Clinton, Mississippi – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor women's basketball team saw another first half lead slip away as the Cru fell to Mississippi College 79-73 in overtime Saturday afternoon in Clinton, Mississippi. The UMHB women drop to 2-6 overall and 2-3 in American Southwest Conference play with the loss. The Choctaws improve to 4-3 overall and 2-2 in the ASC with the victory.

The Cru would lead by as many as eight points in the first half before settling for a 30-23 halftime lead. UMHB hit the first basket of the second half to push the lead to nine, but the Choctaws clawed back to tie it at 41 eight minutes into the second half. Mississippi College would take a four-point lead before UMHB answered with an 8-0 run, capped by two Ashlee Sargent free throws to give the Cru a four-point lead of its own. The two teams traded the lead down the stretch before Kortney Bevers gave UMHB a 68-66 lead with a three-point play with 1:36 remaining. Dominique Walker's lay-in tied the game at 68 with 1:24 to go, but neither team would score again in regulation. The Cru missed two free-throws with nine seconds left and the Choctaws game-winning attempt was just off the mark at the buzzer. The two teams traded baskets early in overtime before MC used an 8-0 run to grab a 79-71 lead. Sargent hit two more free throws with one second left, but that's as close as UMHB would get.

Taylor Tucker led the Cru with 22 points and she added 11 rebounds. Macy Moore chipped in 17 points and Bevers also reached double figures with 10. UMHB shot 52 per cent as a team in the second half, but went just 1-8 from the field in overtime and turned the ball over 35 times in the game.

Jaianah Matthew led the Choctaws with 25 points on 10-19 shooting off the bench. Walker added 18 points and nine rebounds. Mississippi College shot 43 per cent as a team, but hit six three-pointers compared to three treys for the Cru.

UMHB will now take a week and a half off for the Christmas break. The Cru women will return to action with road ASC games at East Texas Baptist and LeTourneau University on January 2^nd and January 4^th.