POPLARVILLE – Jones College used a 9-0 run to close the first quarter and went on to rout Northwest 77-49 here Wednesday night in the MACCC Tournament semifinals.
 
The Bobcats, 17-7, will face Coahoma at 5:30 p.m. Thursday for the championship. Coahoma defeated East Mississippi 57-39 in the other semifinal game.
 
Regardless of the outcome of the championship game, Jones will host a Region 23 Tournament game on Monday.
 
Northwest falls to 15-10 and will play a Region 23 Tournament game on Monday.
 
Meloney Thames (Choctaw Central) scored 26 points, converting on 6-of-13 3-point attempts. Sakyia White (Tuscaloosa, Alabama) had another double-double with 17 points and 13 rebounds. Olivia Knight (Pearl) had nine points and six assists. Arianna Patton (Meridian) had eight points and Mackenzie Thomas (Laurel) came off the bench to grab seven rounds.
 
Northwest led 14-9 went the Bobcats scored nine straight points to lead 18-14 after the first quarter.
 
The Bobcats were ahead 24-19 midway through the second quarter when they ended the half with 11 straight points to lead 35-19 at halftime.
 
Jones ended an 18-0 run with two free throws by White and led 42-19 with 7:54 remaining in the third quarter. The Bobcats led 56-36 after three quarters.
 
A jumper by Nakyah Jones (Mobile, Alabama) with 1:28 to play gave Jones its largest lead at 77-47.
 
Tierra Trotter led the Rangers with 24 points.
 
Jones made 30-of-71 shots for 42 percent, 13-of-36 3-pointers for 36 percent and 4-of-7 free throws for 57 percent. Northwest hit 20-of-62 shots for 32 percent, 4-of-20 3-pointers for 20 percent and 5-of-9 free throws for 56 percent.
 
The Bobcats out-rebounded Northwest, 51-38, and had 20 assists compared to 12 for the Rangers.

Jones will be aiming for its sixth conference championship in eight years on Thursday night.