Pioneers Drop Third in a Row to Northeast Mississippi

By: Nick Kieser

GALLATIN, TENNESSEE — For the Vol State men's basketball team the record has now dropped to (1-4) on the season.  With this loss, it is the third consecutive and second at home thus far.  With Northeast Mississippi Community College traveling up to Gallatin, they to like the women's program picked up their second win of the year (94-76).  DeAnthony Tipler for Northeast topped off the team high in points for the night at (22).  For Vol State, George Stanberry finished the game last evening with (24) points.  Alongside Stanberry was Tim Goodrich who amassed (15) points to help add to the see-sawing game until the second half was taken over by Northeast.

"We have to box out more.  They had a lot of offensive boards set up.  As a team, we need to play better defense.  I have to do a better job at playing defense too," said Kevin Rimmer.

"We need to play more confident and not second guess our shots.  All of the teams we've played are ranked teams.  As far as I am concerned we played really good considering who the teams we have faced already.  The second chance points were the ones that really killed us," said Stanberry.

Stanberry noted before leaving the gym that the conference teams don't play like the ranked teams that they have faced so far this season.

"These guys manhandled us and we have to get more physical and hit the gym.  We see that these are division one athletes so they are some of the best around right now," said Rimmer.

Game three of the six-game home stand will be on Friday versus Columbia State Community College (3-1) at 5:30 p.m.  Before facing the Pioneers, Columbia State will take on Elizabethtown College tonight at 6 p.m.  This will be the first conference opponent for Vol State this season.

"We could have played five JV teams and be five and zero, but what good would it be if we couldn't line up.  We may be demoralized but I think I can solve that problem in the next few days," said head coach Rusty Melvin.  "We know what Columbia State will do and we will be able to line up against them.  We will go out at five thirty and see who executes the best," he said.

Tune in for Friday's game on 88.5 WVCP the college radio station and on Twitter @VSCCPioneersMBB.