ELLISVILLE – The matchup between 10th-ranked Jones College and Pearl River was highly anticipated.
 
The game more than lived up to its billing as the Bobcats downed the Wildcats 93-88 here Thursday night before the largest, most enthusiastic crowd of the season at A.B. Howard Gymnasium.

It was Jones' 17th win in the last 19 meetings with the Wildcats.
 
The win puts Jones at 18-3 overall and 10-0 in the MACCC with only four games left in the regular season. The Bobcats have won 12 consecutive games. PRCC falls to 19-2 overall and 9-2 in the league.
 
En'Dya Buford (Olive Branch) had a monster game with 33 points, six rebounds, six steals and three assists. She made 15-of-18 free throws. Meloney Thames (Choctaw Central) had 25 points, including a perfect 6-for-6 night from 3-point range. Sakyia White (Tuscaloosa, Alabama) had her 19th double-double of the year with 17 points and 13 rebounds. Tasionna McDowell (Delhi, Louisiana) had 10 points and seven rebounds and Carly Keats (Neshoba Central) had seven assists.
 
The game was knotted at 74-74 with 7:44 remaining after PRCC's Jaliscia Florence converted a three-point play.
 
But Jones went on a quick 7-0 run, capped by a Keats jumper, to make it 81-74 with 5:13 remaining. A layup by White gave Jones an 89-81 lead with 1:38 to play.
 
Buford made three free throws and Keats added another down the stretch to help the Bobcats secure the victory.
 
The Wildcats had the edge early, taking its largest lead of the evening at 25-15 on a Halle Traylor 3-pointer with 11 seconds showing in the first quarter. But Thames answered with a trey with three seconds on the clock and Jones trailed 25-18 after the first quarter.
 
Jones rallied in the second quarter and would take a 46-41 lead into the dressing room when Buford hit a 3-pointer with 27 seconds showing.
 
A Keats 3-pointer gave Jones its longest lead at 62-51 with 3:49 left in the third quarter. The Bobcats held a 72-65 advantage going into the final period.
 
J'Mani Ingram led the Wildcats with 23 points. Ty'Mesha Reed added 18 and Tierra Simon had 10. Marcavia Shavers scored nine points and had 11 rebounds and Ingram added eight boards.
 
Jones shot 43 percent from the floor and made 28-of-37 foul shots. PRCC shot 46 percent and made 14-of-20 foul shots.
 
PRCC outrebounded Jones, 41-40. The Bobcats committed eight turnovers, compared to 11 for the Wildcats. 
 
The Bobcats continue league play with a 6 p.m. contest on Feb. 13 at Coahoma. They return home to face East Central on Feb. 16.
 
PRCC hosts Mississippi Delta on Monday.