EMCC basketball splits at Coahoma with 88-62 women’s win and 64-60 men’s setback

CLARKSDALE – In the resumption of division action following the holiday break, the East Mississippi Community College basketball teams earned a doubleheader road split with Coahoma Community College Thursday night at the Pinnacle.  The EMCC women stayed unbeaten in MACJC North Division play with an easy 88-62 victory, while the Lions dropped a 64-60 decision to the Tigers in the men's nightcap.

After pulling out to 24-13 advantage at the end of the opening quarter in women's action, EMCC extended a three-point lead during the early stages of the second quarter to 51-26 by the halftime break after outscoring the Lady Tigers, 25-3, to close the half.

EMCC's domination continued following the break as the cushion ballooned to 34 points (77-43) late in the third quarter.  While shooting 51 percent from the floor and 79 percent from the line for the contest, the Lions' 26-point road victory improved their overall record to 7-4 and 2-0 in division play.

Sophomores Quantesha Patterson and Anissia May combined to score exactly half of EMCC's points on the night.  An all-region performer a year ago, Patterson recorded her 20^th career double-double by scoring 24 points on 10-of-13 shooting and matching her career high with 15 rebounds.  Coming off her career best of 22 points against East Central earlier in the week, May continued her hot streak with 20 points versus Coahoma.

Also for head coach Sharon Thompson's EMCC Lions, freshman Tyeisha Juhan registered her first collegiate double-double with 15 points and 14 rebounds.

Falling to 1-11 on the season, the Lady Tigers were led by Kayla Rogers' 16 points.

During the hard-fought men's nightcap, the Lions jumped out to a quick 14-3 start before Coahoma battled back to take a 24-21 lead with six minutes remaining in the first half.  Following a 30-30 deadlock at the intermission, the two teams were knotted four more times before heading into the final 10 minutes of the contest.

EMCC gained a little breathing room by going on a 12-2 run to take a double-digit lead (55-45) with a little more than eight minutes left in the game.  The Lions then went cold from the field and Coahoma took advantage by scoring 10 unanswered points to even up the score yet again at 55-all with four minutes remaining.

After the teams traded lead changes heading into the final minute of play, the Tigers reclaimed the advantage for good when Cortavious Miller's strong finish inside made it 61-60 with 44 seconds left.  The Lions appeared primed to answer again, but Keith Harris missed two free throws with 20 seconds on the game clock and then fouled on the rebound scramble to send CCC's Malik Bailey to the line.  Bailey made both charity tosses to stretch the margin to three points.  Bailey then all but sealed Coahoma's second win of the season by hitting 1-of-2 subsequent free throws with 12 ticks left after getting fouled in the backcourt following an EMCC turnover.

Falling below the .500 mark at 5-6 overall with their third straight loss, head coach Billy Begley's EMCC Lions, 1-1 in division play, received a season-high 21 points from sophomore Josh Skinner as the team's lone double-digit scorer on the night.  The Starkville product hit 6-of-8 shots from the field, including 3-of-3 from beyond the arc, and 6-of-6 from the charity stripe.

Improving to 2-9 overall on the season, the Coahoma men were led by Miller and Tarquise Harris with 16 points apiece.

The East Mississippi basketball teams continue division play on the road Tuesday (Jan. 17) by taking on the Tigers of Northeast Mississippi Community College in Booneville.  A 5:30 p.m. women's game will be followed by a 7:30 p.m. men's contest at NEMCC's Bonner Arnold Coliseum.