CLINTON, Miss. --- The Mississippi College women's basketball team fell 55-53 to Valdosta State in a tightly-contested Gulf South Conference affair on Monday, Nov. 28. MC moves to 2-5 on the season and 1-3 in the conference. VSU improved to 4-2 and 3-1 in the league.
 
Kyiah Julian and Dezirae King paced the squad in scoring with double figures each. Julian, who has posted double digits in six of the seven games this year, led the way with 16 points. It is the 26th time in double figures this season. Her four 3-pointers ties a career-high. The Greenwood, Ark., native tied for tops on the team in rebounds as well with seven.
 
King poured in 10 points – her first time this season in double figures and 15th of her career. Keller Bigham matched Julian on the glass with seven boards.
 
MC shot 39.5 percent from the field and was 9-for-18 from the 3-point line, which is above the team average for the season (27.6%). The Navy and Gold also grabbed 38 rebounds to hold a plus-13 advantage on the glass in the game.

"I could not be prouder of the effort tonight," said head coach Greg Long. "We continue to get better as a unit and I am seeing this team begin to settle in as the season goes along."
 
MC trailed by as many as 11 points in the fourth quarter with 8:41 left to play in the game and pulled within 49-48 just over two and half minutes later behind a 10-2 run. Julian supplied seven of the points during the span while Taylor Ben and Bigham each chipped in.
 
VSU pushed its advantage back to seven points, 55-48, but once again the Choctaw responded with a scoring spurt to cut the margin to within a basket as King knocked down a 3-pointer with just over two minutes to play. A Brett Gardner made free throw on the front end cut it to two points.
 
MC trailed by one following the first 10 minutes of action, but found itself trailing by 39-31 at the break.
 
VSU was led in scoring by Tamiya Francis with 16 points. Emma Martin added 12 points. Lili Long paced the squad on the glass with five rebounds. The Lady Blazers were held below its shooting percentage for the season as it shot 36.4 percent from the field. The Red and Black average 37.3 coming into the contest. It hit 87.5 percent from the charity stripe and was held to nine fewer than its average as it compiled just 25 boards in the game.

"I felt like the defensive effort was their tonight and we did a great job on the boards. We have to limit our turnovers especially in a game like this one," Long said. "Now we need to get some rest and prepare for the remainder of a busy week."
 
Mississippi College returns to action on Wednesday, Nov. 30 as it travels down US Highway 49 to Hattiesburg, Miss., to face the University of Southern Mississippi in exhibition action. Tip is set for 6 p.m.
 
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