CLINTON, Miss. – The Mississippi College men's basketball team held on to defeat Albany State University 58-56 on Sunday afternoon, completing a perfect 2-0 weekend in the Gulf South Conference/Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GSC/SIAC) crossover. The Choctaws followed up Saturday's 73-65 win over Central State with a thrilling victory over Albany State, improving to 2-0 on the season.

Mississippi College led at halftime, 32-22, but Albany State (1-1) made a strong push in the second half to close the gap. The Choctaws, however, held their ground, with key performances from JJ Harris and Tremaine Dixon helping to secure the win in the final minutes.

Harris, who played a team-high 37 minutes, led the Choctaws with 20 points, while Dixon added 18 points, including six three-pointers, to keep Mississippi College in front. The Choctaws' defense also stepped up in the second half, forcing several key turnovers to limit Albany State's scoring opportunities down the stretch.

The Choctaws shot 46.5% from the field in the game, including 44% from three-point range. They hit 11 three-pointers in total and grabbed 29 rebounds. Despite a solid second-half performance from Albany State, which outscored MC 34-26 in the final 20 minutes, the Rams were unable to fully close the gap.

Key Statistics:

• JJ Harris: 37 minutes, 8-14 FG, 3-7 3PT, 1-4 FT, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 20 points
• Tremaine Dixon: 39 minutes, 6-13 FG, 6-11 3PT, 0-0 FT, 18 points
• Tyshun Briscoe: 36 minutes, 2-5 FG, 1-2 3PT, 2-2 FT, 7 points
• Tyree Bracey: 37 minutes, 2-6 FG, 1-4 3PT, 10 rebounds, 5 points
• Judah Land: 24 minutes, 6 rebounds, 2 points

Mississippi College finished the game with 11 points from beyond the arc and a strong second-chance effort, scoring 11 points off offensive rebounds. The Choctaws also capitalized on Albany State's turnovers, forcing five steals and holding the Rams to just 56 points.

Despite a strong effort from Albany State's Nigel Babb, who posted 17 points and nine rebounds, the Rams were unable to hold on to their second-half lead.

Team Stats:

• Mississippi College:
  FG: 20-43 (46.5%)
  3PT: 11-25 (44.0%)
  FT: 7-12 (58.3%)
  Rebounds: 29
  Assists: 13
  Turnovers: 14
  Points off Turnovers: 2

• Albany State:
  FG: 22-53 (41.4%)
  3PT: 4-16 (25.0%)
  FT: 8-11 (72.7%)
  Rebounds: 29
  Assists: 7
  Turnovers: 11
  Points off Turnovers: 9

With the win, Mississippi College (2-0) has momentum heading into their next stretch of games, while Albany State falls to 1-1 on the season. The Choctaws will look to build on this strong start as they continue their non-conference schedule.

Next Up:
Mississippi College will return to action on Tuesday as they host Millsaps at 6 p.m. at A.E. Wood Coliseum in Clinton, Miss.