ITTA BENA, Miss. – The Delta Devils of Mississippi Valley State University were stunned at home 87-85 by the visiting Tougaloo College Bulldogs in the exhibition opener for both teams Tuesday.
 
Trailing seven points with 1:10 left to play in the game, the Delta Devils trimmed the deficit to two points, and twice had an opportunity to tie or take the lead in the final 30 seconds, but came up just short.
 
Marcus Mitchell scored 17 points to lead six Valley players scoring in double figures Tuesday. Tonzell Hardy's double-double (21 points, 13 rebounds) led Tougaloo College.
 
In the final minute of the game, Dante Scott knocked down a 3-pointer with 51 seconds left to cut the Tougaloo lead to 87-83. After a Tougaloo miss, Torico Simmons came down with the rebound for the Delta Devils and was fouled. Simmons hit both free throws to cut the lead to 87-85.
 
The Bulldogs were then fouled and had a chance to put make it a two-possession game, but Sean Atwater missed the front end of a one-and-one free throw trip. Scott had a good look at a 3-pointer with 17 seconds remaining, but it was off the mark.
 
After Tougaloo missed the front-end of a second consecutive one-and-one trip, Simmons had the opportunity for the last shot, but his attempt to tie could not find the bottom of the net.
 
Emmanuel Ejeh finished a rebound shy of a double-double for the Delta Devils, scoring 12 points and securing nine rebounds. Michael Green scored 13 points for Valley, while Scott, Jordan Evans, and Tereke Eckwood scored 10 points apiece. Both Scott and Mitchell also pulled in eight rebounds, while Green tallied five assists.
 
At halftime of the game, Mississippi Valley State University honored longtime head coach Lafayette Stribling. A member of the university's and SWAC's halls of fame, Stribling is the all-time leader in in wins in Valley men's basketball history. After retiring from Valley, he also coached five seasons at Tougaloo.
 
The Delta Devils will play one more exhibition tuneup game, as they host Delta State on Saturday at 3 p.m. The game is the first of a men's-and-women's doubleheader, which will also see the Devilettes host Stillman College.