Southwest Mississippi’s men’s basketball team defeated Mississippi Delta 72-57 at home Saturday. The Bears opened strong, jumping to a 20-5 lead in the first 10 minutes. The Trojans mounted a comeback, trimming the deficit to a narrow 30-29 halftime margin, according to team sources.
In the second half, Southwest surged ahead with quick scoring and three-pointers. Cy Merrett started the half with a three, and Leano Rolle continued to excel, including a highlight-reel dunk off a lob from Merrett. Southwest expanded its lead with four consecutive three-pointers from Courterius Scott, Rolle, and Flantroy II.
A late surge, highlighted by a Merrett-to-Rolle alley-oop with 7:25 remaining, pushed the Bears’ advantage to 64-45. The team finished strong, securing the win with a final score of 72-57. Rolle led all scorers with 22 points, while Flantroy II added 12. Scott, Merrett, and Chidi Nwosu each scored 10 points, according to the team.
Head coach Corey Schmidt praised Rolle’s performance, saying, “When he plays like that, I think we’re a different team.” The Bears, now 11-12 overall and 5-2 in conference play, will host Coahoma on Monday, February 9, in hopes of securing back-to-back wins.
