MEMPHIS, Tenn. --- The Mississippi College women's basketball team opened the 2023-24 season as it rallied to top Lane College in the opening game of the Gulf South Conference-Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Crossover, 58-54, on the campus of LeMoyne-Owen College.
 
MC improved its record to 8-1 in the series with the Dragons, including three straight. The Choctaw are 17-7 all-time against its fellow NCAA Division II South Region brethren in the SIAC.
 
"What a great team win. These are the types of games I love, because we find out what we are made of inside," said head coach Greg Long. "We have a lot of things to clean up, but we continue to get better every day."
 
It is the fifth consecutive season-opening win for Long during his career and his fourth at the helm in Clinton.
 
The Choctaw were led in scoring by Keller Bigham and Brett Gardner with nine points each. Karly Ivy, Jaliscia Florence and Taylor Ben added eight points apiece. Mya Bobo paced the squad on the glass with eight rebounds as Ben and Bigham provided six boards. The Blue and Gold grabbed 38 total rebounds in the contest, including 23 on the defensive end.
 
MC trailed by five points at the end of the opening 10 minutes and faced the same deficit at the break as the Dragons led 29-25. However, the Choctaw rallied and outscored the Red and Blue 15-11 to force a 40-all stalemate at the end of 30 minutes of action. The Blue and Gold continued the pressure in the final stanza as it topped LC 18-14 in the frame.
 
The Choctaw finished with a 31.6 percentage from the field, including a 36.8 clip from behind the arc. The squad connected on 15-for-20 from the free-throw line for 75.0 percent. MC held the advantage over the Dragons in both 3-point, field-goal percentage and the charity stripe. LC was 20-of-29 from the free-throw line (69.0%) and blanked from the arc as it failed on all six attempts. The Dragons shot 37.8 percent from the floor.
 
Tamia Curry led LC in scoring with 11 points. Chantoryia Rivers paced the squad with seven rebounds.
 
Mississippi College returns to action on Saturday, Nov. 11 as it faces LeMoyne-Owen. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m.