Tigers Back in Win Column

Marion, AL. - After dropping a home game Thursday evening to the Pirates of CVCC, the MMI Tigers rebounded with a73-60 victory at home against the Saints from Lurleen B. Wallace Community College Saturday afternoon.

LBW jumped out to a quick 5-0 lead before Zhavian Green put the Tigers on the board with a three-pointer;assisted by Jimmie Sanders.  Another basket by LBW was followed by another three-pointer, this time from Jacorey Turnipseed after Darius Dawson secured one of his five offensive rebounds. After a defensive stop by MMI, Dawson gave Marion their first lead, 8-7, on a perfectly executed pick-n-roll pass from Sanders.  Marion would not surrender the lead the rest of the game.

The first double digit lead by the home squad came at the 7:23 mark in the first half when Green connected on another three-pointer;this time assisted by Turnipseed.  The Saints put together some small runs before halftime and cut it to ten, 43-33, with 54 seconds on the clock before they sent Turnipseed to the line for two free throws.  After making both from the charity stripe, the Tigers held a 45-33 lead at the break.

The second half saw Jimmie Sanders find his teammates on back-to-back-to-back-to back plays to grow the lead to twenty in the first five minutes.  Turnipseed hit first from behind the three-point line.  He was followed by Dawon for an easy dunk.  Turnipseed followed with another three-pointer with Green adding another one from behind the arc.  Marion held a 56-36 lead.

The Saints scrapped their way back and cut the lead to ten, 70-60, with 1:40 on the clock before Turnipseed hit another three-pointer to put the game out of reach.

Turnipseed led the Tigers wuth 20 points on 5-of-10 shooting from behind the arc.  Sanders finished with a double-double; 10 points and 13 assists.  Zhavian Green added 15 points with nine rebounds.  Dawson recorded 13 rebounds with eight points.  Also scoring for Mario were: Desmond Ward (5), Monte Wilkerson (4), Mark Bradwell (4), Brandon Jackson (3), Larry Penn (2), and Chris Brown (2).

MMI will travel to Montgomery, Alabama Monday, November 18 to face the Hawks from Huntingdon College.  They will be back at home Wednesday, Novmeber 20, when they host the Patriots from Wallace CC-Selma for a 7:00 p.m. tip-off.