STWF Sports| HATTIESBURG, Miss.| October 21, 2026 — LSU New Orleans used a strong second-half surge and timely late-game execution to defeat Southern Miss 82-72 in Wednesday night’s exhibition matchup at Reed Green Coliseum.
Junior Solomon Ominu delivered one of the most complete performances of the night for the Privateers, finishing with 13 rebounds and nine points while going 3-for-3 from the field and 3-for-4 at the free-throw line.
His impact was especially important late.
With Southern Miss trying to complete a comeback, Ominu grabbed a crucial offensive rebound with just under two minutes remaining and kept the possession alive. That extra opportunity ended with Nick Jones scoring through traffic to push LSU New Orleans’ lead back to eight.
Ominu then knocked down two free throws with 1:30 remaining to help shut the door.
Privateers Seize Control in Second Half
The first half was tightly contested, featuring nine lead changes and seven ties before Southern Miss took a 30-29 advantage into the break.
Jones provided much of the early offense for LSU New Orleans, scoring 12 first-half points while also recording two steals.
Ominu was equally active on the defensive end, pulling down eight rebounds before halftime and altering several Southern Miss attempts around the rim.
Neither team found much offensive rhythm early, as both sides held the other below 40 percent shooting in the opening half.
That changed after the break.
A corner three-pointer from Cham Okey gave the Privateers their first lead of the second half at 40-39 with just over 13 minutes remaining.
A few minutes later, Kahlil Singleton connected from deep, and LSU New Orleans stretched the advantage to 59-49 with 9:35 left.
Southern Miss Pushes Back
The Golden Eagles did not go quietly.
Southern Miss trimmed the deficit to just two points after a scramble turned into a transition opportunity and dunk from Brandon Weston with 6:35 remaining.
That was the moment LSU New Orleans needed a response.
Kedrick Osby delivered it.
Osby knocked down a three-pointer, followed it with a fast-break steal, then finished the sequence with a right-handed dunk. The flurry restored a 10-point Privateers lead with 5:29 remaining and stopped Southern Miss’ momentum.
Osby finished with 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting, with 12 of those coming in the second half.
From there, Southern Miss never got closer than six points.
Jones Leads the Scoring
Jones finished as LSU New Orleans’ leading scorer with 19 points, going 5-of-16 from the floor and 7-of-11 from the free-throw line.
The Wagner transfer also added three steals and two blocks, giving the Privateers production on both ends.
Singleton chipped in 13 points, hit three three-pointers and went a perfect 4-for-4 at the line.
The Privateers also showed good late-game composure, knocking down free throws and controlling key possessions as Southern Miss tried to make one final run.
The result continues a trend from last season, when LSU New Orleans showed it could handle tough road environments.
For an exhibition, the game offered plenty of useful information.
The Privateers showed depth, responded under pressure and got meaningful contributions from several newcomers and returners.
Now, the focus turns to the regular season.
LSU New Orleans opens official play on Nov. 3 at LSU in Baton Rouge. Tipoff at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center is set for 7 p.m., with the game airing on SEC Network+ and locally on The Ticket 106.7 FM.
Photo Credit: Anthony Rhodes
