DECATUR, Miss. — The East Central Community College Warriors opened their conference play with a hard-fought battle against the undefeated Northeast Mississippi Community College Tigers on Monday night at the Brackeen-Wood Gymnasium. The Warriors could not overcome the Tigers' depth and efficiency despite a strong showing, falling 83-71.

The first half was tightly contested, with both teams trading leads multiple times. East Central (9-6, 0-1) trailed by just one point at halftime, 33-32, as Connor Rogers and Tamarion Jones combined for 21 first-half points to keep the Warriors within striking distance. Northeast Mississippi (17-0, 1-0) relied on their bench to contribute, with Tyler Byrd adding key free throws to maintain their slim advantage.

The second half saw the Tigers increase intensity, outscoring the Warriors 50-39. Northeast's Ismail Rashid led the charge with 16 points and seven rebounds, while Byrd added 15 points, primarily from the free-throw line. Javion Stephen's sharpshooting from beyond the arc proved critical, as he went 3-for-4 from three-point range.

Rogers was the standout performer for East Central, finishing with 23 points on 8-of-14 shooting. Jones contributed a double-double with 13 points and nine rebounds, while Amare Holmes chipped in nine points off the bench. Despite shooting an impressive 52% from the field, the Warriors struggled with turnovers, committing 28 compared to Northeast's 16.

The Tigers' ability to capitalize on East Central's mistakes, their bench scoring, and their dominance on the boards proved to be the difference in the game. Northeast also outshot East Central from the free-throw line, attempting 43 free throws compared to the Warriors' 30.

The loss drops East Central to 9-6 overall and 0-1 in conference play. The Warriors will look to bounce back in their next matchup as they aim to snap Northeast Mississippi's undefeated streak.

 East Central's next game will be a crucial test against Pearl River in Poplarville this Thursday night as they seek to even their conference record.