The last time Southern Miss sold out Reed Green Coliseum, the Golden Eagles weren’t the main draw. Instead, the Hattiesburg faithful filed in on Saturday, March 1, 2008, to see No. 2 Memphis and freshman phenom Derrick Rose. The future NBA No. 1 overall pick carried the Tigers with 23 points in a 76-67 victory.
Thursday’s sellout – the program’s first in nearly 5,500 days – couldn’t feel any different. Fourth-year coach Jay Ladner has brought Southern Miss (22-4, 11-2) back to prominence. The Golden Eagles extended their winning streak to eight games with a 82-71 victory over Louisiana (20-5, 10-3).