March Madness Spotlight: Southern Miss Basketball

In honor of March Madness. Every day this week we’re looking at one local team and their history in the NCAA Tournament. Today we’re looking at the Southern Miss Golden Eagles, who have not been to the Tourney since 2012.

NCAA Tournament Appearances
3 (1990, 1991, 2012)

NCAA Tournament Record
0-3

NIT Appearances
11 (1981, 1986, 1987 (Champs), 1988, 1994, 1995, 1998, 2001, 2013, 2014, 2023)

The program began in the 1912–13 season under Coach R.G. Slay, achieving a modest 3–0 record. Over the years, the team grew in prominence, competing in various conferences and tournaments. Southern Miss transitioned to NCAA Division I basketball before the 1972–73 season. From 1934-1946 the team was coached by legendary figure Reed Green, who would later become the AD for Southern Miss from 1949-1973. He gives his namesake to the Reed Green Coliseum, home of the basketball team.

The Golden Eagles originally competed in Independent before joining the Metro Conference in 1982. The Golden Eagles most notable success occurred during their time in the Metro Conference. The Golden Eagles were one of the more dominant teams in the conference during those years. With their most notable claim to fame beating La Salle in the 1987 NIT Finals. Coach M.K. Turk, who coached from 1976 to 1996, was one of the more influential coaches in program history and guided Southern Miss to their NIT Finals, as well as their first two Tournament appearances.

(M.K. Turk during his time with Southern Miss)

The Golden Eagles star player in the late 80’s was Randolph Keys, who played for Southern Miss from 1984-1988 and was a key player on that 1987 NIT Championship squad. The Collins, MS native was later drafted 22nd overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers and enjoyed a 13 year professional career playing four years in the NBA and the rest overseas.

(Randolph Keys during his time with Southern Miss and the Cleveland Cavaliers)

When Randolph Keys graduated in 1988 another big man joined the program in Columbus, MS native Clarence Weatherspoon, arguably the greatest player in program history. He would guide the Golden Eagles to their first two NCAA Tournament appearances in 1990 and 1991. In 1990 as #13 seed they matched up in the postseason once again with La Salle, a #4 seed, who they had played and beaten in the NIT Finals three years earlier. Southern Miss was no match as they lost 63-79. The next year the Golden Eagles would be in the Tournament but it wouldn’t be any better as they would lose #6 NC State 114-85 as an #11 seed.

(Clarence Weatherspoon played for the Golden Eagles from 1988-92. Was Drafted 10th overall by the Philadelphia 76’ers in 1992. And he enjoyed a 14 year career in the NBA.)

Over the next 20 years the Golden Eagles would experience many ups and down once joining Conference USA in 1995. In 2012 Southern Miss would be back in the Tournament seeded at #9 seed, their highest seed ever. Against #8 seed Kansas State the Golden Eeagles played a lot better than their previous Tournament appearances, however they would come up short 70-64. This would be the last time the Golden Eagles would go dancing

In 2019 Jay Ladner took over for Southern Miss. The former USM star was on the 1987 NIT Championship team, and he has coached at the Golden Eagles ever since. In 2022 it began a new era at Southern Miss, as they would join the Sun Belt Conference. During their first year in the Conference the Golden Eagles would win the Regular season Conference Championship. Although they would come up short in Pensacola for Sun Belt Tournament, they would still go to the NIT where they would lose to UAB.

(Jay Ladner has guided the Golden Eagles since 2019. And was the coach during their first year in the Sun Belt Conference, when they would win the Conference Regular season title)