EMCC Lady Lions set to tip off 2023-24 hoops season Friday at Holmes
The East Mississippi Community College women’s basketball team is set to open the 2023-24 season by taking on MACCC foe Holmes on the road during Friday’s non-conference hoops lid-lifter. Tip-off is set for noon at Frank Branch Coliseum on Holmes’ Goodman campus.
SCOOBA – The East Mississippi Community College women's basketball team is set to open the 2023-24 season by taking on MACCC foe Holmes on the road during Friday's non-conference hoops lid-lifter. Tip-off is set for noon at Frank Branch Coliseum on Holmes' Goodman campus.
Guided by second-year head coach Isaiah Butler, the EMCC Lady Lions return four players from last year's 7-15 squad (5-9 MACCC) that participated in the NJCAA Region 23 Tournament. Along with guards Kylah Bell (Pass Christian) and Ramya King (Memphis, TN/White Station HS), the EMCC women also bring back forwards Hannah McDougle (Decatur/Newton County HS) and Nakeria Scales (Starkville).
East Mississippi's 10-member women's team is also comprised of six incoming freshmen, including three out-of-state newcomers. The incoming trio from the Magnolia State is headed by Mississippi/Alabama All-Star forward Je'Niecia Hill from Starkville High School. Rounding out EMCC's in-state freshmen are guards Shalea Boddie (Oak Grove HS) and Kamaria Patrick (Clarkdale HS).
From beyond the state of Mississippi, the Lady Lions have brought in 6-foot-3 post player Keveonna Benson from the Memphis Academy of Science and Engineering. Out of the Alabama prep ranks, guard Kiara Howard earned back-to-back honorable mention all-state honors at Vigor High School, while fellow backcourt standout Kennedi McCray was a part of Hoover High School's Alabama Class 7A state championship team a year ago.
With seven of their first eight games being played away from home, the Lady Lions' lone home contest during the first three weeks of the season will feature reigning NJCAA Division I women's basketball champion and preseason top-ranked Northwest Florida State College visiting the Scooba campus for EMCC's home opener on Tuesday (Nov. 7). Game time is slated for 5:30 p.m. at EMCC's Keyes T. Currie Coliseum.
Before resuming home action on Nov. 27 to begin a two-week stretch that consists of four consecutive home doubleheaders with the EMCC men's team, the Lady Lions are scheduled to participate in tournaments hosted by conference foes Pearl River (Nov. 10-11 vs. Andrew College & Enterprise State) and Northeast Mississippi (Nov. 20-21 vs. Coahoma & Chipola). Between the two tournaments, the EMCC women are slated to travel to preseason 10th-ranked Shelton State on Nov. 13 before a Nov. 17 rematch with defending national champion Northwest Florida State in Niceville, Fla.
The East Mississippi men's and women's basketball teams will close out the calendar year by combining to play four straight home doubleheaders during a two-week span heading into the semester break. Northwest Mississippi (Nov. 27) will be followed by Shelton State (Dec. 4), Jones (Dec. 7), and Meridian (Dec. 11) coming to the Scooba campus for twin-bill basketball action prior to the Christmas/New Year's holidays.