With six seconds remaining, East Central Community College’s Lady Warriors had a chance to make a game-winning shot but an inbounds pass was knocked away and a turnover followed, and the home-standing Northeast Mississippi Community College women held on for a 75-74 squeaker Thursday night in Booneville.   

The EC women, who dropped to 6-2, rallied from a 15-point, second-half deficit to take a 74-73 lead following a basket by sophomore guard Danielle Cole of Philadelphia late in the non-division contest. The Lady Tigers’ Al’Lisha Hudson gave her the team the lead for good on a jumper with six seconds left.

Cole led the Lady Warriors in scoring with 15 points. She also had seven rebounds.

Also scoring were Yolanda Jones of Lake, 14; Hannah Lee of Leake Academy, 13; Demetria Slocum, a product of Bradford High School in Starke, Fla., and Bianca Thomas of Sebastopol, nine each; Shantel Neely of Searcy (Ark.) High School, four; Shanequa Bufkin of Scott Central and Sierra Croff of Newton County, three each; Xenobia Lavender of Noxapater and Alise Bryant of Northwest Rankin, two each. Lee led in rebounds with eight.

Chelsey Whitaker poured in 22 points to lead Northeast, which improved to 2-3.

The Lady Warriors, who cruised 81-59 over the Northeast women earlier in the season, held a 41-40 advantage at halftime. EC led by as many as 13 points during first-half action.

In the men’s contest, Northeast shot 70 percent in the first half to build a 42-37 advantage and held on to defeat the Warriors by a 79-71 margin. 

Sophomore guard Steve Edwards of Newton led EC with 20 points. Also scoring in double figures were Kendall Jackson of Columbus, 16; Titus Mims, a product of Alief Hastings High School in Houston, Texas, 11; Kenneth Thomas of Jackson Provine and Aquill Baynard of Elsik High School, Houston, Texas, 10 each. Antonio Grace, a product of Newton High School, chipped in four points.

Emmanuel Ezejiofo had 15 point to lead the Tigers, who improved to 2-5.

The Warriors defeated the Tigers earlier in the season by a 63-57 margin.

ECCC squads will take a break from competition during the Thanksgiving holidays and resume action Thursday, Dec. 3 against Copiah-Lincoln Community College in the MACJC South Division opener. The women’s game begins at 6 p.m. followed by the men’s contest at 8 p.m. in the Brackeen-Wood Physical Education Building.