CLINTON, Miss. --- The Mississippi College men's basketball team wrapped up 2016 with an 82-73 loss to Gulf South Conference-leading Christian Brothers on Saturday afternoon in A.E. Wood Coliseum.

HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Choctaws (3-5, 0-4 GSC) jumped out to their largest lead of the night early on as a layup from senior Byron McCall, assisted by senior DeOndre Haynes, put MC ahead 8-1 just under two minutes into the game.
- The game was tied for the first time with 15:24 remaining when Alex Trentman of the Bucs (8-3, 5-0 GSC) nailed a three-pointer to make the score 13-13.
- The rest of the half went back-and-forth, but CBU was able to take a 43-41 lead into the break.
- The Choctaws scored the first six points of the second half to take a 47-44 lead with 17:04 remaining in the contest.
- The Bucs answered with a 9-0 run and never trailed again as they pulled away for theh nine-point victory.

KEY STATS
- The Choctaws shot 48% (25-of-52) from the field, but the Bucs went 31-of-59 (53%).
- MC turned the ball over 16 times, leading to 22 CBU points, while the Bucs only turned the ball over 10 times for five MC points.
- The Choctaws outrebounded CBU 34-31 and outscored the bench of the Bucs, 29-14.
- Sophomore Xavion Dillon had his second double-double in as many games, scoring 20 points with 12 rebounds.
- Senior DeOndre Haynes (15) and junior Antonio Johnson (12) were also in double-figures.
- Trentman led four Bucs in double-figures with 18, while Mitch Mays posted a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds.

GAME NOTES
- Johnson's game-opening three-pointer for the Choctaws made 490 straight contests with MC knocking down a long-range shot, dating back to March 5, 1998.
- The Choctaws are now 5-6 all-time against CBU with the Bucs winning five straight in the series.
- This was MC's first loss of the season when attempting more free throws than their opponent (MC-24, CBU-21).

NEXT UP
- The Choctaws will travel to Jackson, Tenn. to face Union on Tuesday (Jan. 2) at 8:00 p.m. in the Fred DeLay Gymnasium.
 

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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.