The Northwest Mississippi Community College men’s basketball team snapped a four-game losing streak Monday with a 99-93 victory over Meridian Community College. The game was their first on the road since returning from a nearly two-week pause caused by ice conditions, according to team officials.
Head coach John Redman praised his team’s effort, noting the difficulty of winning away from home. “I’m really proud of our guys’ effort on the road at Meridian,” Redman said. “Winning on the road is tough at every level, and I am proud of our guys for staying focused, competing until the final buzzer, and finishing the game.”
Northwest started slow, trailing after the opening basket as Meridian went on a 15-7 run to take a game-high lead with just over 14 minutes remaining in the first half. The Rangers responded with a six-point run, highlighted by a Demetrius Duffy layup that tied the game at 17 with 12:30 left in the half. The lead fluctuated, but Grant Hutton scored most of his 11 first-half points in a run that put Northwest ahead 25-22.
The game remained close, with Meridian briefly taking a 26-25 lead before Hutton hit a three-pointer that put the Rangers back in front. Northwest extended its lead to 40-29 and held a 48-40 advantage at halftime. The Eagles came out firing in the second half, trimming the deficit to 59-57 in the opening six minutes. However, Northwest responded by building a double-digit lead, reaching a game-high 15 points at 84-69 with just over 10 minutes remaining.
The Eagles made several late pushes, trimming the margin to six points multiple times but never threatening the lead seriously. Chancellor Terry scored more than 20 points in the second half and finished with a team-high 24 points, along with three rebounds and assists. Duffy added 18 points off the bench and recorded his tenth double-double of the season, averaging nearly a double-double with 15.1 points and 9.3 rebounds per game.
Other contributors included Lamarcus Crawford with 13 points, Zahir Gutierrez with 12, and Grant Hutton with 11. Hutton was one rebound shy of his first collegiate double-double. The team finished with 19 assists, led by four each from Josiah Nelson and Tre Terrell. They shot over 44% from the field, forced 21 turnovers, and made nearly 66% of their free throws on 35 attempts, Redman said.
Redman credited the team’s defensive effort for creating transition opportunities. “We forced 21 turnovers, which allowed us to turn our defense into offense,” he said. “Last night we had a lot of guys step up and contribute to the win. I am proud to be a Ranger!”
The team will return home Thursday to host No. 19 Jones College at Howard Coliseum, following a three-day break. The game is scheduled to tip off at 7:30 p.m., after the women’s game. Fans can stay updated on scheduling changes by visiting nwccrangers.com or following the team’s social media accounts.
