HUNTSVILLE, Ala. --- Zariah Matthews and Mikeba Jones post personal best performances, but it's not enough as the Mississippi College women's basketball team were nipped at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, 72-67, on Saturday evening. MC moved to 8-10 on the season and 5-7 in the Gulf South Conference. UAH improved to 9-8 and 6-5 in the league.
 
Matthews, a senior from Bogue Chitto, Miss., scored a career-high and roster-best 28 points. Jones tied a career-high with 19 points and the junior added a roster-best and career-high 13 rebounds for a double-double.
 
MC 37.7 percent from the field along with a clip of 35.0 from behind the arc. The Lady Choctaws connected on 14-of-19 from the free throw line for 73.7 percent.
 
Holly Harris led a trio of Chargers in double figures with 18 points. Selena Pruitt grabbed a team-best 11 rebounds and added 15 points. Aryn Sanders poured in 16 points for the Blue and White. UAH shot 42.9 percent from the floor, including a 36.0 clip from the 3-point line. It also shot 75 percent from the charity stripe.
 
Game Score: Mississippi College 67 | UAH 72
Date: Saturday, Jan. 25, 2020
Location: Huntsville, Ala. | Spragins Hall
Records: Lady Choctaws 8-10, 5-7 GSC | Chargers 9-8, 6-5 GSC
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
>> UAH jumped out early in the first quarter as it grabbed a double-digit lead, 14-4, with 3:38 left in the opening 10 minutes. MC worked the deficit down to five points with 2:18 left, but the Blue and White responded with a 6-2 run to push the lead back out to 20-11 at the end of the period.
>> UAH pushed its lead back to double figures with 7:18 left in the second and eventually taking its largest lead of the game, 27-13, at the 6:30 mark on a Pruitt fastbreak layup. MC managed to work the deficit back to single digits with two minutes before the half and drawing as close as four on two different occasions behind a 3-pointer from Shanell Kitchens and a Jones' layup, but Pruitt knocked down a trey with 15 ticks left to give the Chargers a 36-29 lead at the break.
>> MC outscored the Blue and White 19-8 in the third quarter and grab its first lead of the game, 46-44, at the 1:12 mark in the period on a Moriah Hurst layup. Matthews followed with a layup with 20 seconds left to give MC a 48-44 advantage heading into the final 10 minutes of play.
>> Jones gave the Lady Choctaws their largest lead of the game, 51-44, with a 3-pointer to start the final period. The Navy and Gold held the advantage in the game until the final minute as Harris placed UAH in front, 66-65, on a layup. Following Sanders' extending the lead to three points with 16 seconds left, Matthews responded with a pair of free throws to pull the margin back to within a point, however, UAH would go a perfect 4-for-4 from the stripe down the stretch to clinch the victory.
 
INSIDE THE BOX
>> Matthews' scoring effort marks the sixth time this month that a Lady Choctaw has scored 20-plus points in a game and the 21st time since the program returned to Division II. It's the Bogue Chitto, Miss., native's fourth this season.
>> Jones' double-double is her second and the 11th this season for the program. Her first double-double came earlier this month with 13 points and 11 rebounds at Valdosta State.
>> MC extended its mark to 131 consecutive games with a player in double figures.
>> The loss marks the fifth straight in the series and extends UAH's advantage to 11-4.
 
NEXT UP
Mississippi College returns to action on Thursday, Jan. 30 as it meets No. 7 Lee for the second time in a week. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m.