NE Tigers knock off the Bulldogs, 82-79

GOODMAN --- The Holmes Community College Bulldogs led by as much as 10 points in the first half but were unable to hang on in the second half as the Northeast Mississippi Community College Tigers pulled out the 82-79 win here Tuesday night.

With the loss, the Bulldogs fell to 10-5 overall and 2-2 in the North Division. Holmes hosts Northwest on Thursday night at 7:30 p.m. You can watch live at holmesccmedia.com/white-channel or on your Amazon Fire or Roku devices.

With the game tied at five with 18:29 to play in the first half, the Bulldogs then mounted a run and went by as much as 10 points with 14:45 to play in the half when Jaylen Lester nailed a three-pointer to give Holmes a 21-11 lead. The Holmes' lead was five at 25-20 with 10:54 to play when Amadou Traore made a bucket in the paint.

Northeast tied the game at 25 with 9:18 to play before the Bulldogs went up again by four with 6:17 to play on three-pointer from Kaleb Higgins. Northeast tied the game at 33 with 4:34 left. Holmes went back up by three, 38-35, on a three-pointer from Tyler Talley. Northeast tied the game at 38 before capturing and hold the lead at halftime, 44-43.

A Darrius Clark three-pointer put the Bulldogs up 51-50 with 16:27 but the lead was short-lived as the Tigers retook the lead minutes later. Holmes got within three over the next 15 minutes and got within one point with 28 seconds left on a Lester three-pointer at 80-79.

Higgins led the Bulldogs with 16 points while Lester and Clark each had 12 and Brandon Weatherspoon had 11.

Holmes shot 42.2 percent from the floor (27-of-64), 37.9 from the three-point line (11-of-29) and 60.9 percent from the free-throw line (14-of-23).