CLINTON, Miss. — Mississippi College (9-8, 6-5 Gulf South) secured a 69-65 victory over Delta State University (7-9, 4-7 Gulf South) on Saturday at A.E. Wood Coliseum. The Choctaws maintained their edge with a strong first-half performance, leading by 16 points at halftime.
The game began with Delta State taking an early 2-0 lead on a jumper by Samuel Whitmer at 18:54. MC quickly responded, with
Judah Land scoring a layup at 18:02 to tie the game.
Avaughn Johnson then fueled a scoring surge, hitting a 3-pointer and assisting on multiple plays, helping The Blue and Gold to build momentum. By the end of the first half, MC had established a 39-23 advantage, with
Phil Nelson contributing 10 points, including a key 3-pointer at 10:25.
Delta State rallied in the second half with a strong performance, scoring 42 points to the Choctaws' 30. Je'Marion Westbrook and DaCory Porter led the charge for Delta State, with Westbrook contributing key layups and Porter adding several points from the paint and free-throw line. MC maintained a narrow lead through much of the half, with Nelson and Johnson scoring crucial points in the paint and from the free-throw line. In a tense final minute,
Josh Holman secured an offensive rebound and converted a layup to extend MC's lead. Delta State's final attempts to close the gap were thwarted, resulting in a 69-65 victory for The Blue and Gold.
Mississippi Col. Top Performers Â
Avaughn Johnson Â
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- 14 points Â
- 21 rebounds Â
- 4 assists Â
- 3 blocks Â
Phil Nelson Â
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- 19 points Â
- 7/9 free throws made Â
- 5 rebounds Â
Judah Land Â
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- 12 points Â
- 5/8 field goals made Â
- 5 rebounds Â
Josh Holman Â
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- 10 points Â
- 4/7 field goals made Â
- 4 rebounds Â
Looking ahead, MC will travel to face Union on Thursday, Jan. 22. The teams will tip off at 7:30 p.m. in Jackson, Tennessee.
