The Southern Misssissippi Golden Eagles are hosting a three day basketball round robin tournament beginning today at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum.

The Gulf Coast Classic features not only the Golden Eagles, but the University of New Orleans, Louisiana Tech and Alcorn State as well. There will be two games each night beginning at 6 p.m., at the coliseum, with USM playing the late game probably set to begin around 8:30 p.m., all three nights.

USM comes into the event having won two straight games for the first time this year, Southern Miss (5-3) will open the Classic on Tuesday against New Orleans.

This will be just the 22nd meeting between the two schools. New Orleans leads the series, 11-10. Southern Miss has won four of the last five meetings.

New Orleans enters the tournament with a 7-1 record on the year. UNO is coming off a 71-56 victory over Savannah State.

On Wednesday, USM meets Louisiana Tech and then on Thursday the Golden Eagles close out play in the event by facing Alcorn State.

This is the first year of three straight years that USM is slated to host the Gulf Coast Classic.

The Golden Eagles haven’t played a game in the Coast Coliseum since 2004, when in head coach Larry Eustachy’s first year at the helm USM beat LSU in Biloxi.