ECCC escapes Co-Lin with buzzer-beater

WESSON, Miss. - The Wolves of Copiah-Lincoln lost a heartbreaker on Monday to East Central as the Warriors it a go-ahead jumper as time expired to secure a 73-71 victory. The loss drops Co-Lin to 5-7 on the year and to 0-3 in MACJC play. The remainder of the regular season is only MACJC South Division matchups with the Wolves facing rival Southwest Mississippi on Thursday, January 16 in Summit at 7:30 p.m.

"We just have to play late in the game," said Co-Lin head coach Kenny Bizot. "We did not have much flow offensively, ECCC is a tough team with good length...I'm pleased with our rebounding as we outrebounded them, but we just need to step up. We are doing some things correctly, but we have to be tough and handle the basketball. This league is open after the top team, we are going to work extremely hard these next couple of days and be ready for Southwest."

The Wolves led early in the matchup with Warriors after a big three from Co-Lin's Demarcus Ellzey put the Wolves on top 11-3 in the opening minutes of the game. That lead dwindled over the next three minutes as the Warriors tied the game at 12-12 with 12:46 minutes left in the first half. The Wolves bounced back and regained the lead with a big three-pointer from JD Allen, but once again East Central responded and took their first lead with 6:56 remaining in the first half, 20-18. At the half, the Warriors led 33-29. 

The second half continued to be back-and-forth as both squads battled for baskets under the rim with neither team growing a lead above five points until a pair of three-pointers from East Central, two of six that Warriors hit in the second half, put the team up by eight, 56-48, with just less than 10 minutes to play. Co-Lin battled back and knotted the game at 60-60 with 3:47 remaining. After three-point play on a steal and another three-pointer from Co-Lin's Darius Kent, The Wolves led 64-62. The Warriors regained the advantage with a 6-0 run with just two minutes remaining. In the final seconds of the contest, Dajon Whitworth hit a heavily contested corner three-pointer to tie the game at 71-71, the seventh tie of the game, but East Central quickly inbounded and Ja'Michael Wilson hit the game-winner as the buzzer sounded. 

Whitworth led the team with 13 points, while Lance Madison added 12 and Je'Kevious Williams poured in 10. Cameron Woodall led Co-Lin in the rebound column with seven boards. Wilson led East Central with 26 points, while JaQuarius Smith netted 12. Kareem Thompson led the Warriors with six rebounds. 

The Wolves shot 48 percent (25-of-52) from the floor, 32 percent (7-of-22) from three-point range, and 58 percent (14-of-24) from the free-throw line. The Warriors shot 36 percent (28-of-77) from the floor, 32 percent (10-of-31) from downtown, and 58 percent (7-of-12) from the stripe. The Wolves outrebounded the Bulldogs 49 to 37 but lost the turnover battle 27 to 13.