2012_03_08

The

S TUDENT P RINTZ www.studentprintz.com

SERVING SOUTHERN MISS SINCE 1927

March 8, 2012

Volume 96 Issue 44

LOCAL

New bar planned for Hattiesburg Justin Mitchell News Editor Next week, construction is slated to begin on a two-building food and nightlife venue that will channel the vibe of the old Mugshots Bar and Grill.

Ron Savell, owner of Mugshots, said he was convinced by his coowners Brian McLelland and Scott Lowry to create a new bar that would bring back the nightlife aspect that Mugshots was known for before the previous location burned down last year.

The new construction will have two separate venues: a bar and fullservice outdoor restaurant. Both will be located on 4th Street near Strick’s Bar-B-Q and Family Dollar and will share a parking lot.

“We had plans to build Mugshots at that location one day, but since we decided to open something new, this dream became a reality,” Savell said. “The location is right past the ‘Mugshots Graveyard.’ We have three and a half acres to build on.”

Savell said that new bar will be 45 feet long and offer more seating as well as spots for patrons to walk up and order

drinks. The parking lot will have 200 spots, about quadruple the number the old Mugshots offered.

“When designing this new place, we thought of every con the old Mugshots had and developed a plan for the new location,” Savell said. “The new bar will hold over 500 people.”

Savell also said the new restaurant will offer covered, outdoor seating that can accommodate over 200

people. The restaurant will be landscaped with trees, fountains and bricked walls.

“We hope to offer a pizzatype menu in the bar and New Orleans inspired cuisine inside the restaurant,” Savell said. “It’s going to be the best of both worlds. I’m tickled to death about it.”

Savell said the new bar will offer many of the same drink specials and live bands that Mugshots used to offer.

However, Savell and his management team decided that

student input was needed to work out specifics for the new restaurant such as atmosphere, drink specials, decor, dancing, menu choices and naming the location.

University of Southern Mississippi marketing majors developed a survey in their advanced research class for students and residents to complete in order to provide personal input in creating a nightlife spot that will appeal to the masses.

Marketing major Kevin Buckley said it is an opportunity for students to have voice regarding nightlife in Hattiesburg.

“Students have a huge part in creating this bar,” Buckely said. “The survey can take

See NEW BAR, 3

ON CAMPUS

NATIONAL

Kony video triggers online outburst Jennifer Lowe Printz Writer

Justin Sellers/Printz

Stephen Williams, a senior biochemistry major, relaxes in his hammock in the lawn behind Southern Hall on Wednesday evening.

TRUMAN SCHOLAR

BASKETBALL

BROOMS

Just a few days ago, a filmmaker from San Diego released a documentary that captivated the world of social media and spread throughout the internet.

Jason Russell, cofounder of Invisible Children, created a documentary for the campaign Kony 2012. The documentary begins with the story of a young boy from Uganda named Jacob and the troubles he faced daily simply because he lived in an area where children were mistreated.

In the video, Jacob tells about his brother, who was murdered by the Lord’s Resistance Army.

WEATHER Thursday

81/64 Friday

75/58 Saturday

Page 3

Page 6

Page 8

75/63

The Lord’s Resistance Army, led by Joseph Kony, is known for mutilating civilians’ faces and abducting children for use as sex-slaves and soldiers. According to the campaign’s official website, Kony began using children when he ran out of fighters. Kony has no mission with his army other than to maintain his power.

“Kony 2012” is a cry to social media for help in uniting the world to arrest Kony and his top commanders and try him at the International Criminal Court.

According to the campaign’s website, “Invisible Children’s

See KONY, 3

INDEX Calendar ........................ 2 News .............................. 3 Feature ...........................4 Opinion ...........................6 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 Copy Editor Stormy Speaks stormy.speaks@eagles.usm.edu News Editor Justin Mitchell justin.mitchell@eagles.usm.edu Sports Editor Josh Seabrook joshua.seabrook@eagles.usm.edu Design Editor Lisa Gurley lisa.gurley@eagles.usm.edu Art Director Justin Sellers justin.sellers@eagles.usm.edu Webmaster Chris Greene chris.greene@eagles.usm.edu Web Editor Ashton Pittman ashton.pittman@eagles.usm.edu News Content Adviser Chuck Cook 601.266.4288 chuck.cook@usm.edu Designers Taylor Fesenmeier Taylor Henry Ad Graphic Designer Kiza Jordan jennifer.f.jordan@eagles.usm.edu Senior Sales Representative Angel Wells angelique.wells@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.

Mark Your Planner

8

9

10 a.m.

Muggle Quidditch Bake Sale Shoemaker Square

11 a.m.

NPHC Divine Days of Distinction Union Lobby

10 a.m.

SADD Gatti Town Fundraiser Union Lobby

11 a.m.

Membership Drive/ March of Dimes Awareness TCC Lobby

11 a.m.

Kappa Sigma Fisher House Foundation TCC Lobby 11:45 a.m.

Thursday Lunch at Wesley Wesley Building 5:30pm Generation 6:20 Thursday Night Live TCC 214

5 p.m.

Southern Miss Campus Civitan Club Retreat Union Room B

Thursday, March 8, 2012

News

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Student Printz, Page 3

ON CAMPUS

Student up for Truman Scholarship Tyler Hill Printz Writer The University of Southern Mississippi has yet another finalist for the prestigious Truman Scholarship.

Lilianna Deveneau, a junior marketing major, is one of only three finalists in the state of Mississippi and was picked among 587 candidates from 272 colleges and universities around the nation, according to the scholarship’s website.

The Truman Scholarship provides up to $30,000 to college juniors “with exceptional leadership potential who are committed to careers in government, the nonprofit or advocacy sectors, education or elsewhere in the public service sector.” It provides financial support for graduate school, leadership training and fellowship with other students through public service.

Last year, Marie Holowach became the first-ever speech pathology major to win the nationally esteemed award. Before Holowach, no student from Southern Miss had won the scholarship in 12 years, but she broke that losing steak.

Deveneau is hoping to follow in Holowach’s footsteps and win the award. She traveled to Nashville,

MUGSHOTS, from 1 anywhere from five to 30 minutes and is solely run and operated by Southern Miss students.”

Buckely and Savell both said it was important for students to participate in the survey.

“We’re asking students to name this bar in the survey,” Savell said. “I hope they take it seriously.”

Construction for the new bar and restaurant is set to be completed on Aug. 1, 2012.

Tenn. on Wednesday to interview with the Truman Scholarship Foundation’s Regional Review Panel. Last year, Holowach said the panel interview is “the point in the process where you must defend your application and yourself.”

Deveneau is a student in the Honors College and a member of the university’s Committee on Services and Resources for Women and Sociological Society.

Dean of the Honors College Dave Davies was quoted in a press release by the Office of University Communications last week.

“Lili is so deserving of this recognition,” Davies said. “She brings a passion to her service work that speaks well of Honors College students’ commitment to social change.”

In order to be eligible for the Truman Scholarship, a student must be endorsed and nominated by the university. Each university is limited to four nominees, however, and because of the highly competitive nature of the scholarship, USM rarely has more than one student each year, according to the university’s national scholarship officer Robyn Curtis.

The scholarship is extremely competitive and requires a considerable amount of time and service, but Southern Miss is proving that it has students

KONY, from 1

Kony 2012 campaign aims to make Joseph Kony famous, not to celebrate him, but to raise support for his arrest and set a precedent for international justice. In this case, notoriety translates to public support.”

Since the documentary’s release, Kony’s face is displayed all over the internet, and the cause has united everyone from college students to celebrities in support for the campaign. “Kony” is trending on Twitter, the video is being shared on Facebook and over 10 million people have watched the documentary on YouTube.

“Watching the video and seeing what these kids go through just made me want to burst into tears,” said Kim Nobles, a banking and finance major. “These children live in fear every day and never know what will happen when they fall asleep. I can’t even imagine what goes through their minds while this happens.”

Nobles and other supporters will cover Hattiesburg in Kony posters on April 20, in hopes of gaining even more recognition for the campaign.

“I’m passionate about this movement because I know we can make a difference,” Nobles said.

who can handle the pressure.

“I think having finalists in consecutive years shows that USM is doing a good job of identifying students who can be competitive for these prestigious awards and encouraging them to put in the substantial time to gone their applications,” Curtis said. “We’ve had theses students all along.

They just needed the guidance to be successful.”

Curtis also encourages students who are interested in scholarships to make an appointment with her office.

“Many students aren’t aware of my office or think I only work with Honors College students, but I serve the entire university,” Curtis said.

She says that students should visit her office sooner rather than later.

“Last fall, Lili came in to find a scholarship to pay for British Studies. As we talked, I realized she would make an excellent Truman candidate,” Curtis said. “If she had come to see me even a few weeks later, she would have missed her chance to apply, and now she is a finalist.”

Anyone interested in learning more about available scholarships should contact Robyn Curtis at 601-266-4263 or robyn.curtis@ usm.edu.

Gabby Mooney, a regional representative for Invisible Children, travels with one of the 16 teams that visit colleges and places of worship across America, spreading the word about the horror in Uganda.

“I’ve been supporting [Invisible Children] for years now, and to see people finally understand and see it click in their head that this is an issue that matters is so encouraging,” Mooney said.

“Our tour has only been going on for two weeks, and to see how far this campaign has already gone is absolutely incredible.”

Mooney noticed the impact the tour and the video has made in the hearts of the American people, but the mission to make sure everyone knows the identity of Joseph Kony isn’t complete just yet.

“We want him to be known as the world’s worst war criminal,” Mooney said. “We want him to be arrested and tried at the International Criminal Court.”

For more information, visit www.kony2012.com.

See the video online at www.studentprintz.com.

Courtesy of Photo Services

Feature

Page 4, Student Printz

ON CAMPUS

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Peace Corps: Option after graduation Peace Corps volunteers donate 27 months of their lives to living, learning and working in foreign countries to better the lives of others.

Michelle Holowach Printz Writer Although there are nearly 13,000 students living and learning at a four-year university with the goal of preparing ourselves for the “real world,” a lot of us still have no clue what we are going to do when we grow up.

As this question continues to plague us, perhaps it is time to think outside the box and move out of our comfort zones. It may be time to “expand our horizons,” and not just beyond Hattiesburg, or even beyond Mississippi, but beyond the borders of our country.

For the past 100 years, the United States has been spreading the message of peace and friendship around the world through a special body of volunteers: the Peace Corps. In stretching out a loving hand to nations that need it the most, the Peace Corps has impacted millions of lives.

The organization began in 1961 when Senator John F. Kennedy challenged University of Michigan students to serve their country by working to spread peace in developing countries, thus prompting the creation of a federal government agency that

would help thousands of people all across the world.

Scattered throughout 76 countries, Peace Corps volunteers spend 27 months living, learning and working in another country.

The opportunities among the ranks of the Peace Corps are endless and can take volunteers anywhere from Asia, Europe, Africa and the Middle East to Central America, South America and the Pacific Isles. As part of training for the agency, volunteers will be taught the language and culture of the country where they live and work.

Whether majoring in English or physics, computer science or nutrition, everyone can put their talents to use in a place where they are most needed. The organization provides assistance to developing countries through six programs: health, youth and communication development, agriculture, education, environment, and business and communication technology.

University of Southern Missis-

sippi alumna Nikki Leist has spent two years as an environment vol-

unteer in Panama.

While there, her primary task has been to teach environmental education at a school and fund-raise to install a solar panel system.

In her volunteer profile, Leist said the highlight of her Peace Corps service was hiking with a group of children to the cross overlooking the town where she lived.

“We chatted as they threw paper airplanes down the hill,” Leist said. “My Spanish was horrible, but they were understanding.”

This hilltop visit was Leist’s first view of the community where she would be living out the remaining two years of her service.

“Now, after two years in the community, I feel so privileged to have watched those same kids grow into young adults as I taught them not only environmental ethics, but life skills that I hope they will use throughout their lives.”

Being a part of the Peace Corps is a leadership experience that will mold and define the rest of one’s life. However, this is not the only benefit of engaging in such an organization.

Some student loans will be eligible for cancellation, and a payment of $7,425 will be made to the volunteer upon completion of two years of service in order to aid in getting started with life again in America. Not only does joining the Peace Corps provide monetary benefits, but it also opens a door of opportunities when applying to graduate school or for a job.

To date, there are over 200,000 Peace Corps volunteers. Leist strongly encourages USM students to sign up for Peace Corps service.

“If you’re from Mississippi and thinking about the Peace Corps, you’re already in select company,” Leist said. She advises those who are interested to stick it out through the lengthy training and application process.

“Understand that the U.S. has a strong world influence, and you probably won’t be completely isolated from it,” Leist said. “The experience can be everything you want it to be.”

By joining the Peace Corps, one will be have an opportunity to not only to impact the lives of others, but also to make a difference in one’s own life. After two years of living and working in a country on the other side of the world or hemisphere that is completely different from anything one has ever known, one’s life will be changed in ways that could never have been imagined.

For more information about how to apply for the Peace Corps, contact USM recruiter Emily Webster at ewebster@peacecorps.gov or at (404) 562-3476.

define refines

HATTIESBURG LOCATION 6117 US Highway 98, Ste. 50

601.296.2000

SR-30479

Feature

Thursday, March 8, 2012

SGA

Student Printz, Page 5

Solomon to inherit SGA gavel Stormy Speaks Copy Editor Just a week ago, junior Spanish major Allie Solomon clenched the the title of Student Government Association vice president along with her running mate, SGA president-elect Jazmyne Butler. As vice president, Solomon will preside over the Senate, which drafts legislation concerning students and campus life.

Despite the nerve-wracking process of campaigning and a long election week that went to run-offs, Solomon took working the campaign trail as a learning experience.

She was constantly reminded of the commitment required on her part, and she continuously wondered what more she could do to contribute. She also worried if she and Butler were expressing themselves to students in a way that showed they were capable to serve and to represent their campaign slogan of “Bridging the Gap: Service, Accountability, Progress.”

Overall, Solomon said she gained more knowledge about the needs and wants of the student body at the University of Southern Mississippi and how to best serve them.

Once the election results were announced, Solomon said all of the hard work and commitment put into her and Butler’s campaign paid off.

“I felt relieved that the students believed in us, that they’re placing us on the bridge Jazmyne [Butler] and I stand for within out campaign creed,” Solomon said. “As Dean of Students Eddie Holloway mentioned in a black history program during the campaign, ‘If you find a turtle on a fence, you know someone put him there.’”

Solomon has been extensively involved in student body affairs since her time at Southern Miss.

She has served on Freshman Associates and the SGA Executive Initiative branch of SGA cabinet, co-drafted the smoking initiative legislation while serving on Senate, and has been a member of Lamda Sigma honor society and is an Honors College Ambassador, just to name a few accomplishments. She also does a considerable amount of volunteer work.

Solomon said she decided to run for vice president because she wanted to serve the needs of students and because of the impacts she has seen legislation make on the university.

“I have always felt compelled to contribute to the legacy and goals of an organization to which I belong,” Solomon said.

“The feeling of collaborating with efforts of differing methods, abilities and people’s backgrounds is invigorating. You feel you belong to the cause of the group once you’ve worked to make an impact on it.”

Even though she will not take office until the end of the month during the Founder’s Day ceremony, Solomon already has ideas to improve the Senate. These include broadcasting Senate sessions, installing boxes in each colleges in which students can submit feedback and suggestions, visiting campus organizations to gather their ideas and input on legislation and coming up with better ways to brainstorm and draft legislation. Solomon believes these methods will allow students to voice their needs, ideas, and concerns.

Although Solomon has several plans of her own, she above all urges students to hold her accountable.

“Entrust in and challenge SGA to better serve you as students,” Solomon said. “The proliferation of its students reflects the legacy of USM, and we invite you to provide us with as much information as possibly of how to better serve as true representatives for you.”

Kristi Bruister/Printz

Junior Spanish major Allie Solomon was elected SGA vice president last Thursday. Her duties include presiding over the Senate. She will take office on Founder’s Day on March 30.

$5.00 Burgers & endless Fries all day • every day •any TiMe •WiTh iiTTh Th sTuden sTudenT TudenT Tuden udenT id

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday $6 Burgers & Endless Fries

Kids eat FREE one per adult

FREE Fried Pickles w/ purchase of any Po-Boy

$6 Burgers & Endless Fries

All-You-CanEat Catfish, Fries & Crab Balls

plaid rhino 122 Carlisle Dr. Hattiesburg, MS 39402 601.264.0208

Opinion

Page 6, Student Printz

Thursday, March 8, 2012

NATIONAL

Student Shout-outs

“

Brooms standing alone: What does it all mean?

Rack em. Rack. Rack em. Oh when you beat a Georgia Bulldog, you’re gonna feel a bulldog BITE. The yogurt and ganola is really great. I eat it just about every day.

MMM Geographer is bringing sexy back According to US News and World Report, Registered Nurses were ranked No. 1 career on the list of The Best Jobs of 2012.

Besides possibly saving your life one day, guess who will have a job upon graduation? Those pesky nursing students that always complain about the difficulty of their major and are at home on Friday night studying.

I’m good, I’m gucci.

The Payne Center smelled like dookie the other day. It was just bad. #stank Please take 30 minutes out of your day and watch the video “KONY-2012” on youtube. Help to change the world.

”

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

“

Hey Tiger! wishing you a wonderful Happy Birthday this month! i’m not that far behind. Give me two more weeks! - Your moon To the guys who stare at my behind as i walk past: please stop looking.

There is nothing there anyway and staring at it is NOT going to make it grow!!

Corbin McDavitt Printz Writer When I’m not busy defending my honor from accusations of being the Hancock Robber or the creator of his parody Twitter account, I’m always keeping an eye on what’s trending on the internet. #kellyprice #melissamccraw. I was casually contemplating my next narcissistic move on Facebook when my news feed erupted with pictures of brooms standing up by themselves. They were sweeping my news feed! You knew it was coming. But why were there so many pictures of brooms? Did I miss something important?

In all my years of internerding, this is hands down the weirdest thing I’ve ever seen. Is there actually any science behind the standing brooms, or is it just another hoax?

According to the myth busting website Snopes, pictures of brooms standing alone surfaced early this month and have been attributed to the spring equinox and the axial alignment as a result of the equinox.

But, sadly, a broom can stand on its own any day of the year

Student Shout-outs

Courtesy of Disney

with the proper technique.

Thank you science for putting this to bed, but now here are my thoughts. Folks, it’s a broom… standing upright…on it’s own.

You literally can get a college level education on the internet for free, but posting a picture of a broom standing on its own just blows minds. Did you also know that with a broom you can conveniently collect dirt without bending over to pick it up? That’s a Christmas miracle!

For the record, if you’re going to post a picture of your broom standing up, make sure your floor is clean.

In conclusion, let’s put this meme to bed. Brooms are only

cool in Harry Potter, Fantasia and curling, if you’re into that.

Even planking gave people the opportunity to lie down in pretty creative spots. Let’s get back to obsessing over Condescending Wonka, Good Guy Greg and Scumbag Steve. By the way girls, if I read one more post on Facebook about Pinterest, cats or Nutella, I’m going to get a period.

This was an article of opinion by Corbin McDavitt, a writer for The Student Printz. Email questions or comments to corbin.mcdavitt@ eagles.usm.edu.

Shout out to the best girlfriend in the world. She is in the Delta Gamma Sorority, is a senator in SGA and just recently became obsessed with NUTELLA!I think she knows who she is :)I miss her and love her so much!I cannot wait to see you my flower.

Dear Printz, PLEASE stop talking about Rihanna! If she wants to date Chris Brown and run around singing sexual songs... so be it. She’s grown. So lets find something else to complain about. Like the Fresh Food Co.!!

To the two girls trotting on the trace yesterday out by the mile and a half marker, WHY?!!! Skinny guys in tiny shorts can still plow over you at high speeds.

WATCH WHERE YOU GOIN. To the guy in my Spanish 202 class, why don’t we just go out on a date already. You’re hot, I’m hot. #ProblemSolved USM is trying to control what it should have no part of. If you had really looked at what other schools do, you would realize that a lot of fraternities own their own houses off campus. You can’t expect fraternities to thrive with these new houses. That’s just asinine logic.

To my borderline creepy adoring fan base, I’m flattered and I’m ready. Let’s take it to the next level.

You know where to find me, Corbin McDavitt.

”

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

Thursday, March 8, 2012

The Student Printz

Student Printz, Page 7

THE NEW EAGLES TRAIL new owners & new management

OFF-CAMPUS STUDENT HOUSING upgraded amenities coming soon:

shuttle to campus + upgraded pool area & new sound system + new pool furniture + upgraded fitness center new sand volleyball court + upgraded computer center + upgraded tanning bed + new leather-style furniture options available E AG L E ST R AI L .COM • 6 01. 2 6 4 .6 4 0 4 • 8 E AG L E S T R AI L amenities are subject to change

Sports

Page 8, Student Printz

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Basketball

Five keys to victory for Golden Eagles Jeff Haeger Printz Writer The Golden Eagles (24-7) concluded their regular season with a disappointing 75-79 loss to Marshall on Saturday. Southern Miss is now focused on the Conference USA Men’s Basketball Championship, which began Wednesday at FedExForum in Memphis, Tenn. While the Eagles have come up short in their last four road outings, their 11-5 conference record has earned them the second overall seed in this year’s conference tournament to the Memphis Tigers’ conference best 13-3 record.

Throughout the regular season, the documented successes and failures of the Eagles have come directly at the expense of their ability to play to their strengths and weaknesses on a game-by-game basis. The Eagles’ regular season has been defined by the following five areas, and the amount of success they have in the upcoming conference tournament will be determined by their ability to rely on these keys to victory.

1. Neil Watson

The All-Conference USA Second Team guard was a spark plug for the Golden Eagle offense off the bench for a majority of the season, as he led the team in scoring (12.1) and assists (4.5), and his team-leading 2.1 assist/turnover ratio was good for second in the conference. In two games against

UCF on Jan. 28 and Feb. 11, he poured in a combined 41 points and scored a career-high 23 points in the Eagles’ first outing against the Knights. Although he struggled from the field at home against Tulsa on Feb. 15, Watson provided a game-tying three-pointer as the game clock nearly expired, and the Golden Eagles ultimately prevailed 7769 in overtime.

2. Jonathan Mills

In just over 23 minutes per game, the All-Conference USA Third Team forward averaged 9.8 points per game and led the Eagles with 6.2 rebounds per contest. He was second on the team in field goal percentage, and he played his best in the most critical games. During one stretch of a game in the Golden Eagles’ second outing against UCF, Mills scored nine straight points in the second half, and he helped Southern Miss seal a victory down the stretch by converting 12 of his 13 free throw attempts. In the overtime thriller against Tulsa, Mills poured in a career-high 25 points, and added 10 rebounds to his credit. It took him until the waning moments of overtime to miss his first shot, as he finished the contest 6-7 from the field. Mills successfully converted all 13 of his free throw attempts.

3. Free Throw Shooting

The Eagles lived and died by the free throw in the regular season. They led C-USA with a team free throw shooting percentage of 74 percent, and sophomore guard Watson finished the reg-

Sports in Brief

The Southern Miss baseball team lost 5-3 to the South Alabama Jaguars Tuesday night. Taylor Nunez started on the mound for the Eagles and went 4.1 innings and gave up two earned runs and took the loss. Ryan Ellis

on offense had an RBI for the Eagles. Michael Sterling, Dillon Day, Masson Robbins and Blake Brown all had two hits for Southern Miss. USM returns to action Friday at Louisiana-Lafayette at 6 p.m. CT.

Baseball vs. South Alabama

3

Eustachy named Conference USA Coach of the Year

4. Rebounding

5. Home Court Advantage

The Eagles finished the regular season with a perfect 15-0 record at Reed Green Coliseum, while they only produced a 9-7 mark in away or neutral site match-ups. Unfortunately, the Eagles have played their last game at home this season.

If the Eagles are able to rely on their play makers and continue doing what they have done successfully for the majority of the season, they will be poised to make a deep run into this year’s conference tournament, hopefully landing them an NCAA Tournament bid come Selection Sunday.

Head basketball coach Larry Eustachy and the Golden Eagles play their first game of the conference tournament against the East Carolina Pirates today at 12 p.m. The game will be televised on CBS Sports Network.

Men’s Basketball:

Women’s Basketball:

3/3 at Marshall L, 79-75

3/7 vs. UCF W, 71-49

Baseball:

Men’s Tennis:

Softball:

Women’s Tennis:

3/4 vs. Northwestern L, 7-2 3/7 at Jackson State W, 8-5

basketball

Strong rebounding was a staple for the Eagles all season long. They boasted a +4.7 rebounding margin during the regular season, good for third in C-USA. They were second in the conference with 13.8 offensive rebounds per game, and were led by forwards Torrye Pelham and Mills with 2.9 offensive rebounds per game a piece. Southern Miss was also a top three team in C-USA in defensive and offensive rebounding percentage per game.

Southern Miss Box Score

3/4 at Auburn W, 5-4 3/7 vs. South Alabama L, 5-3

5

ular season shooting a stellar 85.6 percent from the free throw line, good for third best in the conference. They stole several close games away from respectable opponents with clutch free throw shooting late in games, as they converted a staggering 24 of 27 attempts in a signature 75-72 win over Memphis on Feb. 1, as well as a prolific 31 of 35 attempts in the dramatic overtime victory over Tulsa. They lost several winnable games due to dismal free throw shooting.

The Eagles shot a combined 57.3 percent from the charity stripe in their five conference losses.

3/3 at Tulane W, 4-1 3/4 vs. Lamar W, 5-2

3/4 at Monroe L, 6-1 3/7 at Jackson State W, 8-5

US Presswire

Golden Eagle head coach Larry Eustachy has been named the Conference USA Gene Bartow Coach of the Year, the league announced Wednesday morning.

In his eighth season at Southern Miss, Eustachy has led the Eagles to a 24-7 record heading into the conference tournament today against UTEP. Eustachy adds the award to his milestone 400th career victory from earlier this season. He also joins Eagle basketball coaching legends James Green (2001 Conference USA) and M.K. Turk (1985-86 Metro Conference) as the only Southern Miss coaches to win the award.

Although this is his first Coach of the Year award in C-USA, he won the award twice during his tenure at Utah State (Big West) and twice at Iowa State (Big 12). He was national Coach of the Year in 2000 and runner up for the same award in 2001 at Iowa State.

Southern Miss Sports: Upcoming Games 3/8/12 3/9/12 12 p.m. Men’s Basketball vs. Rice/East Carolina All Day Track & Field, Cross Country NCAA Memphis, Tenn.

Indoor Championship Nampa, Idaho 3/8/12 5 p.m. Women’s Basketball vs. UTEP 3/10/12 Memphis, Tenn.

12 p.m. Women’s Tennis vs. Tulane Hattiesburg, Miss.

3/9/12 6 p.m. Baseball at Louisiana-Lafayette 3/10/12 Lafayette, La. 3 p.m. Softball vs. UTEP El Paso, Tex.