By Brett Brown
NWCC Sports Information

Freshman guard Rico Key ensured that Head Coach Jimmy Adams’ debut at Northwest Mississippi Community College was a successful one.

Key, of Batesville, came off the bench to score a game-high 20 points to lead the Northwest Rangers to a 82-60 season-opening victory against Volunteer State Nov. 3 in Gallatin, Tenn.

Adams, who took the reins of the Ranger basketball program last spring, was one of the most successful high school coaches ever in the city of Memphis. He hopes to turn around a Northwest team that owns a combined record of 35-43 the last three seasons.

The Rangers jumped to a 49-33 lead at intermission against Volunteer State behind Key’s 13 first-half points. Key converted eight of 13 shots from the field in the contest, including four of eight from three-point range. He also added eight rebounds.

Sophomore Justin Gillard of Oxford chipped in with 15 points for Northwest, while freshman Reggie Brown of Olive Branch grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds.

As a team, the Rangers shot 42.5 percent from the floor by making 31 of 73 attempts.
Northwest hosts Arkansas Baptist in its home opener Monday, Nov. 9 at Howard Coliseum in Senatobia. Tip off is at 7 p.m.