SELMA — The Wallace Community College Selma Patriots went into the second half of Tuesday’s game as a different team.

And they left the gym with their first victory, rallying from a 7-point halftime deficit to beat Marion Military Institute in overtime.

Marion led 44-37 at halftime, and the Patriots came back after intermission with a newfound strength.

“We turned up the tempo in the second half,” sophomore guard Darrell Mayberry said after the game.

Mayberry added 14 points to the team total, behind leading scorer Fentress Lockett’s 22 and Travares Williams’ 18. Charles Knight had 16 for WCCS.

Sophomore guard Kyle Watkins — who played at St. Jude with Knight — was the franchise for MMI. He scored 29 points on the night with five 3-pointers.

“We realized we couldn’t sit back and let them come ot use,” WCCS coach Ronald Lane said. “In the second half, we realized we could take the lick and come back.”

The Patriots also tightened down the defense in the second half.

“We kind of got lackadaisical on defense,” said Lane, whose squad tied the game 80-80 to force overtime.

WCCS plays at home Saturday beginning at 2 p.m. against Meridian CC.