IRVING, Texas — Mississippi University for Women men’s basketball started its longest string of road games of the season — six in all — with an 81-71 loss at the University of Dallas. The loss dropped the Owls to 8-8 overall, while the Crusaders improved to 6-10.
The teams were nip and tuck in the early going before UD took the lead for good with 12:18 left in the first half. The Crusaders took a 44-35 lead into the halftime locker room and led by as many as 12 points. MUW got to within five points at 65-60 on a Brye Hopkins layup with 6:23 to play but could get no closer.
Junior guard Milos Zeradjanin led The W with 16 points on a 6-for-13 shooting game from the floor. Zeradjanin had six assists, four rebounds and a pair of steals to his credit.
Shon Wright had a double-double game of 13 points and 11 rebounds (all on the defensive glass). He was a perfect 5-for-5 from the charity stripe on notching his third double-double of the 2022-23 campaign.
Tyson Smithey had 12 points, four rebounds and four assists off the Owls’ bench. Hopkins added 11 points before fouling out in the waning seconds of the game.
Andrew Shepherd finished with six points. Quintiyus Causey, Chris Evans and Josh Dukes each chipped in three points. Dukes grabbed six boards.
The W’s leading scorer and rebounder, Thomas Wright, found himself in foul trouble, eventually exiting the game with 5:40 left to play. A by-product of being hampered by fouls was that Wright’s streak of double-digit scoring games came to an end at 15. He booked just four points and one rebound in the loss at UD.
The W will try to return to the “W” column on Wednesday at Lyon College (Arkansas).
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