Home-standing EMCC Lions post commanding 83-56 win over Southwest Mississippi Bears
The home-standing EMCC Lions held the advantage over Southwest Mississippi from the opening tipoff to the final buzzer during Thursday's commanding 83-56 victory in MACCC basketball action played at Keyes T. Currie Coliseum on the Scooba campus.
SCOOBA -- The home-standing EMCC Lions held the advantage over Southwest Mississippi from the opening tipoff to the final buzzer during Thursday's commanding 83-56 victory in MACCC basketball action played at Keyes T. Currie Coliseum on the Scooba campus.
The Lions never trailed after jumping out to an 8-1 lead four minutes into the contest. The margin reached double digits (17-5) prior to the midpoint of the opening half on DeAndre Lewis' first of four first-half three-pointers that fueled EMCC's offensive surge.
On the heels of Lewis' perimeter shooting display, the Lions lengthened their lead to as many as 26 points (46-20) late in the first half before entering intermission with a 22-point advantage.
Following the break with EMCC comfortably on top, 46-24, the visiting Bears managed to cut the deficit to 18 points (55-37) with a 6-0 spurt early in the second stanza. The Lions responded with a 12-2 run that expanded their lead to 67-39 following a Jace O'Neal steal and resulting dunk at the midway point of the half.
EMCC's cushion ballooned to as many as 37 points (81-44) late in the contest following an 8-0 spark that Lewis helped ignite with a putback basket followed by two free throws to cap his 22-point, eight-rebound performance. Reigning MACCC Player of the Week Diovion Famakinde followed with 21 points on 6-of-10 accuracy from the field and 9-of-13 shooting from the charity stripe.
Ace McKinnie and Curly Robinson added 10 points apiece on combined 9-of-11 field goal shooting between them to contribute to the Lions' 27-point victory.
Coach Billy Begley's EMCC Lions (12-10, 2-4 MACCC) will begin the month of February by continuing conference hoops action at Hinds on Monday (Feb. 2) prior to playing host to Mississippi Gulf Coast on Thursday (Feb. 5).
