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Sophomore standout Angelique Burtts (right) totaled 26 points, six rebounds, five assists and four steals to help lead the 19-4 Lady Lions to their ninth straight win with Monday’s 68-60 road triumph over Holmes. Freshman guard Terence Bennett tallied a season-high 18 points off the bench in the nightcap, but the Lions dropped a 68-63 decision to the Bulldogs.
Winners of 15 of their last 17 decisions, coach Sharon Thompson’s 19-4 Lady Lions improved their North Division mark to 10-1 on the season. The EMCC women are putting together their most successful season since going 21-6 overall and 12-0 in North Division play in 1992-93 under the guidance of former women’s basketball coach Dale Peay.
Sophomore forward Angelique Burtts once again led the way for the EMCC women with a team-high 26 points on 10-of-18 shooting. The Georgia State signee added six rebounds, five assists and four steals in an outstanding all-around effort for the winners. Freshman Martika Hull of Southeast Lauderdale recorded her seventh double-double of the campaign with 19 points on 7-of-9 field goals and 5-of-5 free throws to go along with her dozen rebounds.
In dropping to 7-12 overall and 3-8 in North Division play, the Lady Bulldogs were led by Kimberly Anderson (25 points) and Courtney O’Briant (24), who combined for 49 of Holmes’ 60 points in the women’s contest.
In getting swept by Holmes on the year, coach Mark White’s Lions fell to 14-9 overall and are now tied with the Bulldogs for second place behind divisional leader Itawamba in the North Division standings. The 14 wins this season are the most for the Lions since the 1999-2000 EMCC club posted a 15-11 overall mark.
Hampered by 12-of-24 free-throw shooting in the contest, the Lions battled back from a 36-20 halftime deficit to get to within a basket (62-60) following Terence Bennett’s three-point play. However down the stretch, EMCC could not quite catch the Bulldogs, who benefitted from a 9-of-18 performance from beyond the three-point arc. Bennett, a freshman guard from Jackson’s Forest Hill High School, paced the visitors with a season-high 18 points on 6-of-8 shooting off the bench. The Starkville tandem of Coco Ware and Woodie Howard followed with nine points apiece, but were only a combined 7-of-20 from the field.
Holmes improved to 16-7 overall and moved into a second-place tie with EMCC in the MACJC’s North Division standings with identical 7-4 divisional marks. The Bulldogs were led by Jonathan Ratliff’s game-high 19 points on 6-of-9 shooting off the bench, including a perfect 3-of-3 from beyond the arc. James Archie and Al Graham added 11 and 10 points, respectively, for the winners.
The East Mississippi basketball teams will close out the regular season Thursday by playing host to divisional foe Northeast Mississippi. Game times are set for 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at Keyes T. Currie Coliseum on the Scooba campus. Along with honoring the teams’ departing sophomore players and managers, EMCC officials are encouraging all fans planning to attend Thursday’s games to wear pink in recognition of the WBCA’s Pink Zone event. The Lady Lions are aiming to raise awareness about breast cancer and pay tribute to the late North Carolina State women’s basketball coaching legend Kay Yow.