By Staff
CLOSELY GUARDED Meridian Community College's Jamal Edmonson (5) darts around East Mississippi Community College's Tremechie Evans (24) during Monday night's game in Scooba. Photo by Carisa McCain/The Meridian Star
By Austin Bishop / EMG regional sports director
Jan. 7, 2003
SCOOBA One win may not be able to heal the wound of eight straight losses, but East Mississippi Community College's 70-64 win over arch-rival Meridian Community College Monday night certainly will help take some of the sting out of a tough start to the 2002-2003 season for the Lions.
The non-division win moves EMCC to 2-11 overall on the season and avenges a 10-point loss to Meridian on the road in December.
Despite trailing by 14 points in the first half, the homestanding Lions battled back to pull off the win before a packed house at Keyes Currie Coliseum, opening the 2003 portion of the schedule with a bang.
That they did.
After trailing by four at 56-52 MCC ran off five straight points to go up 57-56. But Evans knocked down a three-pointer to put the Lions up 59-57 with 3:14 to play.
After MCC tied the game, the Lions began to take over at the free throw line, using it for their next eight points on the way to a 68-61 lead.
The Lions were 22-of-32 from the free throw line while Meridian was 5-of-9.
The Eagles, now 5-5 on the season, had two opportunities to take the Lions out of the game early.
A three-pointer by Quadrick Griffin with 7:48 to play in the half put MCC up 26-12.
After EMCC went on a six-point run, the game evened out and Meridian led 32-21 with 4:15 left in the half. Again EMCC responded and cut it to 32-29 on a basket by Gladney at the 2:10 mark.
The Eagles managed to stretch the halftime lead out to 36-29, but the Lions refused to let MCC pull away, taking its first lead since the first two minutes of the game when Gladney scored to put the winners up 45-44 with 11:28 to play in the game.
Hairston led East Mississippi with 23 points, while Gladney scored 15 and Evans hit for 12.
Griffin was the only Eagle in double figures with 13 points.
Meridian visits Jones Junior College for a MACJC South Division game on Thursday, while on the same night EMCC travels to Perkinston to take on Gulf Coast in a non-division game.
The Lions host Itawamba for a North Division contest on Monday.