COLUMBUS, Miss. – Mississippi University for Women head women's basketball coach Drew Johnson had no doubt his young team would break through, but it was just a matter of when. The Owls (1-7) strung together a complete game at home Tuesday evening, taking down Millsaps College, 57-51, for the team's first win of the 2021 campaign.
 
The Majors (5-5) were previously ranked as high as No. 25 in the NCAA Division III coaches poll and defeated The W (64-60) back on November 21 in Jackson, Miss.
 
"Christiana (Harris) and Ro (Rokila Wallace) kept us steady down the stretch," Johnson said. "Ro really shined at the end by taking care of the ball and keeping us ahead at the (free throw) stripe."
 
"Defensively, I felt we did a pretty good job of communicating. We forced a lot of turnovers and we were able to get stops when it mattered most. What most impressed me was our composure down the stretch. When adversity hit, we found each other. I think that's what I'm most proud of; the fact that we came together a little bit more today."
 
 
The tandem of Wallace and Harris combined for 31 of the Owls' 57 points. Wallace scored all 16 of her game-high point total in the second half, with Millsaps keying on MUW's leading scorer in the first half. Wallace - who leads the United States Collegiate Athletic Association in scoring, free throws made and free throws attempted – made the difference at the line, where she was 9-of-11. She had a team-best eight rebounds (seven defensive).
 
Harris, conversely, was 5-for-9 from the floor and 2-of-3 from beyond the arc. Harris pulled down five rebounds, four on the defensive end.
 
Jasmine Shaw chipped in nine points and made a game-leading five steals, helping the Owls force Millsaps into 25 turnovers (which were turned into 24 points by The W).  MG Chamberlain booked eight points and Jaycee Haynes five. Two points each from Hannah Duran and Cassidy Murphy rounded out the Owls' scoring.
 
Murphy also had a blocked shot to her credit and Duran had game-leading total of five assists, as well. Haynes added six boards to the Owls' total of 35 caroms for the game.
 
The W will not have long to savor the win, as the team travels to face NCAA Division II Mississippi College on Wednesday (Dec. 8) evening. Tip-off in Clinton, Miss., is slated for 5:30 p.m.