Preview: Itawamba Indians at East Mississippi Lions

SCOOBA, Miss. (Interstat) — A surging Itawamba team visits a struggling East Mississippi squad in a men’s junior college basketball matchup Monday night, with the Indians looking to complete a regular-season sweep.

The Itawamba Indians (17-6) enter on a five-game winning streak, including a decisive 102-71 victory over these same Lions just over six weeks ago on Jan. 8. Their most recent outing was an 84-67 home win against Mississippi Delta last Thursday.

East Mississippi (10-12), meanwhile, seeks to halt a two-game skid after falling 86-75 at Holmes last Thursday. The Lions’ season has been marked by inconsistency, but they boast a potent offensive threat in sophomore guard DeAndre Lewis.

Lewis has been a bright spot, scoring at least 19 points in four of his last five games. He is coming off a 20-point, 5-rebound performance in the win over Mississippi Delta on Feb. 12 and recorded a 27-point, 11-rebound double-double at Jones on Jan. 27. Containing him will be a key focus for the Itawamba defense.

The Indians have shown balance and resilience during their streak, with recent road wins at Hinds and Jones. Their offense hummed in the first meeting, and replicating that efficiency on the road will be their objective.

For East Mississippi, the mission is twofold: find an answer defensively after the January blowout and provide Lewis with consistent secondary scoring support to improve their postseason positioning.

Tip-off is set for Monday, Feb. 23, 2026, at East Mississippi Community College.