Jakorie Smith’s game-high 19 points and Danny Washington’s career-high 18 points powered the No. 23 East Mississippi Community College men’s basketball team to its fourth consecutive win, 66-60 over Southwest Mississippi on Monday in Scooba.
The Lions scored the game’s first 10 points before visiting Southwest got on the board 5 minutes into the contest. EMCC went on another 10-0 run to take a 26-10 lead on Washington’s three-point play with 7:43 remaining in the opening half.
Nick Walker’s 3-pointer capped the first-half scoring with the Lions leading 33-27.
Another run, this one 10-2, pushed the EMCC lead to 50-40 midway through the second half. The Bears promptly ran off 10 consecutive points to forge the only tie of the game at 52-52 with 5:26 left.
The Lions led 59-58 when Blake Butler lost control of the ball on his way to the basket and Smith picked it up. Smith barely beat the shot clock with a 3-pointer to make it 62-58 with 1:14 left. Walker’s third blocked shot of the game followed by four free throws during the final minute sealed the win for the Lions (7-2, 2-0 MACCC).
Butler finished with 13 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals and 2 blocks.
EMCC will stay home to face Meridian Community College at 6 p.m. Thursday.
Women’s basketball
Southwest Mississippi 56, East Mississippi 36: In Summit, the Lions scored the game’s first 10 points, but the Bears scored the final 14 points of the second quarter to take a 30-19 halftime lead.
The Bears scored the game’s final eight points as well, holding the Lions scoreless over the final 5 minutes.
DJ Williams led all scorers with 12 points for EMCC, while Siarra Jackson chipped in with 8 points.
EMCC (4-5, 1-1 MACCC) will travel to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, to face No. 6 Shelton State at 5:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 13.
Wilson tabbed MACCC Player of the Week
East Mississippi’s Shakira Wilson was named the MACCC Women’s Basketball Player of the Week, as announced Tuesday by the Mississippi Association of Community Colleges Conference and voted on by the league’s sports information directors.
Wilson, a 5-foot-6 guard, poured in a career-high 33 points on 13-of-17 shooting from the field and 5-of-7 3-point accuracy during EMCC’s 83-71 conference-opening home win over Northwest Mississippi on Dec. 2. She also added 3 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 blocked shots against the Rangers.
On the season, Wilson leads EMCC in scoring at 12.9 points per contest in addition to averaging 3.0 rebounds, 2.3 steals and 1.8 assists. She is shooting 40 percent from the field and 36 percent from beyond the 3-point arc.
Women’s volleyball
Bulldogs garner AVCA all-region honors
Mississippi State head volleyball coach Julie Darty Dennis was named the American Volleyball Coaches Association South Region Coach of the Year, and Lilly Gunter and Gabby Waden were voted to the all-region team.
The Bulldogs wrapped up the most successful season in school history last weekend with the program’s first NCAA tournament appearance. MSU finished 25-6, 16-2 in the SEC. The 25 overall wins and 16 conference victories are MSU single-season records.
Sophomore Shania Cromartie and junior Lauren Myrick were named Honorable Mention for the South Region.
Waden led the Bulldogs in almost every offensive category this season, registering a team-best 429 kills and a 328 attacking percentage. She totaled 97 blocks and accounted for 479.5 points.
Gunter led the Bulldogs with 480 digs in 122 sets as MSU’s libero. She ranked third on the team with 125 assists, and she tallied 24 aces.
Prep girls basketball
Pickens Academy 46, Russell Christian Academy 14: Lizze Noland finished with 18 points and 5 steals to lead the Pirates.
Kate Wilkins added 12 points for Pickens Academy, while Jordan Daniels led Russell Christian with 7 points.
Pickens Academy will host Southern Academy at 6 p.m. Thursday.
