EMCC basketball teams to host Alabama Southern Tuesday and open division play Thursday at Northeast Mississippi

SCOOBA – Following the Thanksgiving holiday break, the East Mississippi Community College basketball teams will be back in action this week with a Tuesday home doubleheader against Alabama Southern followed by Thursday's MACJC North Division openers at Northeast Mississippi.

Tuesday's home hoops twinbill, set for 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. tip-offs at EMCC's Keyes T. Currie Coliseum on the Scooba campus, will feature early-season rematches with the Eagles of Alabama Southern Community College.  Both EMCC squads successfully opened their respective 2014-15 seasons a month ago (Nov. 4) by sweeping ASCC in Monroeville.  The Lady Lions used a 21-9 scoring advantage at the free throw line to earn a 71-59 road victory over Alabama Southern, while the Lions had five players score in double figures en route to their 95-80 season-opening triumph.

Ranked 24^th nationally in the NJCAA's Top 25 preseason poll, head coach Mark White's 2-1 EMCC Lions have been idle since dropping a 99-88 decision at East Central Community College back on Nov. 13.  Their lone home action thus far resulted in an 85-76 victory over rival Meridian Community College on Nov. 6.

Averaging 89.3 points per game offensively to open the campaign, the EMCC Lions feature six different players scoring at least nine points an outing thus far on the year.  Leading the way is sophomore guard Antonio Finley at 22 points per game.  The former Meridian High School standout has scored 20 or more points in all three games to date while shooting 47 percent from the field, including 16-of-35 (46%) from three-point range, and 67 percent from the charity stripe.

Additionally, freshman guard La'Datren Deas, from Pascagoula, is averaging 10.7 points, including a 24-point effort (6-9 FGs & 11-12 FTs) off the bench in EMCC's season-opening win at Alabama Southern.  In the frontcourt for the Lions, freshman forward Jahyde Gardiner, from Philadelphia, Pa., is averaging a double-double with 10.7 points and 10.7 rebounds through his first three collegiate outings. 

Looking to snap a three-game losing skid, head coach Sharon Thompson's 2-4 EMCC Lady Lions have played all but one of their six contests to date on the road.  Along with knocking off Alabama Southern in the season opener, the EMCC women posted a 74-61 victory at Lawson State on Nov. 10.  However, the Lady Lions have struggled since then by sustaining sizeable road setbacks to East Central (89-61), Shelton State (92-55) and Jones County (90-64). 

Individually, the Lady Lions have been led by former Columbus High School standout Ki-Ki Patterson.  The former Parade All-American is averaging 16.3 points through her first six collegiate games, including three outings with 20 or more points. Along the frontline, the EMCC women are getting 7.8 points and 10 rebounds per game from sophomore transfer forward Ashley Johnson.  The New Orleans native posted double-double performances against Meridian (19 points & 13 rebounds) and most recently at Jones County (11 pts/12 rebs).

After resuming action Tuesday at home, the East Mississippi basketball teams will venture to Booneville on Thursday to begin MACJC North Division play against Northeast Mississippi.  Thursday's division doubleheader is slated to tip off with a 5:30 p.m. women's game followed by a 7:30 p.m. men's contest at Bonner Arnold Coliseum on the NEMCC campus.

A season ago in the head-to-head series meetings, the EMCC basketball teams swept Northeast Mississippi both in Scooba and Booneville.  The Lions prevailed, 71-53, at home and on the road, 95-59, last year against the Tigers, as did the Lady Lions (64-46 & 80-67) en route to claiming the MACJC North Division regular-season championship.  

Exciting EMCC basketball action will be live video-streamed again this season on www.EMCCAthletics.com/live with EMCC Director of Digital Media Matt Pellegrin handling play-by-play duties during men's and women's broadcasts.