EMCC Lions hang on for 62-61 win over Itawamba in road hoops opener

FULTON — Making their road season debut, the Lions of East Mississippi Community College escaped Davis Event Center with a narrow 62-61 victory over the Indians of Itawamba Community College during Thursday's MACCC North Division men's basketball action played on the ICC campus.

Hitting five of their first six attempts from three-point range in the opening half, the visiting Lions built a 16-point advantage (34-18) late in the half en route to maintaining a 38-24 halftime advantage.

In a classic tale of two halves, the home-standing Indians scored the first seven points of the second stanza to cut EMCC's lead in half (38-31) three minutes into the half.  After put-back baskets by Arecko Gipson Jr. and Jakorie Smith temporarily bumped the margin back up to double digits, ICC went on a 14-5 run to trim the Lions' lead to 47-45 by the midway point of the second half.

Aided by a pair of Romeo Sanders baskets off the bench, the visitors later pulled ahead by six points (55-49).  After EMCC starters Smith and Elijah Newsome both picked up their fourth personal fouls with just under seven minutes remaining in the game, the Indians took advantage by scoring nine unanswered points during the subsequent three-minute stretch to reclaim the lead, 58-55.

ICC then had a chance to extend its lead at the charity stripe, but TJ Wallace and Brandon Brown both came up empty on consecutive two-shot fouls to keep it a three-point contest heading into the game's final three minutes.  Providing a needed spark off the bench, EMCC sophomore guard Traemond Pittman scored five straight points and made a key steal over the next two minutes to put the Lions back ahead, 62-58, with 44 seconds left.

After ICC's Brown scored a basket and converted 1-of-2 free throws to make it a one-point contest, EMCC's Gipson was sent to the line for a 1-and-1 opportunity with 9.8 ticks remaining.  Brown rebounded the missed front end and went the length of the floor with time running down before Gipson knocked the ball loose in the lane prior to any shot attempt.

With their seventh straight series win over ICC dating back to the 2017-18 season, Coach Billy Begley's 2-0 EMCC Lions were led by Smith's 14 points and nine rebounds.  Freshman guard Blake Butler followed with a dozen points and seven boards.

For Itawamba, Brown led all scorers with a game-high 24 points, including 16 second-half points.  Wallace and Rod Jones added 15 and 13 points, respectively, for the Indians.

The EMCC men are scheduled to tip off the month of February with a Monday home contest against the Tigers of Northeast Mississippi Community College.  Game time is set for 6 p.m. at Keyes T. Currie Coliseum on the Scooba campus.