POPLARVILLE – The 16th-ranked Pearl River Community College Wildcats led from the start and defeated No. 12 Jones County Junior College 89-75 here Monday night at M.R. White Coliseum.
The Bobcats fall to 15-3 overall, 8-3 in the division. The Wildcats, 18-2 overall, now lead the division with a 9-2 mark.
Pearl River jumped out to a 12-2 lead and never looked back.
They led 26-17 midway through the first half and 41-32 at halftime.
The Wildcats took a 66-45 lead midway through the second half before JCJC cut the lead to 70-54 with 7:48 left. PRCC ran the lead back to 86-65 with just over a minute to play.
Bryce Jones paced the Bobcats with 19 points and four assists.
Zeb Rice had 14 points, including four 3-pointers, and
Christopher White had 11 points and six rebounds.
John Cornish had 20 points for PRCC. Cortez Mitchell had 19 points and 11 rebounds, while Teddy Scott had 15 points, eight rebounds and three blocked shots.
JCJC was 24-of-68 from the field, including 10-of-30 from the 3-point line, for 35 percent. They were 17-of-28 from the free throw line.
The Wildcats were 28-of-47 from the floor, including 7-of-16 from 3-point range, for 60 percent. PRCC was 26-of-35 from the foul line.
The Wildcats outrebounded JCJC, 40-35. PRCC turned the ball over 12 times, while Bobcats committed 11.
The Bobcats travel to Meridian on Thursday for a 7:30 p.m. tipoff. JCJC's final home game will be on Monday, Feb. 16, at A.B. Howard Gymnasium vs. Southwest Mississippi.
Pearl River hosts Mississippi Gulf Coast on Thursday.
Monday's gamePoplarvilleM.R. White ColiseumMENPearl River 89, Jones County 75JONES COUNTY (15-3, 8-3) –
Bryce Jones 19,
Zeb Rice 14,
Christopher White 11, Andre'Co Calendar 8,
Bryce Perry 8,
Rodrigus Palmer 7,
Otis Harvey 4,
Albert Goss 2,
Andrew Riley 2.
PEARL RIVER (18-2, 9-2) – John Cornish 20, Cortez Mitchell 19, Teddy Scott 15, Darral Willis 9, Jamond Franklin 7, Dontellius Ross 7, William Brown 6, Jeffrey Spence 4, Malik Clements 2.
Jones County 32 43 – 75Pearl River 41 48 – 89
