HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- App State men's basketball is set to visit Southern Miss in its second conference game of the 2022-23 season on Saturday at 3 p.m. ET. This will be senior leader Donovan Gregory's 100th career game.
Saturday's matchup features the top two defenses in the Sun Belt in terms of field goal percentage. Southern Miss leads the pack at 39.0% (35th nationwide) while App State has only allowed 39.4% (41st nationwide).
The contest will be streamed live on ESPN+ with live stats and listening options available to follow along.
THE SERIES
- This will be the third meeting between the two schools in a series that Southern Miss leads 2-0.
- In their last matchup on Feb. 4, 1991, the Golden Eagles defeated the Mountaineers 98-74.
SCOUTING THE MOUNTAINEERS (7-7, 0-1 SBC)
- App State dropped its SBC opener at Marshall on Thursday night, falling to the Thundering Herd, 53-79.
- Tyree Boykin led all scorers with 20 last game, his second 20-point performance of the season. The first came in App State's overtime win over N.C. Central in November.
- Justin Abson and CJ Huntley have combined for at least five blocks in five games this season (Charlotte, Furman, Kennesaw State, N.C. Central, Warren Wilson). Abson has the 20th-most blocks of anyone in the country with 31.
- The Mountaineers average 29.8 bench points per game, the 22nd-highest mark in the nation (third in the SBC).
- Gregory continues to lead the squad, pacing the team in points (11.6), assists (48) and steals (21).
SCOUTING THE GOLDEN EAGLES (12-2, 1-0 SBC)
- Southern Miss found success in its inaugural Sun Belt game on Thursday night, defeating Troy, 64-60. The Golden Eagles had four of their five starters finish in double figures as Austin Crowley led the way with 17.
- Crowley has the third-most steals of anyone in the country with 39. The junior guard also leads the team in points per game (16.2), followed by Felipe Haase (16.1) and DeAndre Pinckney (12.1).
- Haase and Pinckney combine for 14.4 rebounds per game, while Mo Arnold has been the primary assist-man on the squad with 55.
- Southern Miss has the 13th-highest scoring margin in the nation (+17.4) and the 12th-best turnover margin (5.4).
UP NEXT
The Mountaineers will host an SBC opponent for the first time this season on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. against Coastal Carolina. Next Saturday night, they will visit James Madison in front of a national crowd on ESPNU.
