EMCC Lions fall 82-76 to Jones despite four players in double figures

SCOOBA – The East Mississippi Community College men's basketball team couldn't hold onto an early nine-point lead on the way to dropping an 82-76 home decision to Jones College during Thursday's non-conference hoops action played at Keyes T. Currie Coliseum

In women's action to begin the evening, the EMCC Lady Lions had four players score in double figures while utilizing a dominant fourth quarter to claim a 66-49 home win over perennial powerhouse Jones College women.

The hard-fought men's contest saw the home-standing Lions break out early with 9-0 and 16-7 leads over Jones, before the visitors began to turn the game around midway through the opening half. LJ Hackman scored nine of his game-high 22 points during a 15-3 run by the Bobcats that changed the momentum.

Jones College scored the first two buckets of the second stanza to increase a slim 28-26 halftime lead to seven points (33-26). The margin then grew to double figures (43-33) five minutes into the half on Jylan Howze's put-back basket.

For the remainder of the contest, the Bobcats seemingly had an answer for every potential comeback attempt by the Lions. EMCC managed to cut the deficit to six points on several occasions but could not get any closer than that the rest of the game. An 11-2 Jones run capped by Ky Pernell's floater midway through the second half put the visitors on top by 15 points (62-47).

Aided by a pair of three-pointers by Hunter McCutcheon over the final minute of play, the Lions continued to battle back until the final buzzer. Hackman, however, completed a 13-of-14 night at the charity stripe with five more made free throws down the stretch to help seal the six-point victory for Jones.

Andrew Mason paced a quartet of double-digit EMCC scorers with 17 points, followed by Tremaine Dixon Jr.'s 16 points. Terrell Dixon and McCutcheon added 15 and 11 points, respectively, for the Lions.

In addition to Hackman's game-most 22 points, the Jones College men received 16 points from Dimp Pernell plus 14 points apiece from Ky Pernell and Trey Smith.

The women's contest remained close throughout the opening half of play and into the third quarter. Under the guidance of former Meridian High School head coach Deneshia Faulkner, a rebuilt Jones team held the advantage for most of the first half. After owning an early 13-5 lead in the opening quarter, the Bobcats built their 26-22 halftime margin back up to eight points (30-22) with back-to-back baskets by La'Genesis Johnson.

Keyed by made three-pointers from Shalea Boddie and Kennedi McCray, the Lady Lions scored 10 unanswered points to go ahead, 34-32, at the 3:38 mark of the third quarter. Jones briefly recovered to reclaim a slim 39-36 lead heading into a fourth quarter that would be completely dominated by the home team.

Ignited by made treys from Kiara Howard and Kylah Bell to begin the quarter, the EMCC women used a 12-1 run to jump ahead, 48-40, midway through the period. Jones cut the deficit in half, but the Lady Lions answered with eight straight points to mount a double-digit lead they would not relinquish the rest of the contest.

While limiting the Jones women on defense to just 29-percent (18-63 FGs) shooting from the field for the game, the Lady Lions featured a quartet of double-digit scorers. Boddie and Bell both notched season highs with 15 and 13 points, respectively, while Howard and McCray followed with 12 and 11 points, respectively.

Jones College's Khyla Ragins led all game scorers with 17 points, while Johnson registered a solid double-double with 14 points and 18 rebounds, including 11 offensive boards.

The East Mississippi basketball teams are scheduled to conclude their two-week, pre-Christmas hoops home stand on Monday (Dec. 11) by playing host to Meridian Community College. Special tip-off times are set for 1 and 3 p.m. at Currie Coliseum on the Scooba campus.