Southwest Mississippi’s men’s basketball team traveled to Fulton on Feb. 5 to face Itawamba in a battle for the top seed in the conference. The Bears lost 86-70 on the road.
The Bears started slowly, falling behind 11-4 early. They closed the gap to 13-12 with 12:40 remaining in the first half. However, Itawamba pulled away, taking a 39-27 lead into halftime.
In the second half, Itawamba extended its lead, but Southwest responded with increased intensity. Guard Courterius Scott scored 18 points, including three three-pointers, and led the team in scoring. Cy Merrett added 11 points, while Leano Rolle and Robert Flantroy II each scored 10, hitting two three-pointers apiece.
Head coach Corey Schmidt attributed the loss to rebounding struggles and defensive lapses. “The biggest key to the game was their offensive rebounds. They battled on the glass, and we did not play with enough physicality in that area,” he said. “Once they hit a couple of shots near the end of the first half, we started to let the game slip away. We also weren’t as locked in defensively in the second half, and they went on a run.”
The Bears, now 10-12 overall and 4-2 in conference play, look to bounce back Saturday at home against Mississippi Delta.
