CLINTON, Miss. --- Despite leading after three quarters of action, the Mississippi College women's basketball team fell 59-50 to Shorter University in Gulf South Conference action. The setback moves MC to 5-19 and 3-18 in conference play while SU improves to 18-7, 15-6 in the league.
 
Kristen Sampson paced the Lady Choctaws with 21 points in the contest. The senior from Jackson, Miss., has totaled 654 points in her career which moves her to 35th all-time. Olivia Mabry and Carla Clemmons tied for tops on the team with six rebounds each.
 
Trailing 33-27 with 6:42 left in the third quarter, MC erased the deficit with a 14-7 run to take a 41-40 lead on a Shaniqua Love layup. The Lady Choctaws would extend the lead to three points behind a free throw from Clemmons and Sampson, but have the advantage clipped to 43-42 following a pair of charity shots from Kayla Tillie. Tillie paced the Blue and White with 14 points on the day.
 
The Hawks, who grabbed their largest lead of the game at 11 points with 22 seconds left to play in the game, outscored the Navy and Gold 17-7 in the final 10 minutes to capture the conference victory.
 
MC shot 43.2 percent from the field, including a 36.4 clip from behind the arc. Shorter used a 46.7 percent from the 3-point line en route to shooting 40.4 percent from the floor.
 
Taylor Adams added 11 points for Shorter in the win and grabbed a team-best nine rebounds.
 
Mississippi College returns to action on Thursday, Feb. 25 as it hosts in-state rival Delta State on Senior Night. Tip is set for 5:30 p.m.