CLINTON, Miss. --- The Mississippi College men's basketball team was nearly able to celebrate an improbable come-from behind victory as they celebrated "Senior Day" in an 83-77 loss to Union University on Saturday afternoon in A.E. Wood Coliseum.

HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Bulldogs (14-12, 9-11 GSC) shot 60% (18-of-30) from the floor in the first half to jump out to a 44-23 lead at the halftime break.
- When Tray Boyd hit a three-pointer with 16:29 remaining in the game, Union grabbed their largest lead of the night at 53-25.
- Senior DeOndre Haynes, who was honored at halftime of the women's game, along with Jared Case and Byron McCall, started the comeback by scoring 16-of-18 points for MC over a span of six minutes, cutting the lead to 67-52 with 6:56 to go.
- Haynes, who finished with a career-high 31 points, scored 24 in the second half, including a jumper with 3:48 remaining that cut the score to 72-63.
- Junior Antonio Johnson drilled a three-pointer with :37 seconds remaining to bring the deficit to 79-75.
- The Bulldogs were able hit four free throws in the final minute to clinch the victory and finish off MC's home season.

KEY STATS
- The Choctaws' comeback was keyed by shooting 61% (22-of-36) from the field in the second half, including going 4-of-8 from the three-point line.
- Haynes became the first Choctaw to score 30 points in a game since Emmanuel Ezejiofo scored 30 against Sul Ross State in 2014.
- The 31 points were the most for a Choctaw since Donnie Haywood score 31 against Sul Ross State on December 19, 2009.
- Haynes also led the Choctaws with seven assists, while junior Stacey Mack and sophomore Xavion Dillon had a team-high seven rebounds.
- Mack (12) scored in double-figures for the 14th straight game, while junior Otis Harvey (15) hit five three-pointers on the night, which is a season-high.
- Boyd and Charlie Wilson led the Bulldogs with 17 points apiece, while Wilson tallied a double-double with 10 rebounds.

NEXT UP
- The Choctaws will hit the road for the final two games of the season, heading to West Georgia (Feb. 23) and West Alabama (Feb. 25).
 

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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.