Jones's Career-High Not Enough Versus Frank

Micah Jones hit seven triples and scored a career-high 27 points in a nail-biting 78-76 overtime loss to Frank Phillips College.

A Jones three-pointer gave the T-Birds their first double digit lead of the game, 18-8, with 11:55 remaining in the first half. 

Jones made a technical foul free throw at the 4:14 mark to bring the T-Birds seven points in front, 27-20. The Plainsmen closed on an 8-2 run to end the half trailing NMJC 29-28.

The Plainsmen held their largest lead of the game, 41-36, at the 15:16 mark in the second half. The T-Birds responded with an 11-0 run capped off by a Jones three-pointer to give the Thunderbirds the 47-41 lead.

A pair of Antwaun Massey free throws gave NMJC its largest lead of the game, 63-52, with 4:36 left in the game. The T-Birds led 70-64 with under a minute to play but three turnovers in the final minute pushed the game to overtime with the score stuck at 70-70. 

Jeremiah Cherry went 1-for-2 from the free throw line with 36 seconds remaining in overtime to tie the score at 76 apiece. Frank Phillips whittled the clock down on the final possession and was able to get an offensive rebound on its missed jump shot, which led to a game-winning layup by Jailan Ardoin just before time expired.

Cherry finished with 19 points and 11 rebounds. The freshman center recorded his second consecutive double-double and fourth double-double of the season in the Saturday night game.  

Guard Logan McLaughlin scored 15 points, six rebounds, and three assists. Guard Josh Nwankwo finished with six rebounds on the night.

The T-Birds shot 23-of-65 (35.4%) from the field, 11-for-33 (33.3%) from the three-point line, 19-of-24 (79.2%) from the charity stripe, and forced 18 turnovers in the loss to the Plainsmen.

The Thunderbirds drop to 10-11 on the year and 3-4 in conference. NMJC will play Clarendon College Saturday, Jan. 30 at 7:30 p.m. MDT in Clarendon, Texas.