EMCC - Athletics: Sports, News, Players, and Coaches. Go Lions! - EMCC basketball teams swept at Coahoma to close out regular season; Lions' 16-game win streak halted

CLARKSDALE – The 10^th-ranked Lions of East Mississippi Community College saw their 16-game winning streak come to an end by dropping a 68-67 decision at Coahoma Community College Thursday night at The Pinnacle. In women’s action, the home-standing Lady Tigers earned a 60-49 win over EMCC’s Lady Lions to close out regular-season play.

Set to be hosted by Itawamba Community College in Fulton, next week’s four-day MACJC State Basketball Tournament begins Monday with men’s first-round action and Tuesday with opening-round women’s play.

Coach Mark White’s 19-3 EMCC Lions will take on the fourth-seeded team from the MACJC’s South Division at 1 p.m. in Monday’s first-round action at ICC’s Davis Event Center. With their loss at Coahoma, head coach Sharon Thompson’s 7-16 EMCC Lady Lions did not qualify for the state tourney with their 4-8 division mark.

In Thursday’s nightcap, the Lions played from behind much of the game before taking a brief one-point lead with a little over a minute remaining in the contest. Coahoma reclaimed the advantage on a bucket with 18 seconds left, giving EMCC one final possession to decide the outcome. Following a timeout on a tie-up, EMCC sophomore playmaker D.J. Evans penetrated the lane but passed the ball out to the perimeter when the defense collapsed. Deon Bedford’s three-point attempt wouldn’t fall, ending the Lions’ win string that had stretched back three months to Nov. 22.

Evans, from Brandon, led a quartet of EMCC double-digit scorers with 19 points. Dione Milsap followed with 14 points, while Bedford and Colin Borchert added 12 and 10 points, respectively.

Evening up their overall record at 12-12 and finishing at 4-8 in division play, the Coahoma Tigers received a game-high 29 points from Cortavious Vaughn.

In the women’s game, the visiting Lady Lions were led by Chadisty Hickman, of Kemper County, with 17 points.

Improving to 13-10 overall and 6-6 within the division to clinch the No. 3 seed in next week’s MACJC State Tournament, the Coahoma Lady Tigers were paced by Ciara Morgan and Erica Collins with 20 and 18 points, respectively.