Southern Miss basketball is at a crossroads.
The Golden Eagles had a 16-16 record last season. It was a step back from the 2022-23 Sun Belt championship team. There were times when they looked like conference contenders, but there was a revolving door of injuries that curtailed any momentum.
Coach Jay Ladner also suffered a heart attack in February. Add that to player injuries was too much to overcome, with Southern Miss finishing sixth in the Sun Belt and being eliminated in a surprising loss to Texas State in the conference tournament.
Southern Miss now has a lot of roster turnover, with five of its six leading scorers — including star Austin Crowley — leaving due to graduation. Most of the 2022-23 championship team is gone, although forward Denijay Harris transferred back to Southern Miss after one season at Arkansas.
Does the Southern Miss roster have what it takes to be a Sun Belt contender? Here’s what to do with some list changes that were made.
Southern Miss basketball has a freshman class
For the first time in two years, Ladner signed a freshman class. It is made up of three players: Jett Montgomery, Christian Reid and Brewer Carruth.
They are all a bit mysterious. None are rated by 247Sports and Montgomery is the only one with a profile page. ESPN and Rivals, however, rate the 6-1 guard from Tennessee as a three-star.
Reid, a 6-5 guard from Florida, is a three-star on Rivals and has not been rated by any other site. Carruth doesn’t have a single classification. He is a 6-5 forward from Parklane Academy, was a Selection of all Clarion-Ledger states and his older brother is an offensive lineman for the Southern Miss football team.
MORE: Former Southern Miss basketball player says she was denied a spot at a golf event because she is a woman
Southern Miss basketball roster has a lot of guards
The guard must be a strength to the southern lady.
Andre Curbelo is back after a tumultuous season due to injuries and an eligibility issue that limited him to 12 games. When he was on the court, he was one of Southern Miss’ best players.
Neftali Alvarez also returns after being sidelined all of last season with a foot injury. Having him on the court with Curbelo should be quite dynamic. Surrounding them with scorers will be essential.
Cobie Montgomery shot 34.1% in 3 games last season, but is 4-for-21 (1.9%) in the last six games. The Golden Eagles added Christian Watson (Miami) and John Wade III (Stanislaus State) from the transfer portal and Alfred Worrell (John A. Logan College) from the junior college. Lukas Gudavicius (Salt Lake Community College) is still committed to Southern Miss but has not officially joined the team.
Has Southern Miss basketball done enough to improve the interior?
Victor Iwuakor left after an impressive season as a shot blocker and occasional 3-point shooter.
Harris is back and Southern Miss also acquired Little Rock transfer DeAntoni Gordon. Both are forwards at 6-foot-10 and 6-foot-9, respectively, and should be key players next season. They could be used at the 5 in a small ball lineup, but they are not centers.
Instead, Southern Miss is banking on two 7-foot holdovers from last season: Tegra Izay and Lieb Yat.
Izay made 13 starts last season and played 490 minutes. He injured his wrist before last season and it affected his touch at the rim. A healthy offseason can prepare you for a breakout.
Yat missed the entire 2023-24 season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament. He transferred from Seminole State a year ago, where he averaged 5.0 points and 4.5 rebounds per game in 29 games and five starts.
Sam Sklar is the Southern Miss reporter for the Hattiesburg American. Email him at ssklar@hattiesb.gannett.com and follow him on X @sklarsam_.
This article originally appeared in the Hattiesburg American: Southern Miss basketball: Breaking down Jay Ladner’s 2024-25 roster
