EMCC to host MACJC Basketball Tournament, Feb. 24-27, on Scooba campus

SCOOBA – For the first time in a decade, East Mississippi Community College will serve as the proud host of next week's (Feb. 24-27) MACJC Basketball Tournament on the Scooba campus.  The four-day men's and women's combined tourney will tip off Monday and continue through Thursday night's championship games at EMCC's Keyes T. Currie Coliseum.

At a cost of $10 per day, tickets will be available for purchase at the door and must be kept for re-entry.  EMCC students, faculty and staff members will be admitted free throughout the tournament with a valid ID.     

EMCC earned the right to host this year's tournament by virtue of Coach Sharon Thompson's 21-2 Lady Lions sweeping through MACJC North Division play undefeated.  The EMCC women capped their 12-0 unblemished regular season this past week by winning at Itawamba, 45-40, on Monday and then claiming Thursday's 71-41 home victory over Northeast Mississippi. 

East Mississippi most recently hosted the MACJC Basketball Tournament during the 2009-10 season.

This year's tournament will begin with Monday's opening-round men's action tipping off at 1 p.m. with a rematch of last year's state championship men's game between EMCC and Jones College.  A year ago in Ellisville, Coach Billy Begley's EMCC Lions capped a successful three-day tournament run that included consecutive victories over MACJC South foes East Central (70-53), Pearl River (62-57) and Jones (61-58).  Last year's title marked East Mississippi's first state championship in men's basketball since the 1930s.

Monday's quarterfinal-round meeting between MACJC North No. 2 seed EMCC (16-7, 9-3) and South No. 3 seed Jones (17-5, 9-5) will be followed by a 3 p.m. matchup featuring MACJC South champion and nationally second-ranked Pearl River (22-0, 14-0) against fourth-seeded Itawamba (9-13, 5-7) out of the MACJC North.

Monday's opening-round evening session will pit South No. 2 seed Hinds (14-7, 9-5) against North No. 3 seed Northwest Mississippi (15-8, 7-5) at 5:30 p.m., followed at 7:30 p.m. by MACJC North champion and 20^th-ranked Northeast Mississippi (22-1, 11-1) versus fourth-seeded Southwest Mississippi (14-9, 8-6) from the MACJC South.

Tuesday's women's quarterfinals will also tip off at 1 p.m. with three-time reigning state champion and nationally seventh-ranked Jones College (19-3, 13-1) paired against MACJC North No. 4 seed Northwest Mississippi (15-8, 7-5).  The afternoon session will then have MACJC North runner-up Itawamba (17-5, 9-3) taking on third-seeded Pearl River (15-8, 8-6) out of the South Division at 3 p.m.

Entering postseason play on a 16-game winning streak after going unbeaten in regular-season division play, the EMCC Lady Lions (21-2, 12-0) will meet MACJC South No. 4 seed Mississippi Gulf Coast (16-6, 8-6) at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday to begin the evening session.  Women's opening-round action will conclude with a 7:30 p.m. matchup between MACJC South No. 2 seed Southwest Mississippi (16-7, 9-5) and third-seeded Holmes (11-12, 7-5) from the North Division.

During Wednesday's semifinals, the Jones-Northwest women's winner will meet the ICC-PRCC winner at 1 p.m., followed by men's action between the EMCC-JC winner and the PRCC-ICC winner at 3 p.m.  The evening semifinal-round session will have the EMCC-Gulf Coast women's winner taking on the Southwest-Holmes winner at 5:30 p.m., prior to the 7:30 p.m. men's nightcap between the Hinds-NWCC winner and the Northeast-SMCC winner.

The four-day MACJC Basketball Tournament will conclude Thursday night with women's and men's conference championship contests at 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., respectively.

Fans are encouraged to follow the upcoming EMCC-hosted MACJC Basketball Tournament by visiting the MACJC Tournament Central page located on the EMCC Athletics website at www.EMCCAthletics.com/tournament.  EMCC's tournament games will also be live-streamed at www.EMCCAthletics.com/live.

2020 MACJC BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT

FEB. 24-27, 2020 – SCOOBA, MS

KEYES T. CURRIE COLISEUM

HOSTED BY EAST MISSISSIPPI COMMUNITY COLLEGE

MEN'S QUARTERFINALS

Monday, February 24

Game 1M – 1:00 p.m. – #2N East Mississippi (16-7, 9-3) vs. #3S Jones (17-5, 9-5)

Game 2M – 3:00 p.m. – #1S Pearl River (22-0, 14-0) vs. #4N Itawamba (9-13, 5-7)

Game 3M – 5:30 p.m. – #2S Hinds (14-7, 9-5) vs. #3N Northwest (15-8, 7-5)

Game 4M – 7:30 p.m. – #1N Northeast (22-1, 11-1) vs. #4S Southwest (14-9, 8-6)

WOMEN'S QUARTERFINALS

Tuesday, February 25

Game 1W – 1:00 p.m. – #1S Jones (19-3, 13-1) vs. #4N Northwest (15-8, 7-5)

Game 2W – 3:00 p.m. – #2N Itawamba (17-5, 9-3) vs. #3S Pearl River (15-8, 8-6)

Game 3W – 5:30 p.m. – #1N East Mississippi (21-2, 12-0) vs. #4S Miss. Gulf Coast (16-6, 8-6)

Game 4W – 7:30 p.m. – #2S Southwest (16-7, 9-5) vs. #3N Holmes (11-12, 7-5)

MEN'S & WOMEN'S SEMIFINALS

Wednesday, February 26

Game 5W – 1:00 p.m. – Winner of Game 1W vs. Winner of Game 2W

Game 5M – 3:00 p.m. – Winner of Game 1M vs. Winner of Game 2M

Game 6W – 5:30 p.m. – Winner of Game 3W vs. Winner of Game 4W

Game 6M – 7:30 p.m. – Winner of Game 3M vs. Winner of Game 4M

MEN'S & WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIPS

Thursday, February 27

Game 7W – 5:30 p.m. – Winner of Game 5W vs. Winner of Game 6W

Game 7M – 7:30 p.m. – Winner of Game 5M vs. Winner of Game 6M

2020 MACJC Basketball Tournament Women's Bracket

2020 MACJC Basketball Tournament Men's Bracket