MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Memphis Mitchell used a smothering defense and blistered the nets offensively to take a commanding 20-point first-half lead over Meigs County. The Tigers never recovered as Mitchell rolled to a 56-27 win to claim the Class A state basketball championship here at Middle Tennessee State University Saturday evening.
Meigs County, which was making its first state title game appearance since 1980, had come from behind in each of its first two tournament games but never got untracked against Mitchell, which beat 10 of its last 11 opponents by double figures in claiming the program's first state title.
Mitchell forced 11 first-half turnovers and connected on 54-percent of its first-half shot attempts to take control.