EMCC Lions top rival East Central 82-72 in Decatur for 10th straight series win

DECATUR – Sophomore Jarekious Bradley, the NJCAA's leading scorer, matched his season's average of 28 points to help lead the Lions of East Mississippi Community College to an 82-72 road victory over East Central Community College Thursday evening at the Brackeen-Wood Physical Education Building.  

Head coach Mark White's EMCC Lions grabbed the early advantage over the winless Warriors.  A 13-2 run by the visitors increased a narrow 20-17 lead to 14 points (33-19) late in the opening half.  The Lions stretched the margin to 18 points (43-25) before resting on a 43-28 halftime cushion.

East Mississippi maintained its double-digit lead for the early portion of the second half until nine unanswered points by the Warriors trimmed a 16-point deficit to seven points (67-60) with less than six minutes remaining.  East Central shaved the margin to six points on a couple of occasions late in the contest, but Bradley tallied eight of his 17 second-half points down the stretch to nail down the victory.

With the 10-point triumph, the EMCC Lions improved to 5-1 overall on the season and claimed their 10^th consecutive series win over East Central dating back to the 2008-09 campaign.  The Lions will now look to avenge their lone loss of the current season by traveling to Baton Rouge Community College for a Monday night (Dec. 10) rematch with the Bears.  BRCC previously earned a 79-76 overtime road win over EMCC back on Nov. 12 in Scooba.

Sophomore Micah Walker (Jonesboro, Ark.) along with freshmen Jacolby Mobley, of Starkville, and Mack Foster, a West Bolivar High School product, each added a dozen points apiece for the winners.

Falling to 0-10 on the year, East Central's Hakeem Wesley topped all scorers with 30 points.  The sophomore from Newton County was the lone Warrior player to reach twin digits in the scoring column.