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HATTIESBURG, Miss. — Tyler Stevenson became the 39th Golden Eagle to surpass the 1,000-point milestone on Wednesday night, as the Southern Miss men’s basketball team defeated the Southeastern Baptist Chargers, 100-50.

The Golden Eagles were able to suffocate the Chargers on defense, as Southeastern Baptist was held to a shooting percentage of 30.9. Southern Miss recorded the most points, assists (25), steals (13) and field goals made (40) in a game this season, as the Black & Gold improved to 6-11 on the year.

Southern Miss recorded the second-highest shooting percentage of the 2021-22 season, as it was successful on 58 percent of its field goals. The Golden Eagles dominated in the lane, with 56 points inside the paint against the Chargers.

Stevenson, with his 29-point performance, tied Randolph Keys and Casey Fischer as the 23rd-fastest player to reach the 1,000-point milestone and is just the 17th men’s basketball player to amass 1,000 points and 500 rebounds as a member of the Black & Gold.

“It was just a really good feeling,” Stevenson said, “In high school, I didn’t get the chance to reach 1,000 points, with me being a late bloomer. I’ve got to thank God, my teammates and my coaches for helping me get there.”

Southern Miss relied on its depth throughout the contest, as 12 Golden Eagles recorded points in the win. The Golden Eagle bench picked up 39 points, as Jaron Pierre Jr. picked up 15 points as a reserve for the Black & Gold. 

Stevenson joined the 1,000-point club just over five minutes into the first half. The Columbus, Miss. native provided a spark in the opening moments of the contest, with 11 points on 5-of-6 shooting as Southern Miss took a 15-4 lead over the Chargers with 14:29 remaining in the opening frame.

The Golden Eagles continued to dominate as Southern Miss caught fire with a four-minute, 12-0 run, fueled by points from Stevenson and Pierre. Pierre dominated on both sides of the ball in the opening half, with 10 points, a trio of three-pointers, a pair of blocks and a steal.

Southern Miss racked up the most points scored in a half in head coach Jay Ladner’s tenure, as the Black & Gold took a 57-29 lead into the break. Stevenson completed the first half with 25 points with a shooting percentage of 78.5 from the field, as the Golden Eagles scored the most points in an opening half since Dec. 3, 2017 against Rust.

The second half saw Southern Miss’ dominance continue, as the Chargers had no response for the Golden Eagles’ explosive offense. Powered by DeAndre Pinckney’s 12 points, Southern Miss outscored Southeastern Baptist, 43-21 in the second frame.

The Golden Eagles finished the game with an 11-0 run, which saw freshman guard Blake Roberts pick up the first points of his collegiate career. The Black & Gold finished the contest with 40 made field goals, the most in the Ladner era.

Stevenson’s 29-point output tied his career-best, as Southern Miss recorded its first 100-point game since Jan. 26, 2019 against Marshall. The Golden Eagles improve to 2-0 against Southeastern Baptist in the all-time series and have scored 100 or more points in both contests.

Up next, the Golden Eagles travel to Murfreesboro, Tenn. for a Conference USA matchup with the MTSU Blue Raiders. Tip-off is slated for 5 p.m. and the contest will be streamed on ESPN+.