ELLISVILLE – Jones College used a strong second-half defensive effort and defeated Hinds 80-66 here Tuesday night at A.B. Howard Gymnasium.
 
The win ended a three-game losing streak for the Bobcats. Jones is now 14-9 overall and 7-6 in the MACCC.
 
The Bobcats end regular season play with a 5:30 p.m. game at Itawamba on Thursday. Jones will compete in the Region 23 Tournament starting Feb. 27 at a time and place to be determined.
 
Hinds drops to 10-14 overall, 3-10 in the league.
 
The Bulldogs held a 36-35 halftime lead, but Jones took the lead for good at 45-42 on an Ashton Campbell (Forrest County AHS) three-pointer with 12:49 left. 
 
A Jay Barnes' (Oak Grove) layup with 8:45 remaining capped an 18-6 run and gave the Bobcats a 53-42 lead. A Kenard Bowie layup with 6:56 to play got Hinds within 55-48, but that would be the closest the Bulldogs would get.
 
A Daquarius Harris (Memphis, Tennessee) dunk with 3:47 remaining gave the Bobcats its largest lead of the evening at 70-52.
 
Campbell connected on five three-pointers and led the Bobcats with 23 points. Caleb McGill (Petal) added 14. Barnes had seven points, 10 assists, seven rebounds and three steals. Treylan Smith (Petal) and Zandon Haralson (Center Hill) had nine points each.
 
Taylon Smith had 22 points for Hinds with Patrick McCraney adding 17 and Bowie scoring 14.
 
Jones made 30-of-62 shots for 48 percent, 10-of-27 from beyond the arc for 37 percent, but hit just 10-of-21 foul shots for 48 percent. The Bulldogs hit 23-of-53 shots for 43 percent, 5-of-19 three-pointers for 26 percent and 15-of-20 free throws for 75 percent.
 
Jones outrebounded Hinds, 35-34, and had 23 assists compared to 12 for Hinds. The Bobcats had 10 steals and Hinds had four.
 
Hinds ends its season on Thursday with a home game vs. Mississippi Delta.