COLUMBUS — Mississippi University for Women’s basketball teams picked up their first wins of the 2024-25 season last week.
Owls men’s basketball head coach Dean Burrows saw his team shake a rough start to the season by taking down Pensacola Christian College 68-58 at Pohl Gymnasium while Eric Vaughn’s Owls women’s team registered a 94-76 road win at Centenary College.
The men’s team moved to 1-4 thanks in part to Chris Evans’ 20-point game. He was joined in double digits by Isaiah Ball, Jackson Reid and Cam Smith, the latter also providing eight rebounds.
The boards told a big story in the game as the Owls shot just under 50% on the game but out-rebounded the Eagles 40-26.
“Our guys came together tonight in a fashion that hasn’t happened yet in our first three games,” Burrows said of the win. “Obviously, most are going to look at how we shot, especially from beyond the arc, and focus on that. However, we did a good job on the glass and got some solid efforts from multiple guys. We have a long way to go still as a group and getting to know one another more, but tonight is a step in what we’ve discussed as a mindset of ‘Forward only.'”
The women’s team, now 1-2, reached the prolific heights they hoped for in the preseason, with the program’s top scorer Conley Langford going off for 31 points from 10-19 shooting and 7-8 from the free throw line.
Calysia Phillips and Zia Shields each posted 18 points, and Claire Leak added 16, shooting 4-5 from three-point land.
The win came after several travel headaches on the way to Louisiana, with the Owls stuck on the road longer than anticipated, but the high-scoring affair proved a cathartic experience for the fatigued Owls.
“It’s always hard to win on the road,” Vaughn said. “We fought through a lot of adversity with our bus breaking down and us not getting (to the hotel) until 4 a.m. this morning, but we found a way to win that first one. Prayerfully, we can build off of this one.”
Both basketball teams will begin SLIAC play at home against Lyon College on Tuesday afternoon. The women tip off at 1 p.m., followed by the men at 3 p.m.
Fall SLIAC honors
MUW also announced the 15 student-athletes from fall sports who were named as SLIAC All-Academic members, student-athletes who are sophomores in standing with at least a 3.50 GPA.
Volleyball: Hannah Duran, Bailee Schmitt, Madyson McBrayer, Amonie Silas.
Women’s Golf: Ashley Estabrook.
Women’s Soccer: Kate Blankenship, Anacia Leyland, Kimi Norway, Callie Abraham, Anna McKee, Abby Warchus. Blankenship, Leyland, Norway and Warchus were also named CSC Academic All-District.
Women’s XC: Hannah Owens, Paris Flanery, Jas Patrick.
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