HATTIESBURG, Miss. –  Six Jags finished with double digits in scoring as the South Alabama men's basketball team fended off a rally from Southern Miss to secure an 88-82 win Wednesday night in Reed Green Coliseum. With the win, the Jags earned their first 20-win season in three years and improved to 20-10 overall and 12-5 in conference play. Southern Miss fell to 10-20 and 5-12 in Sun Belt play. 

The Jags never trailed in this contest and led by 10 points at halftime after Southern Miss hit eight three-pointers in the second half to pull within four points in the final minute before the Jags put the game away with a barrage of free throws and a Barry Dunning dunk to earn the win. 

Judah Brown led the Jags with 18 points on 4-of-9 shooting from three-point range and 6-of-6 from the free throw line with six rebounds. Dylan Fasoyiro had a gritty outing, finishing with 16 points, four three-pointers, two steals, and two rebounds. 

Barry Dunning Jr. registered his fifth double-double of the season with a 14-point and 11-rebound performance. Elijah Ormiston finished with 13 points and five rebounds, Myles Corey logged 11 points and nine assists, and Cantia Rahming provided a huge spark off the bench with 10 points and six rebounds, including five offensive boards. 

Despite giving up 80 points or more in the second straight game, the Jags forced 15 turnovers, scored 36 points in the paint, 17 second-chance points,  and knocked down 20-of-28 free throws. 

South jumped out to a commanding 21-9 lead at the 12:41 mark in the first half as Fasoyiro drained three triples in the opening minutes. 

The Jags extended their advantage to as much as 17 points after Brown recorded a four-point play and a second-chance three-pointer in the next minute, making the score 36-19 with 6:41 left. 

South Alabama kept things rolling and carried a 46-36 lead into halftime. 

Southern Miss found its footing in the second half and rifled off four straight triples in the first eight minutes of the half to cut the lead to 55-54 at the 12:17 mark. 

After both teams traded blows back and forth, South Alabama pushed its lead back out to double figures, 76-65, as Fasoyiro recorded five straight points and Brown drilled his four three-pointers of the game with 4:21 remaining. 

The Golden Eagles had one final push and trimmed the Jags advantage to four points,86-82,  with 16 seconds left, but the Jags put the game away with a pair of free throws Corey. 

Notes

• Dunning posted his fourth double-double in the last eight games. 
• Rahming had his best stat line of the season, scoring 10 points and six rebounds in 17 minutes of action. 
• The Jags have knocked down 20 free throws or more in four of the last five games. 
• Corey has dished out 26 assists in the previous four contests. 

Up Next

The Jags will close their regular season against Louisiana on Friday, Feb. 28 at 7 p.m. CT in the Mitchell Center.