Bulldogs ease past Warriors

Mississippi Gulf Coast separated itself even further from the pack chasing state tournament slots Thursday with a 72-65 win at East Central.

Gulf Coast (14-3, 6-2 MACJC South) now has firm control of third place in the division. The Bulldogs are three games ahead of Copiah-Lincoln and Hinds, and one game back of Jones, two behind Pearl River.

"That's a positive thing, but our thing is we're two games out of first place and that's what we're trying to get," Gulf Coast coach Wendell Weathers said. "Will we? I don't know. I told them if we're going to do it, we'll have to win all our games, and we'll have to do it one game at a time."

Co-Lin visits Perkinston on Monday, and the Bulldogs defeated the Wolves 75-59 in the first meeting in January. The game, scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m., will be streamed at http://livestream.com/mgcccbulldogs.

LaRaymond Spivery (So., Lucedale/George County) had a big night with 22 points, and the inside duo of Tafari Simms (Fr., Hamilton, Ontario/Lincoln Prep) and DaJuan Moorer (So., Pensacola, Fla./Pensacola Catholic) combined for 32 points.

After leading most of the game, Gulf Coast found itself behind 38-37 with 13:30 to play. The Bulldogs promptly went on an 11-4 run and kept the Warriors (8-9, 1-7) in check the rest of the way.

Simms had 18 points, and Moorer got his 14 despite some foul trouble.

"Our offense really picked up the last 10 minutes when he got back on the floor," Weathers said. "He just adds another dimension. We can throw him passes and he can catch and finish."

The Bulldogs shot 50 percent from the field and 84 percent from the free throw line.

For more information on MGCCC's 10 intercollegiate athletic teams, follow @MGCCCBulldogs on Twitter and MGCCCBulldogs on Facebook, and go to mgcccbulldogs.com.