Northwest basketball sweeps Dyersburg State; men rally for 108-96 victory

SENATOBIA, Miss. – The Northwest Mississippi Community College men’s basketball team erased a 14-point deficit Tuesday night to secure a 108-96 comeback victory against Dyersburg State Community College at Howard Coliseum.

The win moves the Rangers to 2-1 on the season and marks the team’s first 100-point game at home since Nov. 1, 2022. Dyersburg State falls to 0-2.

The Rangers faced a 14-0 deficit before scoring their first points four minutes into the game. Despite the early hole, Head Coach John Redman said the team remained committed to its high-tempo system.

“I thought everyone stayed composed and stayed together,” Redman said. “It’s how we play. It is a system. Our run came and it came in bunches… We wear guys out.”

Northwest battled back, briefly taking a 39-38 lead late in the first half before Dyersburg State recovered to lead 43-41 at halftime.

The Eagles extended their lead to 74-62 in the second half, but the Rangers’ offense ignited. A 23-4 run, sparked by back-to-back three-pointers that tied the game at 85-85, gave Northwest control. A layup by Demetrius Duffy pushed the lead to 100-89, sealing the win.

“We started to trust each other and moving the ball around,” said guard Zahir Gutierrez, who led all scorers with 29 points.

Gutierrez, a transfer from Pearl River Community College, also credited the home crowd for fueling the comeback.

“The atmosphere that the fans brought tonight definitely helped turn it around,” Gutierrez said. “They gave us that boost of energy that we needed.”

Key Game Statistics (Men)

• Top Scorer: Zahir Gutierrez (29 points)
• Double-Double: Demetrius Duffy (14 points, 13 rebounds)
• Other Double-Figures: Dakota Morris (18 points), Houston Cunningham (10 points)
• Team Stats: 20 assists, 17 steals
• Second Half Shooting: The Rangers shot 10-for-17 (58.8%) from three-point range in the second half.

The Rangers are off until Nov. 10, when they host Arkansas State University–Newport.

Lady Rangers Win with Dominant Second Half

In the earlier game Tuesday, the Northwest women’s basketball team (2-0) used a dominant defensive third quarter to defeat Dyersburg State (1-1), 77-61.

The Lady Rangers led 21-14 after the first quarter, but the Eagles mounted a 13-0 run in the second to take a 35-32 lead into halftime.

Northwest responded by holding Dyersburg State to just four points in the third quarter.

“We came out in the second half and applied a little pressure with our full court press and sped them up a bit to get them out of their comfort zone,” Head Coach LaTaryl Williams said.

A 10-0 run to open the second half, sparked by Alorian Story and Dekyra Mitchell, put the Rangers back in front 42-35. The team later used a 15-0 run in the fourth quarter, fueled by steals, to build an insurmountable 70-45 lead.

“We feed off the crowd,” sophomore guard Layla Hampton said. “It makes us feel good and play better when they get hyped.”

Key Game Statistics (Women)

• Top Scorers: Dekyra Mitchell (16 points), Alorian Story (16 points)
• Other Double-Figures: Layla Hampton (11 points), Takera Bland (11 points)
• All-Around: Bland led with eight rebounds and three blocks.
• Defense: The team forced 20 steals, with Hampton and Mitchell recording five each.

The Lady Rangers next travel to West Memphis, Arkansas, on Thursday to face Arkansas State University Mid-South.