No. 8 EMCC falls 79-76 in OT to Baton Rouge to snap 18-game home win streak

SCOOBA – The eighth-ranked Lions of East Mississippi Community College had their 18-game home winning streak snapped with Monday's 79-76 overtime setback to Baton Rouge Community College at Keyes T. Currie Coliseum. 

EMCC's Lions held the early advantage with three different eight-point leads during the opening 10 minutes of the first half.  The visiting Bears closed the gap and took the lead on a couple of occasions before maintaining a slim 33-32 halftime edge.

Battling from behind to begin the second stanza, the home-standing Lions initially dug themselves a hole when sophomore Micah Walker was hit with two unsportsmanlike conduct technical fouls.  Resulting free throws by BRCC's DeShawn Washington increased the visitors' lead to seven points (53-46) by the 12:31 mark.

Ignited by the play of sophomore transfer Jarekious Bradley along with freshmen Jacolby Mobley and Adrian Edwards, the Lions scored 10 unanswered points midway through the half to turn a 55-49 deficit into a 59-55 lead with eight minutes remaining in regulation.  As EMCC held onto the narrow lead, a pair of Bradley 3-pointers seemingly put the Lions in good position on top 70-64 with just 1:20 left to play.

Another momentum changer in the contest went against the Lions minutes later when Washington was fouled by Mobley on a made three-point field goal.  The subsequent made charity toss made it a two-point contest with a minute left in regulation.  Following a missed runner in the lane by EMCC freshman point guard Nick Giles, Baton Rouge's Morris Wright scored on a driving shot off the glass to knot the score at 70-70 with 8.5 ticks left.  The Lions had a chance to take the contest in regulation, but Bradley's 3-pointer misfired at the buzzer.

During the extra period, Jeffrey Walker scored seven of Baton Rouge's nine points in overtime.  His left-handed drive to the basket put the Bears on top 78-76 with 35.3 seconds remaining.  Walker then rebounded the second of two costly free throw misses by EMCC's A.J. Wade and went to the line.  His 1-of-2 effort at the stripe extended BRCC's lead to 79-76 with 15.8 seconds left in the contest.

As they did at the end of regulation, the Lions again had their chances during the final seconds of overtime.  Bradley, who scored 29 of his season-high 34 points following intermission, could not tie the score by missing a 3-pointer during the waning seconds.  EMCC received another potential opportunity when Wright fouled Giles with 5.1 ticks left to become the fourth Baton Rouge player to foul out in the contest.  Even after Giles misfired on both charity tosses – the 18^th and 19^th misses from the line for the Lions on the night – EMCC got yet another chance when BRCC's John Isaac was called for traveling when he fell to the floor after securing the second free throw miss.  However, a second overtime was not in the cards for the home team on this night, as Edwards' step-back, three-point attempt at the buzzer failed to connect.

Falling to 2-1 on the season with their first home loss since Jan. 5, 2011 (Shelton State), the Lions also received 11 points apiece from Mobley and Walker.  Bradley, a transfer from Midland College (Texas) by way of Memphis East High School, added a dozen rebounds to record his second double-double of the young season.

Evening their record to 2-2 on the year, the Bears of Baton Rouge were paced by Wright and Washington with 22 and 20 points, respectively.  Walker added 18 points for the winners, including seven clutch points during the overtime period.

Coach Mark White's Lions will go two weeks before returning to competition on Tuesday, Nov. 26 by taking on Georgia Highlands College in Rome.