GAME NOTES: The North Texas Mean Green will attempt to win their third league game this season when they host the Southern Miss Golden Eagles on Saturday night in Conference USA action at the Super Pit.

The Golden Eagles head to North Texas on a nine-game losing streak that dates back to December 18. The most recent defeat was a 58-56 loss at Rice on Thursday. Southern Miss now sits at 0-6 in league play and 5-12 overall.

After starting 1-4 in 2015, the Mean Green picked up a much-needed victory on Thursday with a 73-66 win over Louisiana Tech. The victory bumped North Texas' conference record to 2-4 and overall record to 8-10.

This will the 23rd meeting between these programs on the hardwood, with Southern Miss leading the series 17-5. The teams last met on Jan. 9 when the Golden Eagles knocked off North Texas, 74-64.

Southern Miss shot 44.9 percent from the field against Rice, including 50 percent from 3-point distance. But Rice kept pace by connecting on 45.5 percent of its shot attempts throughout the game and erased a 10-point deficit in the second half to knock off the Golden Eagles. Southern Miss was outrebounded by the Owls, 32-23. Chip Armelin led the Eagles in scoring with 18 points.

Matt Bingaya leads Southern Miss in scoring with 14.2 ppg (11th in C-USA) with Armelin right behind him at 13.1 ppg. The Golden Eagles are last in C-USA in scoring offense (60.2 ppg), despite connecting on 44.6 percent of their field goal attempts. Southern Miss is allowing opponents to score 68.6 ppg on 47 percent of their shot attempts (last in C-USA). The Golden Eagles are also second to last in 3-point field-goal percent defense (.380) in league play. Southern Miss is in the red for rebounding margin (-4.2, second to last in C- USA) and turnover margin (-2.0, last in C-USA).

In the first half against Louisiana Tech, North Texas shot a very impressive 72 percent from the field, including 6-of-9 from beyond the arc, and took a 49-28 lead into halftime. But in the final period, the Mean Green converted just 27.6 percent of their field-goal tries. Luckily, North Texas was able to hold the Bulldogs to a 42.4 shooting percentage in the closing 20 minutes, which helped the Mean Green secure the victory. North Texas outrebounded Louisiana Tech, 43-33. Jeremy Combs finished with a double-double of 16 points and 13 rebounds and was one of four players to score 16 points for the Mean Green.

Jordan Williams is the top scorer for North Texas with 15.4 ppg, the eighth best average in C-USA. The Mean Green average 64.1 ppg and net 43.1 percent of its field goal attempts. North Texas is however second to last in C-USA in free throw percentage (.620) and 3-point shooting (.292). Defensively, opponents score 67.3 ppg and connect on 43.1 percent of their field-goal tries against the Mean Green.

Southern Miss has scored 70 or more points just once during its losing streak, while North Texas managed to hold C-USA's top scoring offense to just 66 points. Look for the Mean Green to play solid defense against a less- threatening offense and secure an easy victory.