EMCC women close out non-conference hoops slate with road setback to Shelton State

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The East Mississippi Community College basketball teams closed out the pre-conference portion of their respective schedules with a Monday night men's/women's road doubleheader against Shelton State Community College. The Lions improved to 9-1 on the season with a 74-66 men's victory in the nightcap, while the short-handed Lady Lions dropped an 87-46 decision in the women's contest played at the Umphrey Center.

Playing without four of their top players during the game, the Lady Lions trailed 10-0 early before Kylah Bell hit a three-pointer to get the visitors on the board. They cut the deficit to four points (20-16) late in the quarter with a 5-0 spurt.

The second quarter was similar to the opening 10 minutes of play with Shelton State stretching the lead out to double figures before EMCC then trimmed the margin to seven points on two occasions late in the half.

The Lady Bucs began to take control of the contest following intermission with a 12-2 run to start the second stanza. The margin grew to 21 points (50-29) midway through the period on the way to a 56-37 Shelton State lead at the end of the third quarter.

Sparked by four made three-pointers within the first few minutes of the fourth quarter, the Lady Bucs outscored the visitors, 31-9, over the final 10 minutes of play to pull away with the commanding 41-point home triumph.

Gabby Collier led EMCC with a season-high 16 points. Sophomore point guard DJ Williams totaled 10 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals for the Lady Lions.

Nya Valentine's double-double effort of 19 points and 10 assists paced Shelton State's quartet of double-figure scorers. Mya Barnes also posted a double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds. Tanita Swift and Adriana Jones followed with 12 and 11 points, respectively, for the winners.

In men's action to cap the evening, the Lions and Bucs battled through eight lead changes and six ties during the opening half of play before the visitors clung to a narrow 33-32 halftime lead.

Following the break, three early baskets by EMCC freshman point guard Tremaine Dixon Jr. sparked an 11-4 run to begin the second half and give the Lions a 44-36 lead. Shelton State answered with consecutive scores to cut the deficit in half.

Later in the half after Tyrus Baynham Jr.'s bucket trimmed EMCC's lead to 48-45, the Lions responded with a 6-0 spurt to bump their lead back up to nine points. EMCC's first double-digit advantage (60-48) of the game followed moments later on Ashten Michael's three-pointer.

The Bucs continued to battle by making a 10-2 run, capped by consecutive inside baskets from 6-foot-8 post player Demetrius Richardson.

After Shelton State cut the margin to just four points (62-58) with less than four minutes remaining in the contest, the Lions answered Shelton State's final surge with a win-clinching 8-1 run that was aided by a pair of costly turnovers by the Bucs. Freshman guard Andrew Mason scored all eight of EMCC's during the two-minute stretch with a three-point basket and a three-point play sandwiching a two-pointer on a feed from Jacob Reese.

Blake Butler secured the eight-point road victory by connecting on four free throw attempts during the game's final 25 seconds. Butler paced three EMCC double-figure scorers with 21 points. Mason scored 12 of his 17 points in the second half, while Reese recorded his first collegiate double-double with 10 points and 15 rebounds.

The Shelton State men were led by Baynham with 17 points. Isaiah Rainey-Bledsoe and Jordan Mitchell followed with 14 and 13 points, respectively, for the Bucs.

East Mississippi's basketball teams will have three weeks away from competition during the Christmas and New Year's holidays before beginning conference play on Jan. 5 against Northwest Mississippi. Head coach Billy Begley's EMCC Lions will play host to the Rangers on the Scooba campus, while head coach Isaiah Butler's 2-5 Lady Lions will travel to Senatobia.