BOX SCORE
JACKSON – In a game that saw 14 lead changes, 14 ties, and neither team leading by more then five points, the Millsaps Majors Women's Basketball Team dropped a thriller Friday evening in their conference opener against Centre at The Hangar Dome.
The Colonels got on the board first as last year's Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Year Maggie Prewitt hit a mid range jumped. Millsaps responded with a three pointer from junior Lovie Love followed by a layup from junior Shante Morton. After Prewitt hit another layup, Love hit her second three of the night before baskets by Chelsea Benham and Prewitt tied the game back at eight.
Both teams battled back and forth in the first half and found themselves deadlocked at half at 28 led by Prewitt's 12 points of 7-of-8 shooting. Love was right behind Prewitt with 11 points and 3-of-4 shooting from behind the arc.
The Majors scored seven of their first 11 points from the free throw line as they drove into the paint hard and drew fouls. Morton accounted for six of those free throws, as she was perfect from the line while sophomore Shatoya White added one. No matter Centre or Millsaps, as soon as one team got the lead, the other would respond and tie or take the lead back.
With the game tied at 43 with 10:44 remaining in the second half, Centre went on a 7-2 run thanks to five points from center Lauren Huter as the Colonels held a 50-45 lead. The Majors responded with a layup followed by 1-of-2 free throws by Morton and a long jumper from White to tie the game at 50. Controversy arose, as they the shot by White appeared to be a three pointer, but was called a two.
Millsaps stopped Centre on its next possession and Morton went down and hit a huge three to put Millsaps up by three with 5:37 remaining.
Again, Centre responded with two free throws and a layup from Prewitt to go back up one before Love buried a three to put Millsaps back up two.
The two teams traded baskets before back-to-back layups from Paige Baechle and Prewitt found Centre up 60-58 with 1:43 remaining. With the shot clock running down, Love hit an enormous three with a defender draped all over her to put the Majors up one with 1:10 remaining.
However, the valiant Colonels responded as Benham hit a fall away jumped in the paint to put Centre back up one with 48 seconds on the clock. The Majors had a chance to take the lead, but an arid pass led to a turnover and Centre regained possession where Prewitt hit two free throws.
After a miss on the other end by Millsaps, Prewitt iced the game with two free throws and a 66-61 victory on the road.
Love led the way for Millsaps with 19 points, as she was 5-of-7 from behind the arc. Morton picked up her fourth consecutive double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Senior Janice Okeke returned for the first time this season due to injury and picked up six points and three rebounds along with four blocks on the night. White added six assists.
Prewitt led all scorers for Centre with 25 points on 9-of-11 shooting. She also added four rebounds, one assists, and two steals.
Millsaps falls to 3-2 overall and 0-1 in the SCAC. They return to action on Sunday afternoon as they take on the Sewanee Tigers at 1 p.m. in The Hangar Dome.
