Bucs Fall To Meridian 63-45

TUSCALOOSA – The Shelton State men's basketball team dropped a hard-fought defensive 63-45 battle to Meridian Community College on Saturday afternoon.

Meridian (7-8) snapped a four-game losing streak with its best defensive effort of the season. The Eagles held the Bucs to 45 points, the fewest allowed by MCC this season, Shelton State (9-6), playing its first home game since Dec. 8, scored its fewest points of the season in the loss.

After a slow start, Meridian took control of the game in the second half. The Eagles shot 52.2 percent (12-for-23) from the floor after halftime and made 11 of 16 free throws in the win. Shelton State made only seven field goals in the final 20 minutes and only scored seven points in the first 13 minutes of the second half.

Michael James paced the Eagles and led all scorers with 22 points. He made 8-of-22 field goals and all four free throw attempts.  Xzayvaon Childress added 12 points, including a pair of three pointers.

Shelton State got all but seven points from Troy Dunn, DJ Hamlett, Nazir Griffin and Hasani Rivera. Dunn led the Bucs with 16 points, while Hamlett added eight points. Griffing and Rivera scored seven points each.

Both teams struggled from the floor in the first half. In fact, neither team scored in the first three and one-half minutes of the game. The Bucs shot 36 percent from the floor in the first half, while the Eagles shot 37 percent.

Shelton State returns to action on Monday, Jan. 13 with a 7:30 p.m. home game against Lawson State.