EMCC basketball teams sweep visiting Northeast Mississippi, 64-55 in women’s game and 77-44 in men’s contest

SCOOBA – The East Mississippi Community College basketball teams swept visiting Northeast Mississippi Community College, 64-55 in the women's game and 77-44 in the men's contest, Monday evening at EMCC's Keyes T. Currie Coliseum.

Playing to keep their hopes alive for a spot in the upcoming MACJC State Basketball Tournament later this month, the home-standing EMCC Lady Lions recovered from a 12-0 Northeast run midway through the first half to take a 30-22 halftime lead.  Takera Mitchell's banked 3-pointer at the 5:30 mark of the opening half snapped an offensive dry spell that lasted nearly seven minutes for the Lady Lions.  Down 18-14 with 6:33 left in the first half, the EMCC women outscored the Lady Tigers 16-4 heading into intermission.

After two free throws by Northeast's Angelia Allen knotted the score at 35-35 by the 15:02 mark of the second half, the Lady Lions went on a 17-2 spurt over the next seven minutes to take a 52-37 advantage with less than eight minutes remaining in regulation.  EMCC's freshman tandem of Mitchell and Savannah Kimmons collectively scored 25 of the team's 34 second-half points on combined 8-of-9 shooting from the field after the break.

Coming off an 18-point effort at Mississippi Delta last Thursday, Mitchell set a new season high for the second straight game by finishing with 20 points against Northeast, including 9-of-12 shooting from the charity stripe.  The former Wayne County High School product also totaled five assists, five steals and three rebounds versus the Lady Tigers.

Saddled with two early fouls to start the game, Kimmons connected on 6-of-7 shots from the field after halftime in addition to pulling down six rebounds after the break.

Winners of three of their last four games, head coach Sharon Thompson's EMCC Lady Lions improved to 6-14 overall and 4-5 in division play.

Falling to 11-8 overall and 6-3 within the division, the Northeast women were led by Antoinette Riddle with a game-high 22 points.  Allen added 18 points for the visitors.

The EMCC Lions never trailed in the nightcap, as four 3-pointers in the opening nine minutes of play helped stake the home team to a 22-6 lead by the 8:32 mark of the first half.  The margin widened to 27 points (42-15) by the halftime break.

With the visiting Tigers being limited to 30-percent (15-of-50 FGs) shooting for the game and slowed by 25 turnovers, the spread reached 30 points (52-22) three minutes into the second stanza.  The gap widened to 41 points late in the contest before the final outcome revealed a convincing 33-point triumph for the home-standing Lions.

Winners of their third straight game, head coach Mark White's EMCC Lions improved to 14-6 overall and 7-2 in division play to tie Northwest Mississippi for first place in the MACJC's North Division standings.

Sophomore Jarekious Bradley put on another show for the EMCC Lions, hitting the 30-point mark for the fifth time on the season with 31 points against Northeast.  The former Memphis East High School product connected on 11-of-16 shots from the field, including 6-of-8 from beyond the three-point arc, and 3-of-3 from the charity stripe.  Bradley also had seven rebounds, two steals, a block and an assist.

Freshman guard Jacolby Mobley, of Starkville, followed with 14 points, while sophomore center Earnest Hunter, from Noxubee County, added 10 points for the winners.

Falling to 8-11 overall and 3-6 in the division, the Northeast men were led by Keldrick Lesley and Tyler Brunson with eight points apiece.

The East Mississippi basketball teams travel to Fulton to meet division rival Itawamba Community College in a Thursday hoops doubleheader.  A 6 p.m. women's game will be followed by an 8 p.m. men's contest at the Davis Event Center on the ICC campus.