POPLARVILLE, Miss. — East Central Community College men's basketball opened conference play Monday night but came up short in a 90-62 loss to Pearl River at Marvin R. White Coliseum.

Pearl River set the tone early, shooting efficiently from the field and building a 50-30 lead by halftime. The Wildcats connected on eight three-pointers in the first half and controlled the glass, creating second-chance opportunities that allowed them to pull away.

East Central showed flashes offensively, finding success attacking the paint and forcing turnovers, but struggled to keep pace with Pearl River's perimeter shooting. The Warriors shot 39.1 percent from the field for the game and were limited to five three-pointers, while also leaving points at the free-throw line.

The Warriors continued to compete in the second half, matching Pearl River with 32 points after the break. Jaylen Torgusson provided a spark inside, finishing with eight points and battling in the paint throughout the night. Javin Cooper contributed seven points, four assists and a steal, while Keaton Grey added nine points off the bench, knocking down a pair of three-pointers.

Tarrell Doby chipped in with eight points, and Chris Moliere posted a solid performance with eight points while providing energy on both ends of the floor. East Central also received bench contributions from multiple players, accounting for 19 points.

Despite forcing 19 turnovers and scoring 19 points off those miscues, the Warriors were unable to overcome a significant rebounding deficit, as Pearl River held a 48-25 advantage on the boards. The Wildcats also capitalized at the free-throw line, converting 18 of 25 attempts.

East Central will look to regroup and tighten up defensively as conference play continues. The Warriors aim to build on their second-half effort and turn improved execution into results moving forward in MACCC action.