The Southern Miss Golden Eagles are accustomed to overcoming odds. After all, the program has the lowest budget in Conference USA, making it difficult to compete with the likes of Cincinnati, Louisville and Memphis. So they've learned to savor small victories.

That being said, last season evolved like a cruel joke. A series of injuries and defections left Southern Miss with only nine players down the stretch, hardly enough ammunition to make a serious run in C-USA. The Golden Eagles were painfully inexperienced, and there were ample excuses for any deficiencies. But guess what? Southern Miss didn't buy into that mentality.

"We just kept playing, kept trying, kept competing, and that's what I'm proudest of," Southern Miss coach James Green said.

The Golden Eagles qualified for the C-USA tournament, where they upset heavily favored Cincinnati in the opener, breaking a nine-game losing streak against the Bearcats. That win also erased some sting from the previous season, when Cincinnati routed Southern Miss by 52 points.

Green anticipates some carryover from last season's unwillingness to quit. With another year of experience, Southern Miss has a foundation on which to build. Odds are, the Golden Eagles will be much better.

FRONTCOURT

Southern Miss entered the 2002-03 season concerned about its lack of frontcourt firepower. Its fleet of newcomers ended all such worries.

Charles Gaines, a relative unknown last season who sat out following a transfer from Southwest Missouri State, became one of C-USA's premier players. He scored in double figures 24 times and also had 15 double-digit rebounding performances. A high-motor, ultra-intense player, Gaines got to the free-throw line more times (195) during the regular season than any other league player except Marquette's Dwyane Wade. Southern Miss again will look to Gaines down low as its primary offensive option.

Then there's senior Greg Johnson, a former junior college transfer who made a big impact last season. Long and wiry, Johnson is as dangerous from behind the arc as he is inside the key. He introduced himself to C-USA with a pair of early double-doubles against Memphis and South Florida, then maintained consistent production.

Green favors the workmanlike effort of senior Clement Carter. He's capable of rising up with a big scoring game, like his season-best 20 points against Charlotte, but more often he's showing up all over the box score, doing the little things.

It's impossible to ignore the potential of sophomore Jasper Johnson, whose playing time gradually increased. He showed an ability to score points in a hurry -- and make the big play, as evidenced by his game-winning shots against UAB and Cincinnati. Johnson still hadn't fully recovered from shoulder surgery that forced him to redshirt during his initial season, so a breakout year could be at hand.

Newcomers Brannon Hayes and Emanuel Willis might be hard-pressed to find playing time, but Green sees them contributing this season.

BACKCOURT

Junior Dante Stiggers is a point guard any coach could love. He doesn't take many foolish shots, but he can score when needed. He plays under control but knows when to take chances. It will be difficult to dislodge him from the starting lineup. Junior James Pattman is a capable backup.

Thanks to an influx of newcomers, Southern Miss has far more backcourt options this season than last. Freshman Sam Richardson, who redshirted after a thumb injury, and Jarekus Singleton, who sat out as an academic non-qualifier, both bring scoring and playmaking ability. Jason Forte, another highly regarded prospect, did play as a freshman, but he struggled to find a significant role.

Junior David Haywood became a major weapon with his excellent 3-point shooting on a team that wasn't great from long range.

FINAL ANALYSIS

Southern Miss captured the C-USA National Division title in 2001, but such finishes have been few and far between. Just a mid-range finish this season would do wonders for the program's confidence. This time, the Golden Eagles will show up with a lineup that has few question marks.

"We have players returning who gained a lot of experience last season, and that experience really won't start showing up until [now]," Green said. "We will go from probably our least experienced team to what will be our most experienced team in a while."

For a change, it sounds like the odds are swinging in Southern Miss' favor.

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