Southern Miss holds off FAU to remain tied for first in Conference USA

USM senior forward Daveon Boardingham (11) slams home two points. (file photo)
USM senior forward Daveon Boardingham (11) slams home two points. (file photo)
USM senior forward Daveon Boardingham (11) slams home two points. (file photo)

BOCA RATON, Fla. (AP) — Daveon Boardingham scored 24 points, hitting 12 of 15 free throws, as Southern Miss outlasted Florida Atlantic 60-49 on Sunday.

Southern Miss (25-5, 12-3 Conference USA) moved into a first-place tie with Middle Tennessee with one game to play.

The Eagles went on a 9-0 run midway through the first half, as Florida Atlantic (10-20, 5-10) went scoreless for 7 minutes, en route to a 31-24 lead at the break.

FAU cut the lead to three on a Justin Raffington jumper with 5:30 left in the game. But Southern Miss responded with an 8-0 run as FAU made just one of its last five shots and turned it over three times in the last 4:22.

Aaron Brown added 15 points for USM, making all eight of his free throw attempts.

Raffington paced FAU with 14 points. Jackson Trapp had 11 and Tyler Pate added 10.