Box Score SCOOBA – Northwest scored 13 unanswered to start the second half after trailing by as many as 19, but couldn't get any closer than three in the game's final seconds in falling 64-59 at East Mississippi Thursday night. 

East Mississippi improved to 9-6 overall and 4-1 in the north and is now a perfect 9-0 on the season when scoring 60 or more points. Northwest dropped its third straight to fall to 8-5 overall and 2-3 in the division. 

Northwest's only lead of the game was 6-5 at the 16:03-mark of the first half.

A 19-0 Lady Lion run dug a huge hole for Northwest that they could never recover from, holding the Lady Rangers scoreless for 7:14 and taking a 24-6 lead. EMCC then led 39-21 at the break. 

Northwest turned up the defensive pressure and forced seven Lady Lion turnovers in their first eight possessions to open the second half, scoring 13 unanswered points to pull within 39-34. 

Tekevanna Young was leading the Lady Ranger comeback with 15 points in 20 minutes of action, but took a painful fall at the 15:45-mark and did not return.

Kristina Mays and Carshava Sutton helped pick up most of the slack, with Mays scoring 15 of her team-high 21 in the second half and Sutton adding seven points and six rebounds.

The Lady Lions took advantage of Young's absence by slowly rebuilding the lead to double digits, as Wilma Davis' 3-pointer and a pair of free throws from Takera Mitchell put the home team in front 52-41 with 7:57 left in the game. Though EMCC continued to hold onto the lead down the stretch, the Lady Rangers made it a one-possession contest, 62-59, on Mays' jumper with 21.4 seconds remaining.

Mitchell then iced the game with a pair of free throws as EMCC held on for the 64-59 win.

Davis led all scorers with 23 points on 10-of-13 aim (averaged 6.0 ppg coming in), followed by Mitchell with 14 and Kyra Gulledge with 11 points, nine rebounds and four steals.

For Northwest, Mays had her third 20-point outing of the year, followed by Young with 15 and Sutton with 10. As a team, the Lady Rangers had a season-high 11 blocks, including a career-high four by Jasmine Edwards. 

Both teams finished the night shooting over 40 percent. 

Northwest will return home on Monday, Jan. 27 at 5 p.m., playing host to Holmes. 

Live video at njcaatv.com/nwccrangers and live stats at sidearmstats.com/northwestms/wbball.