Lions' comeback attempt thwarted by late Holmes free throws

SCOOBA — East Mississippi Community College's basketball teams were swept by Holmes Community College during Monday's MACCC North Division action.  The EMCC men battled back from a 14-point, second-half deficit before falling at home, 66-63, to the Bulldogs at Keyes T. Currie Coliseum.  The cold-shooting Lady Lions dropped a 55-44 road decision to the Holmes women at Frank Branch Coliseum in Goodman.

In men's action played on the Scooba campus, the visiting Bulldogs extended a six-point (29-23) halftime lead to 14 points (44-30) in the second stanza.  Later in the half, EMCC freshman guard Hunter McCutcheon's three consecutive 3-pointers ignited a 16-4 run that pulled the Lions to within a single point (52-51) with 5:49 remaining.  The Louisville, Kentucky product later hit back-to-back, two-point baskets to give the home team its first lead (55-54) since early in the opening half.

Following a pair of subsequent lead changes and a 58-58 tie, EMCC grabbed a 63-59 lead on McCutcheon's fourth trey of the half with 1:08 remaining in the game.  After Kaleb Higgins' baseline jumper cut Holmes' deficit in half, all-conference forward Jakorie Smith fouled out of the game for the Lions and a key possession went the visitors' way when EMCC was called for a loose ball foul during a scramble on the floor.  Higgins stepped to the line with 12.0 seconds left and hit two free throws to knot the score at 63-63.  On the second made charity toss, EMCC freshman Nick Walker was then called for an elbowing foul.  Higgins again calmly sank two free throws to put Holmes back on top, 65-63.

With the Lions having to go the length of the court and following three total timeouts called, EMCC freshman Blake Butler's drive to the basket misfired and Holmes' Olanrewaju Olayinka collected the rebound and was fouled.  After he went 1-for-2 at the line, Olayinka's miss was grabbed by EMCC's Elijah Newsome, who dribbled past midcourt before launching a contested three-point shot that failed to draw iron.      

McCutcheon paced Coach Billy Begley's 3-3 EMCC Lions with all 16 of his season-high points coming in the second half.  Walker recorded his second straight double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds for the Lions.

Higgins led Holmes with a game-high 18 points.  Tanorrio Ransburgh followed with 15 points for the Bulldogs.

At Goodman in women's action, the visiting Lady Lions shot just 25 percent from the field (16-63 FGs), including only 2-of-16 (13%) from three-point range, for the game.  After trailing the Lady Bulldogs, 30-25, at the half, EMCC was outscored, 14-7, in the third quarter with the Lady Lions hitting just 2-of-16 (13%) from the field in contrast to Holmes' 58-percent (7-12 FGs) field-goal shooting.

Holmes' 44-32 lead after the third quarter was stretched to 17 points three minutes into the fourth quarter, before freshman forward Siarra Jackson sparked a 6-0 EMCC run to cut the deficit to 11 points (49-38) with 5:22 remaining in the contest.

Down the stretch, the Lady Lions put together another 6-0 spurt to again trim Holmes' lead to seven points at 51-44.  The visitors were then held scoreless for the final two minutes of the game en route to dropping their first regular-season division game in nearly two years.

Coach Sharon Thompson's reigning conference champion EMCC Lady Lions fell to 2-1 on the season.  Jackson, out of Ripley, led the visitors with a season-high 16 points while adding seven rebounds off the bench.  All-conference forward Ja'Mia Hollings followed with seven points, 10 rebounds and three blocks.

The Holmes women were led by Morgan Williams and Katie Powers with 12 and 10 points, respectively.  Gabrielle Bunch added nine points and 10 boards for the Lady Bulldogs.

The East Mississippi basketball teams are scheduled to return to action Thursday evening against Mississippi Delta Community College.  The EMCC women will begin a three-game home stand by playing host to the Lady Trojans in a 6 p.m. tip-off at Keyes T. Currie Coliseum in Scooba, while the Lions will travel to Moorhead for a 6 p.m. road contest against the Delta men.