CLINTON, Miss. --- The Mississippi College women's basketball team battled through three overtime periods before falling 76-73 to Lee University in a grueling Gulf South Conference match up on Saturday, Feb. 22 inside A.E. Wood Coliseum. MC moves to 14-13 on the season and 10-11 in conference play. Lee improves to 22-4 and 16-4 in the league.
 
Tytiana Buckley and Amelia Bell each notched double-doubles in the setback while Tiara Abron joined the duo with double figures in scoring. Buckley led the way in the scoring column with her third game with 20-plus points as she totaled 21 to go along with her 11 rebounds. Bell led the team with a career-high 19 rebounds and added 13 points. Abron supplied 17 points to finish second on the team in scoring.
 
The back-and-forth contest saw eight ties and seven lead changes throughout the 55-minutes of action. MC erased an 11-point deficit in the third quarter to force overtime. After both teams put up 10 points in the first overtime, they stood deadlocked at 63-all and needing a second extra period to try and decide the outcome.
 
In the second OT, the Flames received another late bucket to second the contest into the final overtime. Mallory Hampton connected on one of two free throws to tie the contest at 69-all. Buckley attempted a 3-pointer as time expired, but couldn't connect on the game-winner. Mia Hurst knocked down a 3-pointer with seven second left in the first extra session to extend the game as she finished with 13 points alongside Hampton.
 
In the final OT, the Flames jumped out to a four-point lead, but the Blue and Gold erased the slim margin, tying the contest at 73-all behind a pair of Buckley free throws. However, Hampton connected on two free throws, following a Choctaw defensive rebound and then offensive foul. Haylee Johnson hit one of two from the free-throw line to place the visitors from the Volunteer State up three points. Johnson finished the game with 23 points. Buckley gained another look at a 3-pointer with four ticks remaining, but came up short.
 
Mississippi College returns to action on Saturday, Mar. 1 as it hosts Delta State in the regular-season finale. The Choctaws fell in Cleveland, Miss., earlier this season. Tip-off is 2 p.m.