HATTIESBURG, Miss. (AP) -Courtney Beasley and Jeremy Wise each scored 19 points as Southern Miss beat Alabama State 82-68 on Saturday.
The win was the first at home against an NCAA opponent for Southern Miss (5-3) after the team opened the season against four straight NAIA teams at home.
Beasley scored 10 points in the first half, helping the Golden Eagles overcome a 19-16 Alabama State (3-4) lead with a pair of baskets in an 8-1 run that gave the Southern Miss the lead for good.
His 3-pointer with 2 seconds to play in the first half gave Southern Miss a 41-34 halftime lead.
Brandon Gordon paced Alabama State with 16 points, all of them coming in the second half. Andrew Hayles scored 12 of his 14 points in the first half, helping the Hornets keep the game close.
Alabama State has lost two of its last three games.
Wise scored 13 points in the second half and the Hornets never got closer than six points.
Wise had a pair of baskets in a 9-2 run that returned Southern Miss' lead to double digits, 63-51 with 9:33 to play.
Craig Craft added 12 points for Southern Miss and Gjio Bain tied a career high with 16 rebounds.
