FULTON, MS - The Indians staged a second-half comeback to defeat East Mississippi Community College 63-56.
Trailing 36-28 at halftime, the Indians outscored the Lions 35-20 in the final 20 minutes to claim the victory.
Itawamba's balanced attack proved too much for East Mississippi to handle, with multiple players stepping up in key moments. AJ Dent led the scoring with 12 points while also contributing five rebounds and two blocks. James Turner provided a crucial spark off the bench, matching Dent with 12 points and hitting all four of his free throws. Dayveun Anderson was instrumental in setting the tempo, dishing out eight assists to go along with his 11 points and six rebounds.
Kam Clark controlled the boards with 11 rebounds and added nine points, anchoring a strong defensive presence that limited East Mississippi's efficiency in the second half. The Indians capitalized on their trips to the free-throw line, converting 80% of their attempts, while East Mississippi struggled to find consistency from the field, shooting just 35.7%.
Itawamba's defensive adjustments after halftime made the difference, as they held East Mississippi to just 20 points in the second half while forcing key turnovers.
