ELLISVILLE – Southwest scored the game's first basket vs. No. 12 Jones College.
 
But Jones scored the next 13 points and eased to a 76-56 victory over the Bears here Tuesday night at A.B. Howard Gymnasium.
 
Sakyia White (Tuscaloosa, Alabama) had another dominant performance for Jones. The Florida State signee had 16 points and 21 rebounds to help the Bobcats move to 12-3 overall, 4-0 in the MACCC. White, a 6-foot-1 forward, has double-doubles in 14 of JC's 15 games.
 
Meloney Thames (Choctaw Central) led Jones with 23 points. The Mississippi State signee had five 3-pointers. En'Dya Buford (Olive Branch), a reverse transfer from Memphis, had 20 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Tasionna McDowell (Delhi, Louisiana), who has signed with Southeastern Louisiana, pulled down 11 rebounds and Carly Keats (Neshoba Central), who has signed with Arkansas, also had four assists.
 
The Bobcats outrebounded the Bears by a whopping, 54-25 margin.
 
After the Bears led 2-0, a Keats' 3-pointer capped the run that gave Jones a 13-2 lead with 4:18 left in the opening period. Jones would lead 21-12 after the first quarter.
 
A Thames' 3-pointer put the Bobcats ahead 30-19 with 2:43 to play in the first half, but Southwest trimmed the margin to 32-25 at the break.
 
Another Thames' trey gave Jones a 51-32 lead with 2:29 remaining in the third quarter. The Bears pulled within 53-42 heading into the fourth quarter.
 
A 3-pointer by SMCC's Mookie Lampley made it 68-56 with 4:04 left, but the Bobcats would score the game's final eight points.
 
Jones made 28-of-72 shots for 39 percent and they were 7-of-19 from 3-point range for 37 percent. The Bobcats sizzled at the free throw line, connecting on 13-of-14 for 93 percent. 
 
Jones outscored Southwest 38-22 on points in the paint, 19-6 on fast break points and 20-12 in points off turnovers.
 
Lampley led the Bears with 14 points. Nia Hardison and Veronica Williams added 10 points each.
 
Southwest was 21-of-54 from the floor for 39 percent, 8-of-18 from beyond the arc for 44 percent and 6-of-9 from the foul line for 67 percent.
 
The Bobcats visit Copiah-Lincoln for a 6 p.m. tipoff on Thursday.
 
Southwest, 9-7 overall and 0-4 in the conference, hosts Mississippi Delta on Thursday.