March 8, 2000
Box Score
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) -- Justin Love scored 25 points and grabbed six rebounds
Wednesday to lead Saint Louis to a 59-51 victory over Southern Miss in the
opening game of the Conference USA tournament.
Love, who hit his first three shots, was 7-of-17 from the field, but hit
half of his six shots from long range and converted 8-of-10 from the line to
lead the ninth-seeded Billikens (16-13) into a second round showdown with No. 1
Cincinnati, the tournament's top seed.
Maurice Jeffers added 12 for Saint Louis while Dave Fergerson had 10.
"Our guards played with great intensity," said Saint Louis coach Lorenzo
Romar. "We made big plays down the stretch, and our guys made them work for
everything they got."
David Wall led the Golden Eagles (17-12), also with 25, but was the only
Southern Mississippi player in double figures.
Wall's 3-pointer with just over six minutes remaining cut the Saint Louis lead
to 47-46. After Saint Louis baskets by Jeffers and Fergerson, Wall hit another 3
to keep Southern Mississippi, the tournament's No. 8 seed, close.
But Love then hit five points, including 3-of-4 free throws in the final
four minutes.
Saint Louis led 29-28 at the half behind Love's 10 points.
Three of the Golden Eagles' major front line forces -- Kilavorus Thompson,
Carlos Booker and reserve Vandarel Jones -- accounted for only 14 points.
