Getting to Know Cy Merrett, One of Southern Miss' Promising New 'Blue-Collar' Guards

HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Despite lacking 3-point shooting and playing through injuries at times last season, the Southern Miss men's basketball team still ended up being the only Division I team in Mississippi to post a winning record due to its unrelenting grit on both sides of the court, but especially on defense.

As head coach Jay Ladner and his staff carefully assembled the 2026-27 roster, several important areas were taken into consideration, including adding more shooting from deep with guys like Anthony Igiede, Camden Cerese and Elliot Tulip, to name a few. But adding players who specialize in perimeter defense and getting downhill on offense was a priority as well.

Southern Miss sophomore guard Cy Merrett, who transferred in from Southwest Mississippi CC, certainly fits that description, and the coaching staff is excited about his potential as he continues to grow throughout his young career. This week, Southern Miss Golden Eagles On SI spoke with Merrett to find out how he's liking Hattiesburg so far, what he's planning to bring to this year's team, his expectations for the season and more.

Why Southern Miss

Southern Miss Basketball, Cy Merrett — Southern Miss guard Cy Merrett chose the Golden Eagles because he felt like the coaching staff had his best interests in mind. | Southern Miss Athletics

In today's college athletics climate, it's increasingly difficult for non-P4 programs to retain talent from year to year. Ladner and his staff know this, but instead of fighting the inevitable, they've taken the approach of pouring everything into the players they do bring in, no matter how long they have them for. Developing talent on the court is important, but developing respectful young men off the court matters a great deal too, and that's something about the Golden Eagles' staff that really stood out to Merrett during his recruiting process.

“Honestly, and just in recruiting alone, they were telling me they wanted me to create value for myself, and I knew out of the gate, they knew out of the gate, how college works now. Not everybody stays for that long a period of time," Merrett said.

"So their big thing was they wanted to develop me and wanted me to come out here and just play basketball and just teach me the right way. That just kind of caught my eye immediately. They really just want the best for me. And that's what really made me want to be at Southern Miss.”

Southern Miss Basketball at Reed Green Coliseum. | Photo by Matt Colville, Stadium Journey

You never know how long you'll have these kids around these days, but the goal for the Southern Miss coaching staff is to love on these guys, help them create value for both themselves and the program, and then hope that those bonds become strong enough to make them want to stick around a little longer to try to build a legacy.

“I’ve really enjoyed my time since I've been here," said Merrett, a New Orleans native. "This is my second year living in Mississippi. I came from Southwest [Mississippi CC]. So the people are really nice. Everybody treats each other like family. We have a big staff of guys full of GAs and managers, and they always make sure that we’re taken care of. … I’ve really enjoyed it since I've been here.”

Making the Jump from JUCO to DI

During his freshman year at Southwest Mississippi CC, Merrett averaged 13.5 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.3 assists while earning Second Team All-MACCC honors. Although he's yet to play a game at Southern Miss, he can already tell a difference in the physicality of the game jumping from JUCO to DI.

“The physicality part of it is the big difference for me," Merrett said. "I feel like just being with guys that match me physically. Now I have to really show my skills and what I really have.”

Although it's been an adjustment period for him, Merrett still projects to get rotation minutes this season, which speaks to his talent and how hard he's been working over the offseason.

“At the end of the day, it's still basketball," Merrett said of his transition from JUCO to DI. "I'm confident in my abilities to go out there and score and make plays. Now it's just getting up reps, staying in the gym, staying confident in myself.

"Over the summer, I was coming off of a foot injury, but I was just trying to stay in the gym and stay confident in what I was doing. I think overall, something I've gotten better at, just from a point guard standpoint, is making the right reads and knowing what to do. It’s just a different level from JUCO. Being in the gym, watching film and just being coachable and asking questions really helped me out.”

Thanks to the NCAA's new five-year eligibility rule, Merrett still has four years of eligibility remaining, including this season, to continue to grow his game.

Playing a 'Blue-Collar' Style of Basketball

Standing 6-foot-5 and weighing 200 pounds with an impressive wingspan, Merrett is a big, physical guard who figures to give opponents fits when he's on the floor. Although he plans to make a name for himself defensively, he's also capable of providing a scoring punch in spurts off the bench while serving as an additional ball handler alongside Jalyke Gianes-Wyatt or Camden Cerese. The minutes will work themselves out over time, but in the meantime, the coaching staff has conveyed what kind of role they envision for him going forward, and he's more than ready to see that role through.

“My role is to get downhill and make plays, draw fouls, and just hang my hat on defense," Merrett said. "Coach Ladner, he always says that this is a blue-collar school, and I feel like defensively, I’m a really good defensive player. … I feel like I could really shock a lot of people defensively and then, and then show my offense too.”

USM Basketball — Southern Miss head coach Jay Ladner looks on during a 2025-26 game. | Southern Miss Athletics

And as for the potential of this year's roster? It's no surprise that Merrett believes this version of Southern Miss men's basketball is heading for a special year. And the reason he feels that way is not only due to the overall talent of the Golden Eagles, but also the selfless, hard-working attitudes that he and all his teammates possess.

“I feel like we can make it very far. I think we could shock a lot of people," Merrett said. "Ever since we got here in June, we’ve just kind of been together, and this is probably one of the first teams I've been on where it's just a lot of hard workers, a lot of people just willing to come in every day and work. That's different for me. I’ve never really been in that. So I think this is going to be a great year.”

Merrett is far from a finished product, but he has a high ceiling and appears to have the work ethic necessary to eventually take that next step in his development. There are many valuable pieces to this Southern Miss men's basketball puzzle for this upcoming 2026-27 season, but be sure to keep an eye on what No. 3 is doing out there along the way.

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