CLINTON, Miss. --- The Mississippi College women's basketball team looks to rebound from a tough start in Gulf South Conference action as the Lady Choctaws (2-3, 0-2 GSC) welcome nationally-ranked Union University to A.E. Coliseum on Thursday, Dec. 10. Tip is slated for 5:30 p.m.
MC looks for its first win in the series with the ninth-ranked Bulldogs after the first two meetings last season.
"We've got a tough chore on Thursday against one of the best teams in Division II, said head coach
Paul Allen Duke. "They are a complete team and have a lot of depth. We've got our work cut out for us. We will have to come ready to play. This is a big challenge for us."
The Lady Choctaws were nipped, 58-57, in the final seconds at West Georgia on Sunday, Dec. 6.
Carla Clemmons led the Navy and Gold with a season-high 18 points in the effort while finishing second on the team with six rebounds and a pair of blocks.
Chloe Roberts added 13 points with
Kristen Sampson supplying 12.
Toni Woods led the squad on the glass with seven rebounds and totaled three blocks.
"We played really good at West Alabama and West Georgia," Duke said. "We just had some execution problems and missed free throws at West Alabama in a ballgame that could have gone either way and we got beat by five. We had good effort. We played great at West Georgia on Sunday against an unusual style and just got beat in the final seconds. I will say that our free throw shooting was much improved on Sunday. We just need to keep working hard and getting better."
A trio of Lady Choctaws are averaging double figures on the campaign. Roberts paces the squad with 17.6 points per game. The Reagan, Tenn., native also leads the team in free throw percentage with an 84.8 clip. Clemmons is averaging 13.4 points per contest, which ranks second on the team, while Sampson is third on the team averaging 13.2 points. Woods leads the team with 7.8 boards per contest.
Union enters the Thursday evening contest with an unblemished 8-0 mark and 2-0 in conference play. The Bulldogs have a quartet of players averaging double figures in scoring led by Tiara Caldwell's 14.1 points per game. Chelsea Bodiford and Jada Smith are averaging 12.9 and 12.5 points per game. Bethany Lytle rounds out the group with 10 points. Kelsey Risner paces UU with 10.4 rebounds per game.
Following the Thursday evening contest, Mississippi College returns to action on Saturday, Dec. 12 as it hosts Christian Brothers University. Tip is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
