EMCC Lions conclude hoops campaign with 83-63 first-round loss to Ranger College in NJCAA Tournament

HUTCHINSON, Kan. – East Mississippi Community College's successful 2015-16 basketball season came to a close with an 83-63 first-round setback to 10^th-ranked Ranger College Tuesday afternoon at the NJCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament being played at the Hutchinson Sports Arena in Kansas.

Making their fifth national tournament appearance in the last seven years, the 22^nd-seeded EMCC Lions battled toe-to-toe with the tourney's No. 11 seed for the first eight minutes of the contest and took a 14-12 lead on a 3-pointer from Juan Davis Jr.  Ranger College responded with 11 unanswered points to move ahead, 23-14, and take control of the contest.

Entering the tournament holding their opponents to just 41-percent collective field-goal shooting and an average of only 52.7 points per game on the season, the Rangers limited EMCC to only 26-percent (8-of-31 FGs) shooting from the field in the opening half en route to taking charge with a 38-22 halftime advantage.  For the opening 20 minutes of play, the Lions were credited with two more turnovers (10) than total field goals made (eight).  In addition, the Lions were just 2-of-17 from beyond the three-point arc in the first half.

East Mississippi showed some spark coming out of the intermission by scoring seven of the first eight points of the second half to cut the deficit to 11 points (40-29).  Ranger College again answered a potential EMCC rally by going on an 8-1 run to lengthen the lead to 48-30 five minutes into the half.

Despite shooting an improved 48 percent (13-of-27 FGs) during the second stanza, the Lions would get no closer than 14 points the rest of the contest.  The Rangers connected on 20-of-35 (57%) of their second-half field goals in pushing the advantage to as many as 26 points (63-27) before settling for the 20-point outcome.

For the game, first-year head coach Billy Begley's 20-9 EMCC Lions shot just 36.2 percent (21-of-58 FGs) from the field, including 6-of-24 (25%) from three-point range.  Improving to 29-5 on the year, Ranger College connected on 49.3 percent (33-of-67 FGs) from the field overall, including 8-of-23 (34.8%) from the arc, and 75 percent (9-of-12 FTs) from the free throw line.

Individually, East Mississippi had four players score in double figures against Ranger College.  Davis and fellow sophomore Daniel Simmons tallied a dozen points apiece, while Davis added a team-high eight rebounds.  Freshmen Anterio McKines and James Jordan followed with 10 points each off the EMCC bench.

For the winners, Kris Clyburn scored a game-high 22 points on 8-of-12 field goals and 6-of-8 free throws.  Jonathan Perez added 13 points for Ranger College on 4-of-7 accuracy from behind the three-point arc.