Indians defeat Rangers for second straight win

Indians defeat Rangers for second straight win
Lee Adams/LetsGoICC.com

FULTON, Miss. – Lakee Westbrook (Shannon) hit a 3-pointer in the closing minutes to lift the Itawamba Community College Indians to a 78-66 victory over the visiting Northwest Community College Rangers Monday night.

The Indians (7-12, 3-5 MACJC North Division) got off to a good start with Kevis Fleming (Robinsonville) and Westbrook shooting more than 70 percent in the first half and scoring a combined 22 points. The duo and sophomore Austin Timms (Mooreville), who scored 11 first-half points, led the Indians their largest halftime lead of 2015, 43-27.

Howard Thomas (Brandon), who has been sidelined with an injury, gave the Indians their biggest lead of the game on a layup with 13:25 left in the second half. Trailing by 21 points, the Rangers began to pick up momentum and cut the deficit to four points, 67-63 with just over three minutes remaining in the contest.

With their big lead gone, the Indians needed a spark to regain control, and that came in the form of a 3-pointer from the wing by Westbrook. The Rangers tried to stay in the game by fouling after Timms extended the lead with a layup, but fouling Westbrook, who finished 13-14 from the charity stripe, hurt their chances of picking up the win. Westbrook went 4-4 from the free throw line in the final minute, and Timms put an exclamation point on the night with a huge dunk in the closing seconds.

Westbrook scored a game-high 24 points, followed by Timms with 19 and Fleming with 14 to give the Indians their second straight win.

The Indians will travel to Goodman Thursday night for another North Division battle. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. against the Holmes Bulldogs.

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