Senatobia, Miss. — The Northwest Mississippi Community College men’s basketball team defeated East Central Community College 106-86 on Thursday at Howard Coliseum, improving to 17-11 overall and 6-7 in league play. The win came on sophomore night, with the Rangers building a large lead in the first half and managing the advantage in the second.
The game changed early in the first quarter after East Central took a 10-4 lead. Northwest responded with a 9-3 run, tying the game at 13. The Rangers then pulled away, ending the half with a 45-19 lead after a three-pointer from Tyler Henry. The team shot 11-for-22 from three-point range and over 56% from the field in the first half. Bench scoring was significant, with reserves contributing 40 points in the opening 20 minutes.
In the second half, Northwest maintained control, with East Central’s closest margin being 17 points with eight minutes remaining. The Rangers responded with a 6-0 run, including a three from Henry, to push their lead back up. Ladarrius Brown sealed the victory with a three-pointer with three minutes left, as Northwest secured a 20-point win.
Jordyn Gutierrez led all scorers with 21 points, also adding three assists and rebounds. Demetrius Duffy scored 15 points and was one rebound shy of a double-double. Chancellor Terry and Houston Cunningham added 19 and 13 points, respectively. The team dished out 22 assists, led by Josiah Nelson with six and Tre Terrell with five, emphasizing their ball movement. Northwest shot 35% from three and 47.6% overall.
The Rangers will play Mississippi Delta on Monday in their final regular-season game. A win could give them their first 18-win season since 2021-22 and a chance to host a postseason game for the first time since then. Head coach John Redman expressed confidence in his team’s ability to finish strong, citing the importance of focus and effort in upcoming games. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Follow more updates at nwccrangers.com or on social media.
