ELLISVILLE – Jones College made a strong rally in the fourth quarter but ended up losing a 63-53 decision to Southwest here Monday night at A.B. Howard Gymnasium.
 
Jones falls to 4-13 overall, 0-6 in the MACCC. Southwest is now 14-4 overall and remains unbeaten in conference play at 5-0.
 
Jones led 13-11 after the first quarter and trailed 25-24 at halftime. But the Bears outscored the Bobcats 27-9 in the third quarter to take a 52-33 lead going into the final period.
 
The Bobcats then went on a 14-2 run capped by a Hope Mealer (Center Hill) free throw to cut the lead to 54-47 with 4:16 to play.
 
The Bears were up 60-49 when Khyla Ragins (Harrison Central) scored on a layup with 1:29 remaining to make it 60-51, but that was as close as Jones would get.
 
Aasia Wilson (West Jones) topped the Bobcats with 19 points and six rebounds. Ragins added 12 points and Chrystianna Beeman (Pelahatchie) added a career-best 10.
 
Kennedee Shelton led Southwest with 14 points. Morgan Sullivan and Kara Beth Addison added 10 each.
 
The Bobcats were 22-of-68 from the field for 32 percent, 3-of-28 from 3-point range for 11 percent and 6-of-8 from the free throw line for 75 percent. Southwest was 27-of-53 from the floor for 51 percent, 3-of-13 from beyond the arc for 23 percent and 6-of-15 from the foul line for 40 percent. 
 
The Bears outrebounded Jones, 49-30. Jones only had eight turnovers compared to 17 for Southwest. Southwest outscored the Bobcats 46-34 on points in the paint.
 
Jones travels to Copiah-Lincoln for a 5:30 p.m. game on Thursday. Southwest hosts Mississippi Delta on Thursday.