Jones College celebrated Sophomore Night in fine fashion here Monday night at A.B. Howard Gymnasium.
The Bobcats won their third straight game with an 85-59 victory over Hinds. Jones ends the season at 8-18 overall, 5-9 in the MACCC.
The Bobcats were tied with East Mississippi and Copiah-Lincoln in conference play, but EMCC had the tiebreaker over the Wolves and Jones and earned a trip to the Region 23 Tournament.
Zharia Leflore (Neshoba Central) had a career-best 33 points to spark the Bobcats on Monday. She also pulled down eight rebounds. Shay Hunter (Neshoba Central) had 17 points, seven rebounds, five assists and four steals and Larissa Hubbard (Harrison Central) had 14 points and 11 rebounds. Anna-Patrice Patterson (Bay Springs) had 10 points and seven rebounds. Teeale Wells (D’Iberville) had 10 points and five rebounds.
Jones trailed the Bulldogs 18-8 late in the first quarter, but then took command with a 22-0 run. The Bobcats scored the final 11 points of the opening period to take a 19-18 lead on Hubbard’s basket with two seconds left. Jones then scored the first 11 points of the second quarter and went ahead 30-18 on a Leflore layup with 7:37 to play in the first half.
The Bobcats would lead 45-33 at halftime.
Jones expanded the lead throughout the third quarter and took a 74-47 lead at the end of the period when Leflore made a 65-footer at the buzzer.
The Bobcats largest lead would be the final score.
Myan Bartholemy led Hinds with 17 points. Jasi Jenkins had 12 points and 12 rebounds and Lamaria Jones added 10 points. Hinds ends the season at 15-15 overall, 3-11 in the MACCC.
Jones was 37-of-84 from the floor for 44 percent, 9-of-22 from 3-point range for 41 percent and 12-of-19 from the free throw line for 63 percent. Hinds was 24-of-67 from the field for 36 percent, just 2-of-18 from 3-point range for 11 percent and 9-of-12 from the foul line for 75 percent.
Hinds outrebounded Jones, 48-47, but the Bobcats had 21 steals and forced 30 turnovers. Jones turned the ball over 13 times.
The Bobcats outscored the Bulldogs 35-10 on points off turnovers and 50-36 on points in the paint. Led by Leflore, Jones outscored Hinds 45-18 in bench points.
