Pearl River, Northwest Mississippi Set for Friday Showdown

POPLARVILLE, Miss. (Interstat) — The Pearl River Wildcats visit the Northwest Mississippi Tigers in a men’s junior college basketball game on Friday, Feb. 6, 2026, with both teams seeking momentum in a tight conference race.

Pearl River (6-9) enters following its most dominant performance of the season, an 88-67 home win over Northeast Mississippi on Monday. The Wildcats’ offense was fueled by a trio of double-figure scorers: Lazarus Mason (19 points), Daijon Leatherman (19 points, 9 rebounds) and Christian Gilliland (22 points). The victory snapped a two-game skid that included a 69-80 loss to Itawamba on Jan. 31.

Northwest Mississippi (8-7) last played on Jan. 22, falling 94-86 at Coahoma. The Tigers have not taken the court since, with their subsequent games against Northeast Mississippi and Southwest Tennessee listed as 0-0 results, indicating postponements or cancellations. Prior to the loss at Coahoma, Northwest Mississippi dropped a 93-87 home contest to Itawamba on Jan. 20.

A player to watch for Pearl River is guard Lazarus Mason. He is coming off a season-high 19-point effort in 33 minutes Monday, showcasing his scoring ability after a stretch of limited offensive output. His performance will be critical against a Northwest Mississippi squad that, when active, has shown a potent offense, scoring 100 or more points four times this season.

According to Interstat’s ELO system, Northwest Mississippi is projected with a 67% probability to win Friday’s contest. The teams are scheduled to meet the previous day, Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026, in a game listed as a 0-0 result, making Friday’s matchup potentially the second half of a quick home-and-home series.

Following this game, Pearl River hosts Copiah-Lincoln on Monday, Feb. 9. Northwest Mississippi travels to Meridian on the same date.