Feb. 5, 2008

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HATTIESBURG, Miss. (AP) -- Golden Eagles' Craig Craft scored a career-high 27 points and helped Southern Mississippi to 93-85 double-overtime win over UAB on Tuesday.

Southern Miss (12-10, 4-4 Conference USA) has won back-to-back games for the first time in over a month. The Blazers (15-7, 5-2) had a three game win streak snapped.

Craft hit a quick jumper to open the second overtime and give the Golden Eagles the lead for good. Jeremy Wise sunk all eight of his free throws in the second overtime and the Golden Eagles outscored UAB 15-7 in the final session.

Wise added 19 points for Southern Miss and Andre Stephens chipped in 14 and had a game-high nine rebounds. Sai'Quon Stone and Courtney Beasley added 11 points apiece for Southern Miss.

Robert Vaden led UAB with 26 points, while Channing Toney added 17 and Lawrence Kinnard put 16 on the board.

The Golden Eagles led by as much as 14 on two different occasions in the first half, thanks mostly to the shooting of Craft and some solid rebounding.

The Golden Eagles led 37-25 at halftime.

But Vaden scored 15 points for UAB in the second half and the Blazers slowly chipped away at the deficit.

Vaden and Toney combined for 26 points in the second half, and Vaden's shot inside the lane with 21 seconds to go in regulation tied the game at 72-72 and sent it into overtime.

The Blazers led by as much as three in the first overtime, but it took a free throw with 24 seconds left by Blazer guard Aaron Johnson to send the game into the second extra session at 78-78.