CLEVELAND, Tenn. --- The Mississippi College women's basketball team closed its 2023-24 campaign with a 61-52 loss at No. 3 seed Lee University on Tuesday, March 5. MC concludes the season with a 13-15 mark.
 
Amelia Bell and Kyiah Julian paced the squad with double-figure scoring efforts as it marks the 13th game with 10-or-more points this season for each. Julian notched her 44th game of her career while Bell recorded her 27th.
 
Nia Coleman and Sky Vaughn each had nine rebounds to lead the team as the squad totaled 46 boards on the night. The rebound total is the second highest this season and the sixth with 40-plus on the campaign.
 
"I couldn't be prouder of this team and tonight is proof this program is heading in the right direction and that was proven in the last two months," head coach Greg Long said.
 
MC closed out the season with a 9-7 mark, including three of its last five contests, after opening with just four wins in the first two months.
 
A see-saw affair in the opening 10 minutes, which saw the Blue and Gold down a point, Lee held as much as an eight-point advantage in the second stanza. However, MC whittled the deficit down and closed out the first half on a 4-0 run as Julian and Bigham each knocked down a pair of free throws.
 
After Julian dropped two more free throws to cut the margin to a bucket, the Lady Flames responded with a 7-0 spurt to push the deficit to 36-27. MC again narrowed the gap as it closed to within five points with just under four to play in the third quarter as Julian converted on a driving layup in the paint – two of 21 second-chance points for the squad. MC held the advantage in the category as it outscored the Red and Blue by 13 on the night.
 
Lee responded as it closed the third period on a 10-4 run and reached its largest lead of the game with 16 ticks left before the final 10 minutes. LU shot 41.7 percent during the quarter, including a 50.0 clip from behind the arc.
 
MC nibbled around the single-digit line, but still remained down double figures at the three-minute mark, but the visitors from the Magnolia State strung together a 6-0 run to narrow the lead to 54-50 with 1:26 left in the game. Vaughn and Bell led the charge during the spurt. However, Lee answered with a 6-0 run of its own over the last minute to close out the contest.
 
"It is not the outcome we wanted this evening, but I am so thankful for the way these young ladies have grown into young women and the way they fought and competed for each other this season," said Long. "A big thank you goes to my staff for all their hard work and dedication. We would not be where we are without there selflessness and sacrifices for the program," said Long.
 
"A big thank you goes to our lone senior, Kyiah Julian," Long added. The future success of this program was built on her back."
 
Julian finishes her career as program's 3-point leader with 133 during her four-year, Choctaw career and 147 during her NCAA tenure. The Greenwood, Ark., native also finishes in the top five in school history in free-throw percentage.

MC finishes the season with the most GSC wins in program history with 12. Read Full Article