Wolves battle late, but lose to Delta, 75-74

MOORHEAD, Miss. - The Copiah-Lincoln Community Wolves showed their grit Monday night as the team fought back from a 12-point first-half deficit to take the lead with less than two seconds to play. Unfortunately, a late foul put the Mississippi Delta Community College Trojans on the line, and Darius Jackson rattled home both free-throws to give the north division team the 75-74 win. The loss drops the Wolves to 0-3 on the year and improves the Trojans to 2-2. Co-Lin is back in action this Thursday, November 14 in Mullen Gymnasium as the Wolves face the Royal Ambassadors, a prep school, at 7 p.m. 

The Trojans jumped out to a lead on Monday as the team went 10-0 run in the first four minutes of the game. The offensive push put the momentum in the Trojans' favor and put them on top 15-4. Co-Lin did not let the game get too out of hand as the Wolves' Darius Kent and JD Allen hit back-to-back three-pointers to cut the lead to just five. The teams traded baskets for most of the remainder of the first half until three different Trojans hit three-pointers on three straight possessions. The baskets put Delta on top 38-26, their largest lead of the game. Once again the Wolves battled back, this time led by Tyree Lomax and Dayquan Perkins. The two sophomores led a 9-0 Co-Lin run that pulled the Wolves within three, 38-35, going into the locker room. 

Co-Lin looked to capitalize on the momentum going into the second half and seven minutes into the half, a mid-range jumper from Dajon Whitworth and another three-ball from Allen knotted the game at 49-49, the first tie since the opening two minutes of play. Delta quickly recovered and grew a four-point lead, but Lomax and Whitworth took advantage of the free-throw stripe and tied the game once again at 53-53. Lance Madison quickly scored a layup followed by a three-pointer from Kent and Co-Lin had a 58-53 lead, their first lead since the opening possessions. After re-tying the game at 59-59 Kent and Lomax once again helped the Wolves get some breathing room with a pair of three-pointers, but the Trojans stuck around and cut the Wolves lead to just one, 73-72, with 1:14 remaining. Delta tied the game with a trip to the free-throw line before Kent hit a free-throw on the other end making it 74-73 Co-Lin with just 20 seconds to go. On the Trojans' final possession, Jackson drove to the rim and drew a foul with just .7 seconds remaining. The two free-throws secured the 75-74 victory for Delta. 

Tyree Lomax led the Wolves with 19 points on 7-of-13 shooting and a team-high four assists and three steals. Dajon Whitworth added 16 points on 5-of-10 shooting, while Kent rounded out the top scorers with 13 after hitting 3-of-4 three-pointers. Lance Madison led the Wolves in rebounds with eight. Darius Jackson led Delta with 21 points, while Cartisco Brown added 20. 

Co-Lin shot 47 percent (25-of-53) from the floor, 47 percent (8-of-17) from three-point range, and 55 percent (16-of-29) from the free-throw line. The Trojans shot 42 percent (25-of-59) from the floor, 32 percent (10-of-31) from downtown, and 83 percent (9-of-24) from the stripe. Despite the loss, the Wolves outrebounded the Trojans 36 to 33.