East Mississippi handles visiting Coahoma 102-58 in women's play and 97-71 in men's action for division sweep

SCOOBA – The East Mississippi Community College basketball teams swept visiting Coahoma Community College handily during MACJC North Division play Thursday night at EMCC's Keyes T. Currie Coliseum.  After the Lady Lions remained unbeaten in division play with a commanding 102-58 victory to begin the night, the Lions completed the sweep with a much-needed 97-71 triumph in the nightcap.

The EMCC women connected on nine of their first 11 shots from the field, while frustrating the visitors with their full-court pressure defense, to jump out to a comfortable 30-8 margin by the end of the opening quarter.  With freshman sensation Quantesha Patterson hitting all nine of her first-half, field-goal attempts during a 19-point opening half, the Lady Lions held an insurmountable 58-24 halftime advantage.        

Patterson, a two-time MACJC Player of the Week on the year, finished the night with a game-high 30 points on 14-of-15 shooting to post her third 30-point effort of the season.  The former East Webster High School standout added 14 rebounds to register her seventh double-double in 11 outings as a collegiate rookie.

Four other EMCC players scored in double figures on the night, as head coach Sharon Thompson's 9-2, 3-0 Lady Lions secured their seventh consecutive series win over Coahoma.  Kennesaw State transfers Coco Hobson and Tianna Germain had 19 and 16 points, respectively, while Columbus product Ki-Ki Patterson and Anissia May added 11 points apiece in the 44-point triumph.

Falling to 2-11 overall on the season, the Coahoma Lady Tigers were led by Tomaja Shaw's 22 points on six 3-pointers and Eugenia Gillam's double-double effort of 11 points and 11 rebounds.

The men's nightcap proved to be more competitive, especially during the first 20 minutes of action.  The home-standing Lions used a 9-0 spurt midway through the opening half to build their initial double-digit lead of the evening.  The margin stayed at 10 points (49-39) heading into the halftime break.

EMCC charged out of the second-half gates on a 13-5 run to extend the lead to 18 points (62-44) following a three-point play by West Point's Juan Davis Jr. at the 16:15 mark.  The margin reached 20 points (70-50) a few minutes later on a James Jordan basket.  The eventual 26-point triumph marked the Lions' sixth straight series win over the Tigers.

As head coach Billy Begley's EMCC squad improved to 11-2 overall on the year with the team's first division victory in three tries, the Lions had 12 of 13 players enter the scoring column against Coahoma.  Leading the way again for the Lions, sophomore forward Jahyde Gardiner, a UT Martin signee, recorded his 14^th career double-double with 19 points on 8-of-11 shooting to go along with his 11 rebounds.

Fellow sophomores Daniel Simmons and Davis Jr. followed with 15 points apiece for the winners.  Jordan and Boston College transfer Nat Dixon added nine points each.

Dropping to 3-10 overall for the year, the Coahoma men were paced by LaTerrence Henderson and Dewuan Fowler with 17 and 16 points, respectively.

The East Mississippi basketball teams will continue division play next week by hitting the road Tuesday at Itawamba Community College before returning home to play host to the Bulldogs of Holmes Community College next Thursday (Jan. 21) on the Scooba campus.