PENSACOLA, Fla. --- Senior Zariah Matthews recorded a career-high in scoring, but the Mississippi College women's basketball team fell 63-59 at the University of West Florida on Saturday, Jan. 11. The setback ended the Lady Choctaws two-game win streak and moved them to 7-7 on the season and 4-4 in Gulf South Conference play. West Florida improved to 5-11 on the campaign and picked up its first conference win of the season.
 
Matthews led the team with 24 points and surpassed her previous best of 22 set against West Georgia on Jan. 2, 2020. Shanell Kitchens added 12 points while Coco Hobson chimed in 11. Mikeba Jones grabbed a roster-best nine rebounds while Kaitlyn Thomson pulled down eight.
 
Mississippi College shot 27.5 percent from the field and connected on 31.8 percent from the 3-point line. MC shot 87.5 percent from the charity stripe and totaled 40 rebounds in the loss.
 
West Florida was led by Charlotte Ellmore with 21 points. Danielle Norquest notched a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds while Rachel McCree added 12 points. UWF shot 46.2 percent from the field despite going 4-for-14 from behind the arc and shooting 55 percent from the free throw line.
 
Game Score: Mississippi College 59 | West Florida 63
Date: Saturday, Jan. 11, 2020
Location: Pensacola, Fla. | UWF Field House
Records: Lady Choctaws 7-7, 4-4 GSC | Argonauts 5-11, 1-7 GSC
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
>> West Florida opened with the first five points and pushed its lead out to 21-15 before holding a 23-17 lead at the end of the first period.
>> The Lady Choctaws worked the lead down to 29-27 with 4:12 left before the half on a 3-pointer from Matthews off an assist from Lindsey Vaughn. The two teams went cold from the field over the final two minutes of the quarter, leaving the Argos with a 33-29 lead at the break.
>> MC pulled within 33-32 with 7:43 left in the third quarter on a free throw from Matthews, but Ellmore pushed the lead back out with a front end free throw to cap a 5-0 run. The Lady Choctaws again pulled within a basket, 44-41, with just under two minutes to play, but the Argos again responded to close the quarter out on a 5-3 run and hold a 50-44 advantage with 10 minutes to play.
>> West Florida grabbed its first double-digit lead, 54-44, with 6:42 left in the game, but the Lady Choctaws clipped the deficit to 57-56 as Matthews connected on an old fashion, three-point play with 1:14 to play. West Florida knocked down a pair of free throws with 12 seconds left to capture the win.
 
INSIDE THE BOX
>> Matthews has three of the five Lady Choctaws, 20-plus point games this season – all coming in the month of January.
>> With Matthews' scoring effort, MC has 19 20-plus scoring efforts since returning to Division II.
>> Matthews has scored in double figures in 10 contests this season, including her fourth straight.
>> Kitchens has 10 games in 10-plus points this season and has scored in double figures in her last five contests – the longest streak by any Lady Choctaw this season.
>> Hobson has scored in double-digits in eight games, including her last four.
>> For the ninth time this season, MC totaled 40 rebounds as a team.
>> West Florida never trailed in the contest.
>> With the win, West Florida has won the last three in series and holds a 9-4 record all-time against the Lady Choctaws.
 
NEXT UP
Mississippi College returns to A.E. Wood Coliseum on Thursday, Jan. 16 against Christian Brothers University. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m.