EMCC - Athletics: Sports, News, Players, and Coaches. Go Lions! - EMCC Lions split pair of games at Shelton State hoops tournament

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The 16^th-ranked East Mississippi Lions bounced back from their first defeat of the basketball season by cruising to a 78-60 neutral-site tournament victory over Bevill State Tuesday evening at the Shelton State-hosted Southland International Classic played at the Umphrey Center.

Rebounding from Monday’s 75-67 setback to host Shelton State, head coach Mark White’s 6-1 EMCC Lions jumped out to a 41-23 halftime advantage against Bevill State and maintained the 18-point cushion for the final outcome.

Sophomore guard Deonte Alexander, a Nashville native, paced five double-figure East Mississippi scorers with 21 points, including 15 coming after intermission. Making their first starts of the season, freshman Deon Bedford, a former West Oktibbeha standout, and fellow frosh Kardrailous Kemp, of Jackson’s Lanier High School, followed with 13 points apiece. Coming off the bench, sophomores Joe McCoy and Jonathan King added 13 and 12 points, respectively, for the winners.

In Monday’s initial loss of the campaign, the Lions squandered a 16-point (29-13) lead in the first half against the host SSCC Buccaneers. The EMCC men also surrendered a 42-36 halftime lead in falling for the first time in six decisions on the year.

Alexander and fellow backcourt mate D.J. Evans of Brandon led four double-digit EMCC scorers with 12 points each, while McCoy and Meridian’s Donovan Walker followed with 11 and 10 points, respectively.

Following the Thanksgiving holiday break, the East Mississippi basketball teams will return to action with a pair of home doubleheaders next week on the Scooba campus. After playing host to Jones County on Monday, EMCC will begin MACJC North Division play with a Thursday twinbill versus Holmes. Tip-off times are set for 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. both days at EMCC’s Keyes T. Currie Coliseum.