CLINTON, Miss. --- The Mississippi College men's basketball team will open Gulf South Conference play on Thursday night when they host Union University. Tip-off in A.E. Wood Coliseum is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
 
The Choctaws (2-2, 0-0 GSC) and the Bulldogs (4-2, 0-0 GSC) have met 11 previous times with Union holding a 7-4 edge in the series. MC's last win came on January 31, 2015 with a 72-67 triumph in Clinton. The Bulldogs are on a current four-game-winning streak in the series, including sweeping the season series each of the last two seasons.
 
The Choctaws are led by 14th-year head coach Don Lofton, who earned his 200th career victory during the 2016-17 season. MC has won two straight games, picking up home and road wins over Southern-New Orleans, including a 107-89 victory that saw the Choctaws score their most points since 2014.
 
The Bulldogs are led by 9th-year head coach David Niven, who collected his 150th career victory earlier this year. Union opened the season with three straight wins but are coming off of a tournament split in Melbourne, Fla., defeating North Greenville (69-59) and falling to Florida Tech (97-77).
 

---

 
MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE (2-2, 0-0 GSC)
ROSTER  |  SCHEDULE  |  STATISTICS
 
The Choctaws are the fourth-highest scoring team in the league, averaging 86.0 points per game over their first four contests. They lead the league in field goal percentage (.502) and are second in free throw percentage (.753).
 
On the other hand, the defense is 14th in the conference in scoring (85.5 ppg) and 12th in field goal percentage (.467). Outside of allowing just 60 points in a win over Southern-New Orleans, the Choctaws have given up 89 points or more in the other three games.
 
Senior Stacey Mack (20.5 ppg) is the team's leading scorer and ranks 4th in the league after scoring at least 23 points in each of the last three games. He is also fourth in the league in field goal percentage (.592), including shooting at least 62% from the floor in the last three contests.
 
Senior Antonio Johnson (12.0 ppg) scored a season-high 21 points, going 6-of-10 from the three-point line in MC's win over SUNO on November 20th. The McComb native has now made 115 career three-pointers and is on pace to finish second in school history in makes from long range.
 
Junior Isaiah Austin (10.3 ppg) picked up his first start against SUNO last Monday and tallied MC's first double-double of the season with 20 points and 12 rebounds. The Clinton native is the team's leading rebounder this season with 6.3 boards per contest.
 
Junior Donovan Ham (13.5 ppg) nearly recorded a triple-double against SUNO with 19 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, while sophomore Brandon Boston (12.0 ppg, 6.0 rpg) is shooting 57% from the floor early on.
 

---

 
UNION (4-2, 0-0 GSC)
ROSTER  |  SCHEDULE  |  STATISTICS
 
The Bulldogs' success has relied heavily on their defense this season, holding opponents to just 57.3 points per game in their victories and 92.5 points per game in their losses. They rank 9th in the league in scoring offense (76.3 ppg) and 5th in scoring defense (69.0 ppg).
 
Opponents are shooting just 39% from the floor against Union and 31% from the three-point line, which both rank in the top four in the conference. However, the Bulldogs are 14th in the league in turnover margin (-5.7).
 
Senior Charlie Wilson (14.3 ppg) was a preseason All-GSC selection this season and is the team's leading scorer on the year. Wilson is shooting 76% from the field and leads the squad in rebounding (8.0 rpg) but has missed each of the last two games.
 
Nick Velasquez (14.2 ppg) is shooting 51% from the three-point line and has scored in double-figures in all but one game this season. Pedro Da Silva (11.0 ppg) is also averaging in double-figures and has 7.8 rebounds per contest.
 
Tyree Boykin (10.3 ppg) is also averaging in double-figure scoring despite not starting a game on the year. He is shooting 54% from the field and 56% from long range. KC Goodwin (6.0 ppg) leads the Gulf South Conference in assists (7.3 apg), while Tevin Florent (9.3 ppg) is the reigning GSC Freshman of the Week.
 

---

 
GAME NOTES
 
The Choctaws are 420-121 all-time in A.E. Wood Coliseum. Since 1990, MC has had five undefeated seasons at home (1990, 1997, 1998, 2005, 2007).
 
All four of MC's games this season have been decided by between 14 and 19 points.
 
The team that has led at halftime has won in each of MC's four games this season, while the Choctaws are 2-0 when outscoring their opponent in the paint.
 
Senior Stacey Mack will look to become just the 10th player in school history with 500 rebounds, sitting just nine short of the mark. He would be the first since Francisco Wilson (1994-98).
 
Senior Antonio Johnson ranks 5th in school history in three-point field goals made (115), 6th in three-point attempts (273) and 11th in three-point percentage (.421).
 

---

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.