Eagle roundballers search for identity

With their season tip off just nine days away, the Southern Miss men's basketball team is still looking for it's identity, according to head coach Larry Eustachy.

The team returns four of it's five starters from a season ago, and are going into Larry Eustachy's fifth season at the helm.

Jeremy Wise returns as the team's leading scorer after averaging 18.7 points per contest last year. In all, Eustachy returns his top seven scorers from last season.

But according to Eustachy, the newcomers have been the highlight of practice so far.

"The new guys have been good," Eustachy said. "I like Rodney (McCauley), he doesn't play like a freshman. He's probably playing harder than anyone else right now. Cory (Smith) and Jerome (Clyburn) have also had a big impact."

McCauley, a 6-foot-5 guard out of Dallas Texas, should enter the guard rotation with returning starters junior Jeremy Wise and sophomore R.L. Horton.

Smith, a 6-7 forward from Pleasant Grove, Ala., and Clyburn a 6-foot guard out of Orange Park, Fla. could also contribute.

Eustachy also spoke highly of Andre Jackson, a 6-10 freshman forward from Pinkston Texas that has yet to be cleared by the NCAA.

Although the new faces show promise, Eustachy said he hasn't been too pleased with the way the team has practiced so far, and is looking for some leaders.

"I'm not really pleased with the way practices have been going," Eustachy said. "We're not playing as hard as we need to, we need some more leadership. It's disappointing, not discouraging, but disappointing at this point."

Senior Courtney Beasley, who said he's working hard to get his body back in shape coming off the layoff, echoed his coaches' praise of the newcomers but said that he understands the challenge of the practice.

"Practice basically is an actual game," Beasley said. "However you practice, that's how you're going to play in the game. We have to keep it tough and physical, and eventually that will pour over into games."

The Golden Eagles will need that toughness to score as many wins as last year's team did. The new schedule, which includes non-conference tilts with Miami, Connecticut, Kansas State, and Ole Miss, doesn't get any easier when the conference schedule starts

"(Conference USA) was very good last year and very underrated. We had five teams in postseason play and we should send even more this year," Eustachy said. "Whoever finishes sixth in this league is going to be a good team. It's one of the top six or seven leagues in the country."

The Golden Eagles were picked to finish fifth in the conference by sports writers and coaches at the annual basketball media day in Memphis. The Memphis Tigers were picked to repeat as conference champions.

Junior guard/forward Sai'Quon Stone said he enjoys the extra challenges this season proposes.

"The new guys are so good, I'm worried about my spot," Stone said. "Everyone gets down on coach Eustachy for our schedules, but this year they really can't say much because we play some of the top programs in the country. We know we have to practice hard and prepare or we'll be in way over our heads."

One aspect Beasley said he's really excited about this season are the new facilities that were completed a month ago that house the new locker rooms and offices for the team and coaches.

"I'm glad they finished these things up for my senior season," Beasley said. "But I'm really happy for the younger guys, they get to spend a couple years in here and they will really benefit from it."

The $10.5 million addition to Reed Green Coliseum is expected to help production and recruiting for both the men's and women's programs.

Eustachy said he's very happy with the growth of the program, and said now it's time for his guys to start playing like they are capable.

"When I first took this job to where it is now is light years, but our goal is to be comfortable where we are. We should have our best team since I've been here this year, and we need to start practicing like it."

The Eagles open the season Saturday, Nov. 15, when they host Loyola of New Orleans at 7 p.m. at Reed Green Coliseum. Admission is free to students.