Tigers Dominate Hawks, Improve to 4-0

Marion, AL. – With a sophomore-laden starting five, the MMI Tigers found their stride midway through the first half to dominate the Hawks from Huntingdon College last night with a final score of 86-54.

Huntingdon started the game hot from behind the three-point arc and took an early lead.  Sophomore guard, Ladarius Carter, matched their long distance shots in the first few minutes and after his second three-pointer gave MMI their first lead, 10-7.  Huntingdon rallied back to tie the game before back-to-back baskets from Willie Dunbar III put the Tigers back in front.  Marion would not surrender the lead the rest of the night.

At the 6:00 mark in the first half, Quavon Blackwood scored to push the lead to double digits for the first time, 31-20.  The Hawks would cut it back to single digits once more after a couple of turnovers by MMI.  A quick run by Marion with back-to-back-to-back steals  broke the game open and swung the momentum to the home squad.  Freshman Jacorey Turnipseed hit from deep after a steal by sophomore point guard Andrew Reddick.  He was followed by a Mark Bradwell layup and Carter followed suit with another layup thanks to a steal by last week's ACCC POTW Josue Passius.  With the first period winding down and MMI leading 43-30, Blackwood found Turnipseed on the wing to hit another three-pointer before the buzzer.  Marion took a 46-30 lead into halftime.

After consecutive misses to start the second period, the Tigers went on several quick runs to extend their lead to twenty-two.  A Joshua Rathell 3-point basket with just under 15 minutes remaining in regulation brought the lead to 63-32 and the Tigers coasted to their fourth win of the season.   

Dunbar led MMI with 16 points.  Ladarius Carter added 13 while fellow Sumter Center alum Jacorey Turnipseed scored 11 points for Marion, now 4-0 on the season.  Also contributing were: Mark Bradwell (9), Quavon Blackwood (9), Andrew Reddick (8), Joshua Rathell (6), Stacy Burse (6), Josue Passius (4), and Monte Wilkerson (4).

The Tigers will host Coastal Alabama CC-East in an ACCC North/South match-up this Saturday afternoon at the William R. Ireland Athletic Center.  Tip-off is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.