CLINTON, Miss. --- The Mississippi College women's basketball team opens the 2018-19 season on Friday, Nov. 9 as it travels to Fairfield, Ala., to face the Miles College Golden Bears. Tip-off inside Knox-Windham Gymnasium is set for 5:30 p.m.
MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE NOTES
• Mississippi College returns eight players that were on the 2017-18 squad, including
Lauran Sheriff who was second on the team in scoring in her debut season. The Jackson, Miss., native averaged 10.3 points during her freshman campaign and 5.8 rebounds.
• Mississippi College returns three starters from last season.
Lauran Sheriff led the team last season with 26 starts - the only Lady Choctaw to start every contest.
Zariah Matthews added 25 starts for the Navy and Gold followed by Zan Ratcliff with 20 starts.
• Six new faces make their debuts this season with Mississippi College. Among the newcomers are five freshman along with junior college transfer
Coco Hobson. Hobson comes to Clinton after playing time at East Mississippi Community College in Scooba, Miss.
Shanell Kitchens,
Elly Nash,
Kaleigh Wren and
Kirsten Thompson and
Lindsey Vaughn are in their first, collegiate season.
• Hobson and Vaughn were named to the GSC Top newcomers in the conference's preseason release. Hobson played high school basketball at nearby Brandon (Miss.) High School before starting her collegiate career at EMCC. Vaughn played for Faith Heritage Christian Academy in Collierville, Tenn.
• Head coach
Paul Allen Duke returns for his 24th season at the helm of the Lady Choctaws. Duke is among the most tenured coaches in the Gulf South Conference and ranks third only behind Craig Roden at Delta State and Gary Van Atta at Montevallo. There are six coaches in the GSC that have been head coaches for 20-plus seasons.
• Mississippi College is predicted to finish 10th in the Gulf South Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll. The Lady Choctaws garnered 40 points after posting a 9-17 record and 5-15 in the GSC.
• Friday's contest marks the third meeting between MC and Miles College with the Lady Choctaws leading the series 2-0. It marks the first meeting between the two team since Jan. 8, 1995.
• The meeting between Mississippi College and Miles marks the first time the two squads have met on the Golden Bears' home floor. The previous two outings have been held in Clinton (1994, 1995).
Mississippi College is a private Christian university located in Clinton, Mississippi with an enrollment of over 5,000 students. MC 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 2018-19 academic year.
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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.
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For more information on Mississippi College athletics, please contactÂ
David Nichols at 601-925-3234 orÂ
nichols@mc.edu.
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