Lions put five players in double digits in 87-62 home victory over Coahoma

SCOOBA – The East Mississippi Community College basketball teams closed out a successful week of home hoops action by sweeping Coahoma during Thursday night MACJC North Division play at Keyes T. Currie Coliseum.  Following the Lady Lions' 56-45 win over CCC, the EMCC Lions had five players score in double figures during their 87-62 nightcap victory over the Tigers.

The home-standing EMCC Lions never trailed during the men's nightcap.  Consecutive baskets by sophomore guard Terryonte Thomas gave the home team an 11-point lead (18-7) six minutes into the contest.  The margin grew to 20 points (34-14) by the 5:24 mark on a pair of Robert Davis Jr. free throws.

Maintaining their excellent shooting from the field (29-of-57 FGs for 51%) and the charity stripe (22-of-24 FTs for 92%) throughout the contest, the Lions' 42-19 halftime advantage increased to 30 points (66-36) midway through the second stanza on Darrious Agnew's seventh consecutive made field goal of the game.  The sophomore forward from Starkville hit all seven of his shot attempts from the field for the game en route to a 14-point outing.

After their lead ballooned to as many as 32 points on a couple of occasions late in the contest, the Lions' 25-point victory marked their fifth straight series win over Coahoma.            

Coach Billy Begley's 13-7 EMCC Lions remained tied with Northeast Mississippi atop the MACJC North Division men's standings with identical 7-2 marks.  Davis led the way against Coahoma with 15 points on the strength of 8-of-8 accuracy from the charity stripe.  Agnew was joined by former Starkville High School teammate Donte Powers, who tied his season high with 14 points. Sophomore guard Dewayne Cox was the third member of EMCC's 14-point club, while Thomas, a New Hope High School product, followed with 13 points.

Dropping to 7-13 overall and 2-7 in division play, the Coahoma men were led by Dequan Morris and Tiras Bolden with 13 points apiece for the Tigers.

Fresh off their hot-shooting performance earlier in the week against Holmes, the EMCC women got off to a slow start offensively against Coahoma by trailing, 14-9, at the end of the first quarter.  The Lady Lions responded by making a 12-3 run over the final 5:30 of the second quarter to take a slim 26-23 halftime lead.

As both teams struggled making shots coming out of the break, only nine combined points were scored during the third quarter.  Coahoma went without a made field goal and managed only a pair of made free throws during the 10-minute period.  EMCC's 7-2 advantage during the third quarter increased the margin to 33-25 heading into the final period.

The Lady Lions maintained their comfortable lead throughout the fourth quarter and ultimately ended up with their largest lead of the game when the final buzzer sounded.  The 11-point victory secured EMCC's third consecutive season series sweep over Coahoma.

Improving to 9-11 overall and 6-3 in MACJC North Division play with their third straight win, Coach Sharon Thompson's EMCC Lady Lions were led freshman guard Tye Metcalf with a game-high 19 points.  On the heels of her career-high, 25-point effort earlier in the week against Holmes, sophomore forward Brianna Page registered a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds versus the Lady Tigers.

The Coahoma women fell to 6-14 overall and 1-8 within the division.  Walneika Holmes led the way with 17 points, while Arianna Thigpen and D'Zondria Young followed with 11 and 10 points, respectively, for the visitors.

Riding three-game winning streaks, the East Mississippi basketball teams will venture to Senatobia to take on the Rangers of Northwest Mississippi Monday evening.  A 5 p.m. women's game will be followed by a 7 p.m. men's contest at Howard Coliseum on the NWCC campus.  Monday's MACJC North Division hoops doubleheader is slated to be live streamed at www.EMCCAthletics.com/live with Austin Buchanan set to call the play-by-play action.