CLINTON, Miss. --- The Mississippi College women's basketball team used a furious, second half rally to outlast LeMoyne-Owen 80-79 in the Lady Choctaws (2-0) home opener. LeMoyne-Owen fell to 0-5 on the season.
TURNING POINT
Zan Ratcliffe knocked down a jumper with five seconds remaining in the contest, on an assist from
Ieisha Lacey, to place MC up 80-79. The Lady Choctaws forced a contested look for the Magicians that didn't draw iron to claim the victory.
KEY NOTES
Five Lady Choctaws scored in double figures en route to the win.
Zariah Matthews led all MC scorers with a career-high 19 points while
Emery Wilson posted a career-high 15 points and grabbed a team-best nine rebounds – one shy of her second career double-double.
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Lacey and Ratcliffe each added 13 points while
Lauran Sheriff rounded out the group as she tied a season-high 12 points. Ratcliffe finished with 13 points, a team-best nine assists, and four rebounds in her MC debut. Lacey also grabbed a career-high five rebounds.
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The home opening win marks the 20th under head coach
Paul Allen Duke.
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Mississippi College erased a 15-point deficit en route to the win.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Mississippi College found itself in a hole early in the contest as it trailed 48-36 at the half, but the Lady Choctaws rallied as they cut the deficit to 58-54 at the end of three quarters on a pair of
Olivia Mabry free throws. The Navy and Gold outscored LOC 18-10 in the third period.
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The Lady Choctaws grabbed a 62-60 advantage with 8:17 left to play on a layup from Wilson. The lead was the first for MC since scoring on the opening tip. MC was spurred by a 26-12 run after trailing at the half.
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MC marched its lead out to 70-61 with under five minutes to play – its largest lead of the game – on a pair of Lacey free throws. However, the Magicians chipped away the deficit and knotted the contest at 77-all with 29 seconds left on an old-fashioned, 3-point play from Tanesha Wright.
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The Lady Choctaws regained the lead at 78-77 on the backend of a Ratcliffe free throw, but again LOC responded with a layup from Wright with 11 ticks left to play the Purple and Gold up a point.
NEXT UP
Mississippi College returns to action on Tuesday, Nov. 21 as it travels to Russellville, Ark., to face Arkansas Tech University. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m.
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