PREVIEW: Holmes and Northeast to square off in Region XXIII finals tonight

GOODMAN --- The No. 5 seed Holmes Community College Bulldogs will face the No. 2 seed Northeast Mississippi Community College Tigers in the Region XXIII Tournament championship game in Clinton at Mississippi College tonight at 7:30 p.m.

The Bulldogs go into the finals with a 14-3 record. Holmes knocked off the No. 1 seeded Pearl River Community College Wildcats last night in Clinton, 61-58. They defeated LSUE on Tuesday in Eunice, 79-64, and Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College last Thursday, 96-89, in Goodman. Northeast is 15-3 and defeated Hinds last night in Clinton, 78-68. They defeated Delgado on Tuesday, 98-82, and Baton Rouge, 69-68, last Thursday. Tonight's game will be streamed live at holmesccmedia.com/white-channel.

The Bulldogs and Tigers have squared off two other times this season and split the contests. Northeast won 78-72 on Jan. 21 in Booneville while the Bulldogs won 63-57 in Goodman on March 24.

Holmes won seven straight games and nine out of the last 10 games on the 2021 schedule.

Holmes is led in scoring by sophomore guard Kaleb Higgins, who is averaging 20.3 points per game. Sophomore guard Brandon Weatherspoon is averaging 15.5 points per game. As a team, the Bulldogs are averaging 73.4 points per game and are shooting 44.1 percent from the floor, 36.2 percent from three-point range and 71.9 percent from the free-throw line.

Holmes is giving up 64.3 points per game.

Northeast is led in scoring by freshman guard Kylan Blackmon, who is averaging 12.8 points per game. Freshman guard Jalin Rice is averaging 12.3 points per game while sophomore guard Ken Lewis is averaging 11.2. As a team, Northeast is averaging 74.7 points per game and is shooting 42.6 percent from the floor, 30.9 percent from the three-point line and 62.1 percent from the free-throw line.

The Tigers are giving up 65.8 points per game.

Attendance information

Tickets for the game can be purchased at the door --- $8 for adults, $5 for students and 5 and under will be admitted for free. Social distancing is required and masks must be worn at all times inside the Golden Dome at Mississippi College.