CLINTON, Miss. --- The Mississippi College women's basketball team received 20-plus scoring efforts from Zariah Matthews and Shanell Kitchens, but came up short in its first contest in 2020, falling 91-79 to the University of West Georgia. MC fell to 5-6 on the season and 2-3 in Gulf South Conference action while the Wolves improved to 10-2 and 3-1 in the league.
 
Matthews provided a career-high and roster-best 22 points while Kitchens added a career-best 20 points in the contest. Mikeba Jones added 14 followed by 10 from Coco Hobson. Jones led the squad with four rebounds.
 
The Lady Choctaws shot 49.2 percent from the floor, including a clip of 45.5 from behind the arc, while connecting on 71.4 percent from the free throw line.
 
Edley Drawhorn led the Wolves in scoring with 22 points while Ashley Lee had six rebounds. UWG finished the night shooting 59.3 percent from the field and 41.4 from the 3-point line. The Red and Blue shot 56.3 percent from the charity stripe.
 
Game Score: Mississippi College 79 | West Georgia 91
Date: Thursday, Jan. 2, 2020
Location: Clinton, Miss. | A.E. Wood Coliseum
Records: Choctaws 5-6, 2-3 GSC | Wolves 10-2, 3-1 GSC
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
>> A tightly contested first 20 minutes of play saw West Georgia hold a 37-36 lead at the break.
 >> Matthews scored the first basket of the third quarter giving the Lady Choctaws their first lead since the 7:21 mark of the first quarter, however, UWG opened the period with a 14-4 run and grabbed its first double-digit lead, 51-40, on a layup from Drawhorn with 6:41 left in the third.
>> The Red and Blue outscored MC 33-14 in the quarter and took a 70-50 advantage into the final 10 minutes of play.
>> MC outscored the Wolves 29-21 in the final quarter.
 
INSIDE THE BOX
>> Matthews and Kitchens join Kaitlyn Thompson with 20-plus point scoring efforts this season. Thompson totaled a career-high 21 at Christian Brothers on Dec. 15.
>> With the team-best 22 points, Matthews has led the Lady Choctaws in scoring five times this season and 17 in her career.
>> UWG outrebounded the Lady Choctaws 33-30 in the game. It's the fifth time this season MC has lost the battle on the glass this season and the second straight.
>> The 79 points are the fourth-most scored by MC this season, but the most in a setback.
 
NEXT UP
Mississippi College returns to action on Saturday, Jan. 4 as it hosts Shorter University. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m.