On the post-game radio show after Southern Miss’ 66-41 loss to Southern Illinois, head coach Jay Ladner announced that junior guard Tae Hardy was out for the year due to a shoulder injury he sustained against Montana.
After missing the South Alabama and SIU games, it was originally believed that Hardy would return to the lineup in a short amount of time, with the team anticipating his return to be this upcoming Saturday’s game against Loyola (New Orleans).
However, Hardy received an MRI on Friday and learned that he had a torn labrum in his shoulder. Since losing Hardy, Southern Miss (4-5) is on a three-game losing streak, with the team also dealing with a flu outbreak during their recent road trip.
“One of the biggest things that he has that high basketball I.Q.,” Ladner told Pine Belt Sports. “He does the tough things and gets on the floor for loose balls, but he also keeps the other guys organized out there. He is that quarterback on the floor type of guy. It’s a big blow to us, and of course, he is down about it real bad. He’s competitive and wants to play. Those things are unfortunate, but they just happen sometimes. It came at a really bad time for us.”
According to Ladner, Hardy is eligible to take a medical redshirt, which would leave the Pearl River CC product with two more years of eligibility, one of which comes from the extra year granted after the COVID-19 season.
The loss of Hardy leaves Ladner trying to fill a void in the lineup. Hardy was the team’s leading scorer in seven games as he averaged 13.7 points per game.
Without Hardy, Ladner says that he and the rest of the team will have to depend on Covid-freshman guard Jaron Pierre Jr. and junior forward DeAndre Pinckney.
“I think the two most likely guys that have proven that they can score and just haven’t got on track are Jaron Pierre and Deandre Pinkney,” Ladner said. “Both showed it last year at times and had at times this year. Both of them are better offensive players than they have played in our first nine games. I think those are the most likely too (step-up).”
This season, Pierre has averaged 6.2 points and 3.1 rebounds per game and is tied with Hardy in 3-pointers made this season (10). Pinckney, who stands at 6-foot-8, has averaged 5.7 points per game and five rebounds per game, which is the second-most on the team.
Ladner has said that he plans to tweak the lineup in one of two ways this upcoming week. The two different front courts will either include a larger lineup and or a smaller one.
“My initial thought would be to go big,” Ladner said. “My first thought is to move Deandre Pinkney in the lineup in (Hardy’s) sport. That would put with you a Rashad Bolden, Walyn Napper, or Mo Arnold at the one. Then Jaron at the two spot and then Deandre at the three spot.”
“A second option is to insert say Walyn Napper and stay with Jaron and Rashad and play a little smaller in the two and three. Those are the two options I think we would do. Of course, I’ll have to wait and see how we look in practice to decide which way we are going to go. It could be one of those deals where we try it one way, and if that doesn’t work, we’ll go with the other way.”
The Golden Eagles will play Loyola on Dec. 11 at 2 p.m., followed by another home game against Jacksonville. Southern Miss will then go on the road to face Louisiana-Monroe and East Carolina to close the non-conference schedule.
Southern Miss will then start C-USA play on Dec. 30 at home against Western Kentucky.
