Southern Miss MBB Shows 'Toughness and Grit' In Slump-Busting Sun Belt Win

The Southern Miss men's basketball team secured a much-needed victory at home over James Madison on Saturday.

Southern Miss forward Tylik Weeks takes the ball down the floor. / @SouthernMissMMB / X

HATTIESBURG – Following a tough five-game losing streak, the Southern Miss men's basketball team finally broke through at Reed Green Coliseum on Saturday with a 73-65 win over James Madison. With the win, the Golden Eagles improved to 12-12 overall and 6-6 in Sun Belt Conference play, putting them in ninth place, while the Dukes dropped to 11-12 overall and 4-7 in conference play.

"Really proud of the team today," head coach Jay Ladner tells Southern Miss Golden Eagles On SI. "I thought we set the tone on the defensive end early, and I was very proud to see that.  I thought we played defense the way it is supposed to be played, with toughness and grit."

Set the tone, they did, as Southern Miss held James Madison to just 21 points in the first half. In the second half, though, the Golden Eagles' offense picked up the slack, scoring 44 points, including 31 in the final 10 minutes to close out the victory.

His name is Tylik Weeks #SCTOP10 @SportsCenter | @espn https://t.co/SfaH9UikQo pic.twitter.com/Fc6ACw073N

— Southern Miss MBB (@SouthernMissMBB) January 31, 2026

With Southern Miss trailing 43-42 with 10:08 remaining, junior forward Tylik Weeks completely took over the game, scoring 18 of his game-high 28 points during that span. Weeks shot 7-13 overall, 14-18 from the free throw line, grabbed six rebounds, and dished out three assists in 36 minutes of action.

Offense has been a struggle for Southern Miss at times this season, especially with junior guard Isaac Taveras being out with a hand injury since December, but Weeks, who is affectionately called "Bully" by his teammates and the fan base, has consistently been a bright spot when it comes to scoring the ball. His relentlessness in attacking the paint is admirable and captures the essence of Southern Miss grit.

Israel "Izzy" Hart (#0, left), Tegra Izay (#22, middle) and Tylik Weeks (#4, right) look on as the crowd at Reed Green Coliseum cheers. / @SouthernMissMMB / X

Graduate guard Dalyn Brandon had only appeared in nine games this season before starting in today's game, but he provided a massive spark for the Golden Eagles by putting up eight points (3-4 FG), three rebounds, one steal, and two blocks in 24 minutes of action. With only seven regular-season games remaining and Sun Belt Tournament seeding on the line, Brandon made a great case for getting more consistent playing time going forward.

DALYN BRANDON ARE YOU SERIOUS 😱😱😱#SCTOP10 | @SportsCenter | @espn pic.twitter.com/PPPo8WTQ4B

— Southern Miss MBB (@SouthernMissMBB) January 31, 2026

As for Taveras, Coach Ladner said the team is expecting to have him back in action next weekend for Saturday's home game against Kent State. This would give Taveras six full games to get back in a groove and knock off some rust before tournament time. Ladner and the crew are excited to be close to having Taveras back, as he was averaging 15.8 points and 6.7 rebounds while shooting 53.7 percent from the floor before injuring his hand.

"We’ve played without Isaac since mid-December, who, at the time he was injured, was our leading scorer," Ladner said. "His return will alleviate a lot of the defensive pressure (that has been on) "Bully" Weeks. ... Excited about getting him back."

Next up, the Golden Eagles will fly to Huntington, WV, to take on a talented Marshall squad that is currently fourth in the Sun Belt standings with a 14-8 overall record and 6-4 conference record. Marshall is also 10-2 at home this season, so Coach Ladner, Weeks, and the rest of the crew will have their work cut out for them.