit it under the ‘Contact’ tab on studentprintz.com.

SOPA and PIPA and censors, oh my!

Ashton Pittman Web Editor In the first battle of World War Web, We the People won a decisive victory last week in the defeat of two acts that could have drastically altered the Internet as we know it.

Through the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the Protect IP Act (PIPA), media moguls and Hollywood execs sought to diminish the free and open Internet in their quest to eliminate online piracy.

But when the story caught fire across social media, many of us weren’t quite fond of the idea that we could spend up to five years in prison for uploading a Michael Jackson song — a year longer than the doctor who killed him.

Nor were we fond of the idea that the federal government could effectively shut YouTube down completely if a single copyrighted work slipped through the cracks (as they do daily).

So we rebelled on Facebook, Twitter and blogs. We flooded Con-

gress’s email boxes. A bill that was hurtling towards quick and easy passage came to a halt.

Soon, President Obama signaled his opposition to the bills. Whitehouse.gov released a statement that it would “not support legislation that reduces freedom of expression, increases cybersecurity risk, or undermines the dynamic, innovative global Internet.” Even sponsors of the bill began to withdraw support.

Rupert Murdoch, CEO of the world’s second largest media conglomerate, News Corp., was none too happy: “Seems blogosphere has succeeded in terrorizing many senators and congressmen who previously committed,” he fumed in a tweet. “Politicians all the same.”

He had reason to be angry.

According to Maplight.org, SOPA supporters contributed to representatives in Congress more than six times the amount of money opponents did. In total, Hollywood spent $103.9 million in a bid to buy votes. That included $120,000 to Mississippi Rep. Steven

Palazzo and $772,000 to Mississippi representatives altogether.

Proponents of a free and open Internet could only muster $16.5 million.

Hollywood should’ve won handily. SOPA was such a done deal that many in Congress didn’t see the need need to debate it. Irony-deaf Iowa Rep. Steve King tweeted, “We are debating the Stop Online Piracy Act and [Rep.] Sheila Jackson has so bored me that I’m killing time by surfing the Internet.”

If our representatives wouldn’t pay attention, we decided we would.

This time, our tweets, statuses, shares and blogs spoke louder than the corporate coffers.

Where we couldn’t raise money, we did raise hell.

The bruised gods of media empire felt scandalized. It was as if gravity had stopped working and proved Sir Issac Newton a liar.

But without a Newton to blame for the sudden failure of crony theory, certain of these moguls turned their anger on President Obama.

How dare he respond to the will of

the commoners when they, the media titans, had spent so much money courting him!

“Don’t expect Hollywood to show up and say, ‘Who do I write the check to’ anymore,” Nikki Finke of deadline.com reported one such mogul as saying.

“I’m personally not going to support [Obama] anymore and not give a dime anymore,” another said.

They’re dismayed, not just because we stopped SOPA, but because we discovered something they’d hoped we’d never find out: That We the People, by the power of the very tools some sought to take from us, could send an unmistakable rebuke to the system by which their greed thrives.

Not only can we win World War Web, but we can win the war against that system which says big money is more important than big ideas.

This was an article of opinion by Ashton Pittman, a writer for the Student Printz. Email questions or comments to ashton.pittman@ eagles.usm.edu.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Student encourages generational outreach Ginny Kramer Math Major Our constitutional right to freedom of speech has been directly tested over the past few months through the controversial legislation SOPA and POPA. At its core, SOPA promotes a respectable objective: to put a stop to illegal web practices such as downloading and streaming illegally obtained music and video. To actually enforce this ideal, however, would be nearly impossible without impairing virtually all websites even remotely affiliated with the perpetrators. For example, if one were to search “Hey Arnold episodes,” Google would be legally banned from issuing links to websites such as YouTube or Megavideo that host the television program without the copyright holder’s permission. Not only would this affect the user, but it could potentially affect Google’s intricately designed algorithm that allows it to obtain relevant and timely search results.

However, we already know everything about SOPA, right? Opponents of the legislation fought fire with fire; they fought censorship of the internet by using the

internet. During the past week, social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter have been bombarded with posts by college students in regards to the controversial Senate legislation SOPA and its House counterpart PIPA. According to Twitter, on Wednesday alone, there were 3.9 million tweets about the legislation. Even more impressively, over seven million users signed Google’s petition to stop SOPA and PIPA. The crazy thing is that these efforts to stop the legislation actually worked.

The Senate and the House tabled the two bills, which is a nicer way of pronouncing them dead.

So, congrats to our generation for speaking out and making our governmental system work in our favor. Through awareness and momentum, we kept our Internet rights despite the odds. However, should we really be so ecstatic about our accomplishment?

If this act of legislation taught us anything significant, it isn’t necessarily that our Internet should not be censored. It is that our generation does have a voice that can directly impact the path of our country and our future. In a matter of days, we caused the demise of a bill that had every intention of being passed not even a week ago. Where have we been in the past three years?

What was our generation doing during the debt ceiling crisis, during the healthcare debate, during the extension and reduction of our Middle Eastern military efforts? The legislation that truly affects our future happiness and prosperity was thrown to the wayside, but a change to our Internet freedom ignited a spark that turned into a roaring fire. That speaks wonders about our priorities, but it also demon-

strates the power of our unified voice.

If you, twenty something year old Internet crawler, gained any sort of gratification from seeing our legislative system work for you, continue to involve yourself in the issues surfacing in Washington. The main victims of legislation that is passed today are not the middle-aged representatives who are voting on the matters. It is our genera-

tion, and we will be subject to the consequences of our present decisions unless we continue to pressure our government to do what is right for our future happiness. Continue to voice your opinion, and our 50-year-old selves will thank you.

This was an article of opinion by Ginny Kramer. Email questions or comments to ginny.kramer@ eagles.usm.edu.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Feature

NATIONAL

Happiest place on Earth?

Leighanne Lockhart Printz Writer Disney World is famously known to be that special place where all children’s dreams come true.

Is this also the case for college students?

Each year, the Disney College Program offers opportunities such as paid internships and valuable, on-the-job experience to students across college campuses nationwide. Many individuals may wonder if working in the “happiest place on Earth” will actually be beneficial to their studies or just end them up in a labor trap.

Junior tourism management major, Katherine Miller, said she feels the program offers tools that can benefit any career.

“Anyone can learn something from it that is necessary to be successful,” Miller said. “For me, these included communication, having a pleasant demeanor and guest service and recovery.”

Miller worked 30 hours a week at amusement park attractions and received two days off each week. She said although the living accommodations were not glamorous, living amongst people her age from all over the country and the world made it worth it.

The length of the program varies from three to seven months

with the option of extending one’s program at the end. The amount of hours worked and salary depends on the job, and a certain amount of money is deducted from one’s paycheck each week for housing.

Junior advertising major Ashley Taber participated in the Spring Advantage program for seven months and worked 45-65 hours per week at various park attractions. She took online classes through Southern Miss during her stay.

“Going into the program, I knew it was not going to be fun all the time, but I was very excited to venture out and meet new people,” Taber said. “Of course there were certain aspects of the program that I feel won’t help me in my career goals. However, after participating in the program, I have now completely changed my career path and was able to obtain tons of information that will be beneficial to me in the future.”

College program alumni are given the opportunity to apply for a professional internship with the company.

Senior tourism management major Janet Thompson has participated in two college programs and landed a professional internship in event planning after her second program experience.

“I have gained more than I can put into words from Disney,” Thompson said. “Lifelong friend-

ships, unforgettable experiences, a wealth of knowledge, not only about the company but also myself, and a network of priceless contacts are only the beginning of what Disney provided for me.”

Although the program has received some criticism in the past for Disney using the college students as a cheap source of labor, according to an article on MSNBC.com, it has maintained a mostly positive reputation. Most students who participate seem to agree that one gets out of it what he or she puts into it.

“Whenever you think of working for Disney you may think of being a princess or dancing in a parade,” Taber said. “However, the chances of that are very slim and you often get placed in a job that you may not feel is very beneficial to you.”

Taber said when she first learned of her job title, she wasn’t excited but ended up loving her job and interacting with all of the guests. She said the program is not for everyone and includes a lot of hard work and long hours, but she still feels the experience was worth it.

“It is hard to go, but harder to leave,” Miller said. “If you’re interested in expanding your horizons, don’t hold back, and let it change you. Just remember to come back home and serve your university using everything you have learned.”

REVIEW

USM alum publishes book Ashton Pittman Printz Writer In The Healing, an old woman tells a hurting young girl her story of growing up as a slave child on a Mississippi plantation. When Granada was only a baby, mistress Amanda Satterfield, stricken with grief over the loss of her own daughter, took her from her mother and brought her to live inside the mansion.

There Granada lives a life quite removed from that of other slaveborn children. The mentally disturbed mistress takes the bizarre notion to dress her in her dead daughter’s beautiful clothes. This gives Granada a false sense of privilege and grandeur.

However, when an inexplicable plague hits the plantation, Granada is sent to live with Polly Shine, a slave said to have the gift of healing.

She senses in Granada a gift that the young girl cannot yet see herself.

Thus begins The Healing, a work

not only about the healing of the body, but of the spirit, the mind, the heart, the soul and the past.

Written by Mississippi native Jonathan Odell, this story eclipses in depth and resonance other works that attempted to explore the themes of race and womanhood.

While it is sure to draw comparisons to Kathryn Stockett’s The Help, The Healing is far more nuanced in its approach.

Before writing The Healing, Odell spent time traveling, researching and interviewing people in order to gain greater insight into the people and the time he sought to write about. It shows.

Readers will often forget that this book was not written by a woman with firsthand knowledge of life on

a slave plantation in the years leading up to the Civil War. In fact, Odell is a white man. The Healing proves his unique ability to draw from the experience of others and from that breathe into life a character that seems all at once tangible, believable and historical.

While reading my advance copy of The Healing, I did not feel as if I was reading an unpublished work for the purpose of review; I felt like I was reading a literary classic that was surely already sitting on the shelf of every serious student of Southern fiction.

Someday, I predict it will be.

The Healing goes on sale Feb. 21. Odell will be visiting Southern Miss, his alma mater, on March 6 for a campus-wide honors symposium and reception.

Student Printz, Page 7

Sports

Page 8, Student Printz

BASKETBALL

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Eagles soar to the top with win over Marshall Josh Seabrook Printz Writer

The atmosphere was electric in the Green House as the Southern Miss Golden Eagles played host to the Marshall Thundering Herd on Saturday. The Golden Eagles entered the game boasting a 16-3 record overall and 3-1 in C-USA play, while Marshall’s record stood at 13-5 overall and an impressive 4-0 in C-USA. There were major post season implications for both teams as the battle for conference supremacy. Both teams have hopes and expectations of making it to the NCAA Tournament this season. Also, with a match-up with Memphis looming just over the horizon on Feb. 1 in the Green House, a win over Marshall created some big momentum for the Eagles as they looked to avenge their 60-58 last second loss in Memphis.

The Eagles started to pull away toward the end of the first half, putting distance between them and their counterparts from Huntington, W.Va. The crowd erupted after Maurice Bolden swatted away a dunk attempt by Marshall.

The score was 42-30 at the half.

LaShay Page led the Eagles with 15 first half points and going 5-8 from the field in the first half.

The Eagles got off to a slow start in the second half but quickly heated up after letting Marshall creep back in the game, shortening the Eagle lead down to 47-40. Marshall tried to make a push to get something started, but Neil Watson knocked down a dagger from three, putting USM ahead 56-45. With eight minutes left in the game, Torye Pelham smashed a devastating block, rejecting the Marshall lay-up attempt into the stands.

Down the stretch, Marshall fought back into the game, but Watson threw a three pointer from the wing with less than 20 seconds on the clock. The Eagles sealed the victory with defensive rebounds on back-to-back Marshall possessions by Jonathan Mills. This was the first C-USA loss for Marshall on the season and put two teams in a three way logjam atop the conference with UCF. USM managed to pull off the win after struggling in the second half, but the final score had the Eagles on top 67-63. The Eagles are a perfect 10-0 at home this year. Southern Miss shot 21-

51 (41.2%) while Marshall shot only 23-59 (39.0%).

Golden Eagle Head Coach Larry Eustachy was very positive after the game and happy with the team’s performance.

“It’s huge,” Eustachy said. “It’s the biggest win we’ve had since I’ve been here. East Carolina will become an even bigger game. It’s a huge win. If we don’t win this game, this league is misleading.

With the new plus-minus system, if we’d lost it would’ve put us as even and them at plus three, and it would’ve been insurmountable to get where we are trying to get.

This was a must win in the given situation.”

Watson racked up 10 of his 18

Southern Miss Box Score Men’s Basketball: 1/21 vs. Marshall W, 67-63

Men’s Tennis: 1/22 vs. Alcorn W, 7-0

Women’s Basketball: 1/19 vs. Memphis L, 85-44 1/22 at Rice L, 72-43

points in the second half and went five of nine from deep. Watson provided the knockout blow with a three pointer with only seconds left. Watson has struggled as of late in situations late in the game taking the big shot, but he didn’t look nervous against Marshall.

“Normally I kind of shy away from it,” Watson said. “But I’m not shy to a big shot, if I can help the team, I’m going to help the team.”

This marks the second straight loss for the Herd after winning four in a row before Thursday night’s loss against the West Virginia Mountaineers. Darnell Dodson led the Eagles in points with 18 on the night, while DeAndre Kane led Marshall with

21. The Eagles return to action this Wednesday at East Carolina and won’t return home until Feb. 1 against the Memphis Tigers.

Before returning home, the Eagles will spend next week on the road with stops at East Carolina and UCF before returning to the Green House. Hopefully the team will be able to carry the momentum from beating Marshall with them until they get home.

“It was a very big win,” Watson said. “Coming into the game, Marshall was the number one team, and we came in and we’ve been very underrated all season so we had something to prove and we were playing with a monkey on our back this game.”

Southern Miss Sports: Upcoming Games 1/25/12 6:00 p.m. Men’s Basketball at East Carolina Greenville, N.C.

1/26/112 7:00 p.m. Women’s Basketball vs. UTEP Hattiesburg, Miss.

1/26/12 7:00 p.m. Men’s Tennis at Ole Miss Oxford, Miss.

1/26/12 ALL DAY Track & Field, Cross Country at UAB Invitational Birmingham, Ala.

MISSISSIPPI’S ONLY

BCS-RANKED FOOTBALL TEAM