Eustachy, Southern Miss players ready for next step

By Andy Hess The Student Printz

November 1, 2007

Hattiesburg, MS (CSTV U-WIRE) -- It's been a long, hard road for Southern Miss basketball fans. But in three seasons at the reigns, Larry Eustachy has turned the Southern Miss Golden Eagles men's basketball team completely around and put them back on the map.

In his third season, Eustachy helped coach the Golden Eagles to their first 20-win campaign since the 2000-01 season, as well as breaking the record for most home wins in a season.

The team posted a winning C-USA season for the first time in six years with a 9-7 record in conference play. With four starters and several key players back in the fold, as well as incoming freshmen, the 2007-08 Eagles are only going up.

The Golden Eagles will have one of the youngest rosters in Conference USA for the second straight year.

Jeremy Wise, who was voted to the pre-season All C-USA Team this season and the C-USA Freshman and Newcomer of the Year in 2006-07, leads the Golden Eagles on the court. Last season the 6-foot-2-inch guard led the team in scoring with 17.5 points per game and assists with 3 per game. He also earned second-team all-conference at the end of last season.

Wise, though, wasn't the only freshman to turn some heads last season, as Sai'Quon Stone also turned in a great first season. The 6-foot-6-inch guard is a physical player that ranked second to Wise in scoring with 10.3 points per game and he led the team in rebounding with 5.4 rebounds per game last season.

The Eagles also return a pair of solid veterans to the backcourt in Courtney Beasley and Craig Craft, who chipped in with 9.7 points per game and 8.7 points per game, respectively.

On the recruiting trail, Eustachy managed to snatch Brazilian 7-footer Gustavo Lino and two of the more high-profile recruits Brandon Cooks from Louisiana; Mississippi's Mr. Basketball, R.L. Horton; and Wayne Turner, of Brooklyn, N.Y.

Cooks and Turner will bring help where the Golden Eagles need it the most: guard and forward. The Golden Eagles lacked a significant big man and point guard last season. The increase in size will help the offensive side of the ball, where the team would just play a game similar to one that you would find on the playground rather than the gym.

With the Golden Eagles predicted to finish fourth, hopes are high at Reed Green Coliseum. Postseason berth, anyone?