HATTIESBURG &045; Don’t think Saturday’s performance by Jasper Johnson cannot be duplicated once the Southern Miss Golden Eagles get into tougher competition in Conference USA.

Besides, do you want to tell that to someone who’s 6-8 and 290 pounds?

The junior out of Hollandale Simmons was unstoppable Saturday night against Alcorn State as the Eagles handed their visitors from the SWAC a 82-61 win. The Eagles went to Johnson early and often, and he finished with 23 points and 10 rebounds while not having to shoot from outside of the block.

It matched his season high in points, but Johnson’s 10 boards was shy of his 12-rebound effort against Centenary.

&uot;I just wanted to come out and make up for last game,&uot; said Johnson, who had just four points in a win over Spring Hill. &uot;I didn’t give my team too much, and I just came out with a little more passion this game. It’s a team effort. We’ve got good guards and good shooters.&uot;

Johnson’s presence was too much for Alcorn, who can breathe somewhat of a sigh of relief at the fact the SWAC won’t have anyone of Johnson’s presence this season. But the Braves went with Rhau-Chavis Landfair and Ray Dotson in the post to stop Johnson and at one point went with a 2-3 zone in the first half to stop the inside game.

Dotson fouled out in six minutes, and Landfair spent time on the bench in foul trouble. Sophomore post Juan Wyatt sat out with a sore Achilles heel.

&uot;He gave us a lot of problems,&uot; Alcorn head coach Samuel West said. &uot;We practiced against that all week. We never did go over there and double him up like we practiced doing.&uot;

Johnson hit nothing but close-range buckets in the early going, and sometimes he got a feed from a ways out and merely drove in for a bucket. He accounted for 15 of the Eagles’ first 36 points of the game, including a three-point play that helped fuel a 15-0 run right at the start of the game.

Johnson put in a bucket with 2:50 left in the first half to give the Eagles a commanding 42-14 lead.

&uot;For him to get that many points and rebounds is impressive,&uot; USM head coach Larry Eustachy said. &uot;The way he’s playing, I think you’re seeing a guy who’s playing harder. It’s all about playing hard. In this game and at any level, you’ve got to play harder than the opponent. I thought we came out determined and played harder than we have all year to start the game.&uot;

The Braves struggled defensively in the post but fared better on the perimeter against the Golden Eagles. In a season that’s so far consisted of more turnovers that anyone would care to stand, the Braves have played better defense on the opposition’s backcourt.

The Eagles had 17 turnovers to the Braves’ 23. Natchez native David Haywood finished with seven points by hitting two field goals, including a 3-pointer, and two free throws.

&uot;It’s the beginning of the season, and we have a better defensive team than an offensive team,&uot; Alcorn point guard DeAndre Jones said. &uot;Defense is not a problem. We can defend anybody. You can learn from any loss, and our problem is turnovers. With this team right here, it’s turnovers and lack of discipline. I don’t know what to say &045; we went up against a better-coached team, and it shows.&uot;

The absence of Wyatt left the Braves a little depleted on both sides of the court. The former Jefferson County star actually went to midcourt twice Saturday night to check in before being called back to the bench.

That’s not the only injury to report &045; James Kendrick played sparingly while nursing an injury as did Almaad Jackson.

&uot;(Wyatt) could have made a big difference,&uot; West said.

The team was also missing David McCollum, who didn’t travel with the team. The junior guard was the boyfriend of Terlyn Pulliam, the Alcorn track standout killed in an auto accident Thursday night just outside campus.

McCollum had not practiced with the Braves up until Saturday.

&uot;He’s tore up pretty good,&uot; West said. &uot;I talk to him every day. The team is praying for him and making sure he doesn’t feel any guilt of letting the team down. We’re trying to stay a family.&uot;