JAMES GIBBARD/Tulsa WorldSouthern Miss forward Norville Carey prepares to go up for a shot guarded by UTEP's Julian Washburn during the Conference USA Tournament in Tulsa in March. Carey will visit his hometown in the Virgin Islands when USM travels to a tournament there.

JAMES GIBBARD TULSA WORLD

HATTIESBURG -- Southern Miss sophomore Norville Carey figures to see a few friends and relatives this week when the Golden Eagles play in the BVI Tropical Shootout in the Virgin Islands.

The site of the tournament, you see, is in Tortola, British Virgin Islands, the home of Carey.

Just how far is it from Carey's home to the arena?

"About a 10 or 15-minute walk," he said.

Carey said he didn't know how any people would be at the game against Coppin State at 9 p.m. today or the one Saturday against either Jacksonville State or Arkansas-Little Rock.

But Southern Miss basketball coach Donnie Tyndall said the sky's the limit.

"The tournament director actually contacted us because our guy, Norville Carey, he's a folk hero over there," Tyndall said. "People love him, and people are so proud of the fact that he's one of the few guys who have gotten out of the country and are playing at a major Division I school."

Carey, at 6-foot-7, is averaging 3.2 points and 1.9 rebounds per game this season. He has played in nine

Excerpt from:

Virgin Islands tournament serves as homecoming for USM's Carey