GAME NOTES: The Southern Miss Golden Eagles continue to bring up the rear in Conference USA as they challenge the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders on Thursday night at the Murphy Center.

Southern Miss, which won only once during the month of January and has dropped 11 of the last 12 outings overall, is a mere 1-8 in conference play in 2014-15 and that has the program alone in last place in the standings. The team is coming off a 73-62 loss to Western Kentucky at home over the weekend, leaving a 75-71 overtime decision against North Texas on the road on Jan, 24 as the lone C-USA triumph for the group.

Meanwhile, the Blue Raiders have played much better in league action, taking five of nine outings, good enough for sixth place in the standings. However, Middle Tennessee has also dropped back-to-back decisions, the latest being an 83-70 setback to UTEP on the road last Saturday at the Haskins Center.

Middle Tennessee won the first meeting of the season by a single point last month, 62-61, on the road. With the victory, the Blue Raiders lead the all- time series by a 3-1 margin.

With Western Kentucky in town, the Golden Eagles figured to have their hands full yet again and once more landed in the loss column. Chip Armelin tried to give the hosts a fighting chance with his 22 points and nine rebounds, but it wasn't enough. Norville Carey tacked on 16 points, six boards and five steals and Davon Hayes another 11 points off the bench as he converted all three of his 3-point tries.

Over the course of nine conference games, Armelin has been the head man on offense with his 17.7 ppg, shooting 48.3 percent from the field and also knocking down a team-best 20 3-pointers. However, at the defensive end the Golden Eagles have allowed foes to convert an average of 9.1 triples per contest at a 42.1 percent rate, and that has opponents outscoring Southern Miss by 11.0 ppg. Carey (13.3 ppg) and Matt Bingaya (11.8 ppg), along with Armelin, are each pulling down at least five rebounds per game in conference play.

Middle Tennessee was playing catch-up the entire game against UTEP the last time out, even though the visitors shot a respectable 49.0 percent from the floor in enemy territory. Before fouling out, Reggie Upshaw accounted for a double-double consisting of 15 points and 11 rebounds, both of which were team highs, as were his three assists. Jacquez Rozier pitched in with 12 points and another six rebounds, but it was the perimeter defense for the Blue Raiders that came up lame by allowing the Miners to knock down a staggering 12-of-16 shots behind the 3-point line.

Focusing on the season as a whole, the Blue Raiders don't have a single player scoring in double figures at the moment as they produce 62.0 ppg. Luckily they are giving up only 61.9 ppg so they are able to play better than .500 as they enter action against the Golden Eagles. Upshaw, a 45.5 percent shooter from the floor, is responsible for 9.7 ppg and is also first on the glass with 6.3 rpg for a group that makes a concerted effort to balance the scales as best as possible.

Against an opponent that doesn't have a singular standout performer on offense, the Golden Eagles might have a chance versus Middle Tennessee, although being on the road for such an endeavor limits that opportunity.