NEFTALI ALVAREZ NEWS

Healthy heading into season Alvarez (foot) is healthy and ready for the 2024-25 season, per Andrew Abadie of PineBeltSports.com.

Impact Alvarez missed the entire 2023-24 season with a foot injury, but appears to be ready to go for his final year of eligibility. The senior guard averaged 7.8 points and 2.9 assists per game in 15 games for Southern Mississippi in 2022 before suffering the aforementioned foot injury. The Golden Eagles will look forward to having Alvarez and fellow guard Andre Curbelo healthy to start the 2024-25 season.

SEPTEMBER 26 • ROTOWIRE

Shut down for season The team announced Wednesday that Alvarez (foot) will not play for the remainder of the season, Sam Sklar of The Hattiesburg American reports.

Impact Alvarez has a past of foot injuries and underwent surgery for his current issue in October. He had a checkup with the doctor last week who reported that Alvarez was actually ahead of schedule, but with the team struggling through 13 games (6-7, 0-1 Sun Belt), head coach Jay Ladner did not think it was worth it to burn Alvarez's final year of eligibility for half a season. The 6-0 senior will continue his rehab and prepare to return as a graduate student for the 2024-25 campaign.

JANUARY 4 • ROTOWIRE

Misses out on opener Alvarez (foot) did not take the court in Monday's 64-42 victory over William Carey.

Impact Alvarez -- who started six times in 15 appearances last season -- appears on the Southern Miss roster but didn't take the court in the opener despite the Golden Eagles deploying 13 separate players. He was held out of the team's opening round NIT loss at the end of last season due to a foot injury, but it's unclear if the same issue is affecting his availability to begin the 2023-24 campaign. His next chance to take the court is Friday at Akron.

NOVEMBER 6, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Won't play Tuesday Alvarez (foot) is out for Tuesday's game versus UAB, Andrew Abadie of PineBeltSports.com reports.

Impact Alvarez will miss his second straight game Tuesday due to a foot injury. Southern Mississippi will have to beat UAB in order for Alvarez to have another chance of playing in the NIT.

MARCH 14, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Has foot injury Alvarez has a foot injury, according to Scott Watkins of the Sun Herald.

Impact Back in early-March and while practicing, Alvarez received the same foot injury he suffered a year prior against Mercer. Southern Mississippi's head coach Jay Ladner says progress is positive though, and he hopes that his point guard will return for the 2023 National Invitation Tournament, which begins against UAB on Tuesday.

MARCH 14, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Alvarez's 19 lead Southern Miss over Georgia Southern 73-62

Led by Neftali Alvarez's 19 points, the Southern Miss Golden Eagles defeated the Georgia Southern Eagles 73-62

FEBRUARY 18, 2023 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Southern Miss tops Louisiana 82-71 with win streaks on line

DeAndre Pinckney scored 22 points and Southern Mississippi beat Louisiana 82-71 for its eighth straight victory

FEBRUARY 10, 2023 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Finally sees floor Thursday Alvarez (undisclosed) returned to action Thursday versus South Alabama and finished with 0 points (0-3 FG, 0-1 3Pt), one rebound, one assist and a block in 10 minutes of action.

Impact Alvarez missed 16 straight games and had last played Nov. 14 due to an undisclosed injury that prevented him from taking the floor. The 6-0 junior had started the first three games of the year before getting hurt and will continue to ramp up his participation before possibly being re-inserted into the starting five.

JANUARY 20, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Suffers injury Alvarez suffered an undisclosed injury and is considered week-to-week moving forward, Rivals.com reports.

Impact Alvarez appears to have avoided a serious injury but will likely miss a few games. Alvarez was averaging 3.3 points, 2.3 assists, 1.7 rebounds and 1.7 steals in 20.7 minutes across the team's first three games.

NOVEMBER 18, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Mercer puts streak on line vs Ga. Southern

Mercer looks for its fifth straight victory of the season as it battles Georgia Southern

DECEMBER 9, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Mostafa, CCU host Mercer

Two forwards will be on display as Felipe Haase and Mercer will face Essam Mostafa and Coastal Carolina

DECEMBER 5, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Johnson leads Mercer past Kennesaw State 73-71

Jalen Johnson scored 18 points as Mercer narrowly beat Kennesaw State 73-71

DECEMBER 2, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Mercer looks to extend streak vs Kennesaw St.

Mercer looks for its 10th straight win in the head-to-head series over Kennesaw State

NOVEMBER 30, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Grant carries Mercer over Milligan 88-49

Shannon Grant had 18 points and Neftali Alvarez recorded 16 points as Mercer romped past Milligan 88-49

NOVEMBER 27, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Mercer goes up against Milligan

The Mercer Bears will be taking on the Buffaloes of NAIA member Milligan

NOVEMBER 25, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Middle Tenn. meets Mercer in Mexico

Middle Tennessee and Mercer will go at it in a postseason game at the Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya in Mexico

NOVEMBER 24, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Alvarez scores 22 to lift Mercer over Bucknell 78-68

Neftali Alvarez had 22 points as Mercer topped Bucknell 78-68 in the Cancun Challenge - Mayan Division

NOVEMBER 24, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Bucknell faces Mercer in Mexico

Bucknell is set to take on Mercer in a postseason game at the Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya in Mexico

NOVEMBER 22, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Thatch scores 20 to lead Saint Louis over Mercer 75-58

Fred Thatch Jr. had a career-high 20 points as Saint Louis got past Mercer 75-58

NOVEMBER 21, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

St. Louis hosts Mercer

Mercer takes on Saint Louis in an early season matchup

NOVEMBER 18, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Alvarez carries Mercer past Life University 78-50

Neftali Alvarez scored 17 points as Mercer easily beat Life University 78-50

NOVEMBER 17, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Mercer goes for first win vs Life University

The Mercer Bears are set to battle the Running Eagles of NAIA program Life University

NOVEMBER 15, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Hightower 3 lifts Winthrop past Mercer 88-85 in OT

Cory Hightower sank a 3-pointer with 4.2 seconds left to play, Patrick Good had 20 points and Winthrop made up a 15-point deficit to beat Mercer 88-85 in overtime

NOVEMBER 14, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

UNCG wins SoCon, gets NCAA berth after 69-61 win over Mercer

Isaiah Miller scored 25 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and had six assists as top-seeded UNC Greensboro earned a berth in the NCAA Tournament with a 69-61 win over seventh-seeded Merc...

MARCH 9, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Alvarez helps Mercer defeat VMI, gain 1st SoCon title game Neftali Alvarez scored 23 points, making a trio of 3-pointers, and seventh-seeded Mercer defeated Southern Conference tournament upstart VMI...

MARCH 8, 2021 • STARTRIBUNE.COM