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Southwest Mississippi Community College

Scoreboard

Bears' 2nd half comeback falls short, Trojans get narrow win

By: Michael D. Gunnell, Southwest Sports Information
Joseph Coleman
Chuck Barnes

Men's Basketball | 11/10/2015 8:03:00 AM

Box Score

Digging themselves a large hole in the first half, the Southwest Bears made a valiant second-half effort to get a win, but it was not to be as the visiting Mississippi Delta Trojans escaped with a 56-53 win Monday night.
 
Trailing 4-0, the Bears (2-1) made it 4-2 on Joseph Coleman's basket with 19:08 left in the first half. The Trojans then quickly went on a 13-5 run to move out to a 17-7 lead with 11:52 on the clock.
 
The Bears answered by scoring seven of the next nine points and drew to within five, 19-14, on a
LeDerrius Simmons jumper with 7:03 remaining in the half.
 
Scoring eight of the game's next 12 points, the Trojans (3-0) moved out to their biggest lead of the half, 32-18, with 2:48 on the clock. They then carried a 36-22 lead into the locker room at the break.
 
Trailing 43-27 with 13:04 left in the game, the Bears went on a 15-5 run and narrowed their deficit to six points, 48-42, on a Rodrick Sikes three-pointer with 7:29 to play. With the Trojans on top 52-44 and 5:43 still to play, the Bears scored seven straight points to pull to within one, 52-51, on James Hawthorne's jumper with 0:48 on the clock.
 
That would be the Bears' last gasp, however, as the Trojans made four of six free throws down the stretch to pick up the win.
 
"Our mentality out of the gate tonight was very poor," said Southwest head coach Thomas Gray. "We did not approach this game with the game plan in mind. I don't know if it was playing on a day's rest (and) the mental fatigue that they had. We just need to be more prepared. Maybe part of that's on our coaching staff."
 
Gray agreed that it was "a valiant effort by the guys in the second half. I'm proud of the way that they reacted to adversity. I thought we had some breaks down the stretch" that would have allowed the team "to take the lead and take control of this game. We just didn't capitalize and that's part of probably not being full focused on the task at hand."
 
Hawthorne topped the Bears with nine points in the game while Coleman and Sikes both scored eight. Terrell Miller had his second straight nine-rebound performance The Bears made good on 16 of 25 free throws.
 
Travon Harper scored 25 points to pace the Trojans. The visitors hit 18 of 27 free throws.
 
The Bears will next face Spring Hill College, in Summit, Friday. The tip off time has been moved up one hour and is now set for 5:45.
 
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Players Mentioned

Terrell Miller

#1 Terrell Miller

F
6' 8"
Sophomore
James Hawthorne

#2 James Hawthorne

F
6' 7"
Freshman
LeDerrius Simmons

#4 LeDerrius Simmons

G
5' 8"
Sophomore
Joseph Coleman

#10 Joseph Coleman

F
6' 5"
Freshman
Rodrick Sikes

#24 Rodrick Sikes

G
6' 1"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Terrell Miller

#1 Terrell Miller

6' 8"
Sophomore
F
James Hawthorne

#2 James Hawthorne

6' 7"
Freshman
F
LeDerrius Simmons

#4 LeDerrius Simmons

5' 8"
Sophomore
G
Joseph Coleman

#10 Joseph Coleman

6' 5"
Freshman
F
Rodrick Sikes

#24 Rodrick Sikes

6' 1"
Freshman
G