ABILENE, TX - The Mississippi College men's basketball team dropped their third straight game with an 84-78 loss at Hardin-Simmons in the Mabee Complex on Saturday afteroon.

The Choctaws trailed by as many as 15 points in the second half before cutting the lead to 79-78 with 1:11 remaining.  MC would turn the ball over on the next possession and HSU would pull away for the six-point victory.

The Cowboys opened the game on a 10-0 run and extended the lead throughout the first half.  The Choctaws would cut into the lead, only trailing 39-28 at intermission.

Sophomore Cameron Bounds led MC with 23 points on 7-10 shooting from the floor and 9-12 from the free throw line.  Bounds also paced the Choctaws with eight rebounds.  Senior Ken Black added 21 points and six rebounds, while junior Greg Pulliam finished with 16 points before fouling out in the final minute.

Senior Kelvin Lester led a defensive effort that forced 16 HSU turnover, including Lester making four steals.  Junior Marlon Ester tallied four steals and a team-high seven assists.

The Choctaws struggled at the free throw line, only making 17-30 from the stripe, while the Cowboys knocked down 25-31 from the line.

HSU was led by Matt Addison with 24 points, 19 of them coming in the second half.  Terrance Booker and Aaron Thornton each finished in double-figures with 19 and 13 points, respectively.

The Choctaws will be back in action on Tuesday when they travel to Pineville to face Louisiana College at 7:30 p.m.