MOBERLY, Mo. — The second half plagued the Marshalltown Community College men’s basketball team again as the Tigers suffered their fourth-straight loss, falling 81-61 to Moberly Area CC on Saturday night in the finale of the Moberly Thanksgiving Classic.

For the second time in as many nights, the Tigers (6-5) led at halftime against an NJCAA Division I program but couldn’t lock it down. State Fair CC outscored MCC 40-15 in the second half of Friday’s 21-point Tiger loss, and Marshalltown’s three-point halftime lead on Saturday succumbed to another second-half struggle.

Moberly (7-3) topped the Tigers 44-21 after intermission to turn a 40-37 deficit into a 20-point triumph.

Ade Popoola starred for the host Greyhounds, piling up 26 points, 10 steals, eight rebounds and five assists in Moberly’s fifth consecutive victory. DaJuan Bates got 18 points off the bench and KJ Vasser finished with 13 points, five assists and four steals.

Jayden Hill led MCC in scoring again with 19 points. Ahmed Ibrahim pitched in 14 points and a team-high eight boards off the bench, and Justice Small contributed 10 points and five boards.

The Tigers couldn’t overcome a whopping 28 turnovers in their third loss to a D-I program in the last four games.

MCC is back at home this weekend, entertaining D-II No. 6 DMACC for a 3 p.m. game on Saturday afternoon at the Student Activity Center. The Tigers beat the Bears 85-67 on Nov. 19 in Boone.

Tiger women dropped by Hawks in conference opener

NORFOLK, Neb. — The Marshalltown Community College women’s basketball team opened conference play with an 81-48 loss at Northeast CC on Saturday.

The host Hawks (8-1, 1-0) won all four quarters, pushing ahead 24-11 after the first quarter on their way to the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference victory.

Aaliyah Jones scored a game-high 16 points to lead Northeast. Clara Garrote added 12 points off the bench, Vilique Falls added 11 points and Mia Wiederin finished with 10 as the Hawks forced 21 turnovers and turned them into 28 points.

Kimari Hall had 11 points and three steals to lead MCC (7-3, 0-1), which shot 31.5 percent from the field (17-of-54) and 29.2 percent from 3-point range (7-of-24). Mia Sao-Martinez added 10 points and six rebounds, and Destiny Sao-Martinez chipped in nine points off the bench. The Tigers got outrebounded 42-33 and Northeast outscored them in the paint 38-16.

MCC is back home on Tuesday night with a 5:30 p.m. contest against Faith Baptist Bible College.

Drake tops Georgia Southern to remain unbeaten

DES MOINES — Daniel Abreu’s 15 points helped Drake defeat Georgia Southern 61-47 on Saturday night.

Abreu also added seven rebounds for the Bulldogs (7-0). Mitch Mascari scored 13 points, finishing 3 of 9 from 3-point range and 4 for 4 from the line. Bennett Stirtz had 11 points and shot 3 of 9 from the field, including 1 for 3 from 3-point range, and went 4 for 5 from the line.

Eugene Brown III led the way for the Eagles (5-3) with 11 points. Dontae Horne added 10 points and four assists for Georgia Southern. Nakavieon White also had seven points and six rebounds.