Feb. 2, 2007

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NEW ORLEANS - The Tulane Green Wave renews its annual rivalry with Conference USA rival Southern Miss for the 32nd straight year at 7:05 p.m. this Saturday at Reed Green Coliseum. The game will be broadcast live on Comcast Sports Southeast. Matt Stewart will describe the play-by-play, while former Golden Eagles' head coach M.K. Turk will provide color analysis.

Tulane (9-10, 2-5 C-USA) will look to bounce back from a 79-78 last second home loss to Tulsa in its last game. The Wave is 2-5 overall and 1-2 in C-USA road games this season. TU's two league losses away from home have been by a combined total of seven points. The Wave fell in overtime at Rice, 75-70, and dropped a 55-53 decision at SMU in its last road game on Jan. 24.

For the year, Tulane is averaging 67.2 points and 38.5 rebounds per game and is shooting 43.8 percent from the field, 32.6 percent from behind the three-point line and 65.5 percent from the free-throw line.

Junior David Gomez is TU's top scorer with 14.2 points per game and is also the leading rebounder with 6.4 boards per contest. Freshman Kevin Sims in the only other Green Wave player averaging double figure scoring with 10 points per outing, and is averaging a team best 3.5 assists per clip. Sophomore Robinson Louisme is the top shot blocker with 1.5 rejections per outing.

Southern Miss (14-6, 4-3 C-USA) has won three out of its last four games with its one loss coming at the hands of nationally ranked Memphis on the road by just three points, 67-64. USM got off to a hot start this season by claiming victories in its first seven games.

The Golden Eagles have been tough to beat at home this season, sporting a 12-1 overall and 2-1 league mark this season. Southern Miss' lone loss at home this season was to Memphis, 75-62, on Jan. 13. Since then, USM has reeled off two straight wins.

Freshman Jeremy Wise leads the Eagles in scoring with 16.3 points per game, while classmate Sai `Quon Stone is the only other player averaging double figure scoring with 10 points per contest. Junior Gjio Bain is the top rebounder with 5.1 rebounds per outing.

USM is averaging 70.1 points and 39.1 rebounds per game and is shooting 45 percent from the field, 33 percent from behind the three-point line and 65.4 percent from the foul line.

Saturday's game marks the 63rd all-time meeting between Tulane and Southern Miss, and the Green Wave leads the series, 37-25. The two teams will meet for the 32nd straight year, which is currently the longest continuous opponent for Tulane. The Wave played LSU for 62 straight years from 1920-82. Tulane has an all-time record of 13-15 in Hattiesburg, and fell 67-55 in its last appearance on the road at USM a year ago. TU's last victory at Southern Miss was on Jan. 15, 2002, 70-61.