JACKSON – Shante Morton notched her third straight double-double as the Millsaps Majors Women's Basketball Team used a 9-1 run in the final 2:50 to defeat the Huntingdon Hawks on Sunday afternoon, 72-66.
Huntingdon jumped all over the Majors early on as they raced out to a 12-2 lead in the first four minutes of the game. Millsaps took the next four minutes and went on a 12-2 run of their own to tie the game at 14, thanks to six points from freshman Samantha Perez.
The Majors went on to build a lead in the first half as Morton went to work, picking up nine points and putting Millsaps ahead 32-24. Huntingdon responded by ending the half on a 13-3 run to take the lead at the break, 37-35.
A scary moment occurred in the first half as Jodi Matalvo of Huntingdon hit the floor hard as she was going for a rebound. She had to be carted off by an ambulance with a neck and back injury. She was fully responsive and had movement all through her extremities.
Millsaps came out shooting in the second half as junior Lovie Love connected on a layup to tie the game before burying a basket from beyond the arc to put the Majors up three to start the second half.
Huntingdon again responded thanks to the great guard play from LaTerial Williams and Morgan Crawford and regained the lead, 44-42 with 14:02 remaining thanks to a three from Crawford.
The teams traded baskets and the leads throughout the second half as the game remained within three points until 2:50 remaining when Sekal Ousley hit a huge layup to put the Hawks up 65-51.
Millsaps responded as Morton hit a huge three pointer to cut the deficit to one. After a missed jumper and a foul on Huntingdon, freshman Brittnei Earl found herself on the line and put away two free throws to give the Majors a 66-65 lead.
On the next possession, sophomore Shatoya White, who was outstanding defensively, came up with a huge steal and lay in to put Millsaps up 68-65. Morton iced the game for good as she hit four consecutive free throws to give the Majors the victory.
The Majors shot 40% from the field and were led by Morton who had a game high 23 points and 10 rebounds on the night. Freshman Velvet Johnson added 10 points while White dished out five assists. Both Love and Johnson came up with three steals each.
Crawford led the way for the Hawks with 18 points while Ousley added 14.
With the win, Millsaps improves to 3-1 overall on the young season. The Majors open up conference play this Friday as they welcome in the Centre Colonels, the favorite to win the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Eastern Division. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m.
