Preview: Mississippi Delta at East Mississippi Men’s Basketball

SCOOBA, Miss. (Interstat) — Two Mississippi junior college men’s basketball teams on very different trajectories will meet Thursday when the struggling Mississippi Delta Trojans visit the East Mississippi Lions.

The game, scheduled for Feb. 12, 2026, pits a Trojans squad mired in a difficult season against a Lions team seeking to get back to .500 in regional play.

Mississippi Delta (1-7) enters on a five-game losing streak, most recently an 85-68 road loss to Mississippi Gulf Coast on Feb. 2. The Trojans have struggled defensively, allowing an average of 86.5 points during their skid. A bright spot has been the play of Courtland Sloan, who scored 18 points with five rebounds and two blocks in that defeat.

East Mississippi (9-11) has also faced recent challenges, dropping its last three contests. The Lions fell 97-69 at home to Mississippi Gulf Coast on Feb. 5. Despite the team’s results, sophomore guard DeAndre Lewis has been a consistent offensive force, averaging 21.3 points over his last three games, including a 27-point, 11-rebound effort at Jones on Jan. 27.

The Lions will look to Lewis and backcourt mate Diovion Famakinde, who scored 21 points in the last outing, to exploit a Trojans defense that has frequently yielded high point totals. Mississippi Delta will counter with Sloan and Antron Mason II, who nearly posted a triple-double (18 points, nine assists, five rebounds) in the previous game.

Historically, East Mississippi has faced a demanding non-conference schedule, which contributes to its sub-.500 overall record. This contest represents a critical opportunity for the Lions to secure a conference win against a team they are favored to beat. For the Trojans, it is a chance to halt their slide and spring an upset on the road.

The matchup tips off at 7:30 p.m. CST at Keyes T. Currie Coliseum.