By By Robby Atkinson/Special to The Star
Nov. 14, 2001
Tijwana Collins scored a game high 19 points, including three three-pointers to pace the Lady Eagles to a 100-82 victory over the visiting Lady Patriots of Wallace Selma Community College in local junior college basketball action.
Seventeen of the19 points came in the first half from Collins.
In the men's game, MCC escaped with a thrilling one-point 91-90 win over Wallace-Selma.
The Lady Eagles didn't have it quite that easy to begin the contest.
MCC did however go on an impressive 7-2 run to begin the game behind the great shooting of Collins. Wallace got the offense cooking behind Yulonda Randolph who cut the Lady Eagle lead to 8-5 with 16:41 left in the first half of action.
The Lady Patriots drew even closer on an easy basket by Towanna Johnson to make the score 8-7 with plenty of time still left in the half.
Meridian erupted on a basket by Ericka Starks to put a little spark back in the Lady Eagles.
Felicia Washington followed with a huge shot to extend the Meridian lead to 15-9 with 13:00 left in the first half.
MCC built one of their biggest leads of the evening on a couple of baskets by Monique Horner to give Meridian a 21-13 lead with just over 9:00 left in the half.
Wallace cut the lead on a basket by Andrea Hymes to make the score 21-15.
The Lady Eagles dominated the rest of the half behind the great play of Horner and Cantea Brown to give the Lady Eagles a 54-38 halftime lead.
MCC picked up right where they left off with a basket by Washington to
make the score 56-38 with lots of time left on the clock.
Wallace did make an enormous comeback behind baskets from Randolph and Raven Mitchell to trim the MCC lead to 56-49 with 17:52 left in the contest.
Meridian was up to the challenge as the Lady Eagles held off the steamy Wallace offense to take a 100-82 win and move to a perfect 6-0 record on the year.
Starks had a season high 16 points, while Brown had 14 points. Genice
Terry and Felicia Washington each scored 12 points.
Randolph was the leading scorer for Wallace with 15 points, while Johnson, Rebecca Newman, and Hymes each scored 12 points in the loss for the Lady Patriots.
MCC Men 91
Wallace-Selma 90
Meridian took advantage of missed free throws at the very end of the game and take a slim one point win over the Patriots in the night's finale. Wallace started off on fire on a three pointer by Tristan Cherry to give Wallace an early lead. Meridian kept pace on a couple of key shots by Derrick Houston to get the Eagles back into the game and trail
Wallace 9-8 with 16:27 left in the first half of action.
Meridian had several more problems because Kelvin Wright hit two big baskets before the half and MCC only had a 52-47 lead going into the locker room.
The real story was of course the final minute of the game. MCC held a 91-90 lead behind a big shot by Houston to give the Patriots possession of the basketball.
Carroll had a big opportunity after Michael Monroe fouled Carroll to send him to the free throw line. To make matters worse for the Eagles Monroe fouled out of the game with only 42 second remaining on the clock.
Carroll missed both shots from the charity stripe and MCC held on for the win over the Patriots.
MCC returns to action Thursday when both squads travel to Shelton St. with game times set for 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.