CLINTON, Miss. --- The Mississippi College men's basketball team will close out non-conference play on Thursday night when they travel to Hattiesburg to face William Carey. Tip-off at Clinton Gymnasium is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.

GAME INFORMATION
Matchup: Mississippi College (3-3) at William Carey (7-2)
Location: Hattiesburg, Miss.  |  Clinton Gymnasium
Time: 7:00 p.m.
 

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MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE INFORMATION
Head Coach: Don Lofton  |  200-123 (.619), 13th Year at MC

SEASON STATS
Points Per Game: 72.3  |  Scoring Margin: -0.5
Field Goal Percentage: .398  |  Field Goal Percentage Defense: .408
Three-Point Percentage: .276  |  Three-Point Percentage Defense: .313
Free Throw Percentage: .750  |  Rebounding Margin: -2.3
Turnovers Per Game: 14.0  |  Turnover Margin: -0.2

Leading Scorer: Antonio Johnson (5'10, 165, Jr.) - 14.7 ppg
Leading Rebounder: Stacey Mack (6'7, 229, Jr.) - 9.3 rpg
Leading Assists: DeOndre Haynes (6'3, 180, Sr.) - 4.2 apg

LAST GAME: The Choctaws have not played since December 17th, when they cut a 14-point second half deficit down to two in the final minutes of a 95-93 loss at Shorter. Haynes scored a career-high 22 points, while freshman Brandon Boston had a career-high 15. Johnson put up 21 second-half points, going 5-of-11 from the three-point line.
 

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WILLIAM CAREY INFORMATION
Head Coach: Steve Knight  |  637-458 (.582) - 35th Year at WC

SEASON STATS
Point Per Game: 95.4  |  Scoring Margin: +16.3
Field Goal Percentage: .491  |  Field Goal Percentage Defense: .447
Three-Point Percentage: .433  |  Three-Point Percentage Defense: .358
Free Throw Percentage: .610  |  Rebounding Margin: +8.1
Turnovers Per Game: 19.0  |  Turnover Margin: -3.7

Leading Scorer: Leo Garrett (6'2, 180, Sr.) - 16.7 ppg
Leading Rebounder: Terrance Mujahid (6'6, 225, Sr.) - 6.3 rpg
Leading Assists: Jaylen Moore (5'11, 170, Jr.) - 5.0 apg

LAST GAME: The Crusaders are coming off a 19-day layoff that saw them fall to #16 Dillard University on December 10th, 102-74. Jaylen Moore scored a team-high 20 points, while Troy Salvant came off the bench to score 18. Dillard was able to shoot 56% from the field in the victory.
 

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GAME NOTES
- This will be the 66th all-time meeting between the two schools with MC holding a 34-31 edge in the series. The teams have not played in the regular season since December 3, 1994 with the Choctaws winning, 83-76. On November 19th, MC picked up a 105-89 exhibition win over Carey as junior Antonio Johnson scored 36 points, going 10-of-12 from the three-point line.
- The Choctaws are coming off a 95-93 loss at Shorter on December 17th that saw them cut a 14-point second-half deficit to one possession in the final minutes. Senior DeOndre Haynes scored a career-high 22 points, going 11-of-13 from the field. Johnson added 21 second-half points, shooting 5-of-11 from long range.
- On the year, the Choctaws are shooting just 39.8% from the field, but the offense broke out against the Hawks, shooting 57.1% (36-of-63) en route to the tight loss. In the two previous losses to Delta State and Lee, MC averaged just 56.5 points and shot just 30% from the floor.
- Johnson (14.7 ppg) is the team's leading scorer, followed closely by Haynes (14.3 ppg), who also leads the team in assists (4.2 apg). Junior Stacey Mack (10.5 ppg) and freshman Brandon Boston (10.5 ppg) are also averaging in double-figures for the Choctaws.
- The Crusaders are led by 35th-year head coach and MS Sports Hall of Famer, Steve Knight, who has won 637 games over his illustrious career.
- Carey has moved all the way up to #8 in the NAIA rankings, but dropped their last outing to #16 Dillard on December 10th (102-74).
- Leo Garrett (16.7 ppg) is the team's leading scorer, shooting 48% from the field and the three-point line. Troy Salvant (14.5 ppg) is the team's second-leading scorer, despite coming off the bench in 7-of-8 games this season.
 

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Mississippi College is a private Christian university located in Clinton, Mississippi with an enrollment of over 5,000 students. MC is recently finished their transition process back to NCAA Division II and the Gulf South Conference and will be competing for conference and national championships in the 2016-17 academic year.
 
The athletic department sponsors 17 intercollegiate athletic programs: Baseball, Men's and Women's Basketball, Men's and Women's Cross Country, Football, Golf, Men's and Women's Soccer, Softball, Men's and Women's Tennis, Men's and Women's Indoor Track & Field, Men's and Women's Outdoor Track & Field and Volleyball.
 
For more information on Mississippi College athletics, please contact David Nichols at 601-925-3234 or nichols@mc.edu.