For a half Wednesday night, Meridian Community College women’s coach Hilary Allen was pleased with the Lady Eagles’ performance.

In the second half, though, Shelton State blew MCC off the court at Graham Gymnasium to end the Lady Eagles’ six-game winning streak, 76-54.

“We had a good first half,” Allen said. “We were doing the things we had been doing, and actually, I was pleased with where we were at, at halftime. We just came out the second half and did nothing. We just did nothing in the second half.

“What I’m hoping for the growth of my team is to be able to play well against good basketball teams. But we didn’t play hard against a good basketball team, and that concerns me because we’ve got some big games coming up.”

MCC (9-3) did more than play with Shelton State in the opening half Wednesday. Until the closing minutes of the half, the Lady Eagles led the Lady Bucs 28-26 following a 10-3 run anchored at the free-throw line, where MCC made 16 of 22 in before halftime.

However, the Lady Bucs (9-3) closed on an 11-3 streak, sparked by a Marissa Carter 3-pointer and Shelton State continued to roll after intermission. Following a Tiara Logan basket to open the second half, Shelton State ran off eight straight points to stretch its lead to 42-33.

While MCC climbed back within 50-43 on a pair of Tiara Parker free throws, the Lady Bucs closed with a flourish, led by Joi Walker, who poured in 15 of her game-high 16 in the second half. Carter, who nailed three 3-pointers, finished with 15 for Shelton State.

“We just didn’t make points,” Allen said, noting that the Lady Eagles only scored 23 points after the break. “We’re normally a really good scoring team, but we just didn’t score very many points tonight. And that hurt us.

“We’re normally a second-half team, and that’s where we take our pride. We just didn’t do it at all tonight. And that’s the same thing that happened at their place.”

The Lady Eagles fell 82-58 at Shelton State on Nov. 13 before rolling through the next six games.

MCC was led by Maranda Anderson’s 10 points. Philadelphia product Natonya McWilliams hauled in 12 rebounds.



Shelton State 69

MCC men 48



The Eagles also suffered a power outage Wednesday.

After grabbing a 16-15 lead on the strength of three Otis Williams 3-pointers, MCC struggled to keep pace with the Buccaneers, as Shelton State closed the first half on a 15-4 run.

“We just couldn’t make shots tonight, and we didn’t take advantage of open looks,,” MCC coach George Brooks said. “We held them to 30 points in the first half, but guys just gotta make shots.

“It was one of those nights.”

Charles Perona gave Shelton State the lead for good to begin the closing run of the first half, which was helped by 11 MCC turnovers during the run — 17 in the first half.

After a pair of Mario Luckett buckets and two free throws from Northeast Lauderdale product Tommy Tillman helped the Eagles (7-5) claw within 32-26, Shelton State (9-2) caught fire behind back-to-back 3-pointers from Brandon Williams, who finished with 11 points, to start a 23-7 run.

Tillman, who hit three 3-pointers in the second half on his way to a game-high 20 points, was the lone Eagle in double figures. Seven-foot center Brandon Baker blocked seven shots for MCC.

Shelton State was led by Cortez Irby’s 13 points — 10 coming in the first half — and Edward Anderson’s 12 points.

“I don’t think we attacked the basket enough,” Brooks said. “We got the shots we wanted in the offense — open looks, just didn’t make them.”