COLUMBUS, Miss. – Showing no ill effects from its Thanksgiving break, the Mississippi University for Women men's basketball team trotted to a 60-45 win over Webster University at Pohl Gym. The Owls (4-3) will be mates with the Gorloks (0-8) when The W joins the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC) in 2023-24.
 
"We thank Webster for coming down this holiday weekend to compete and give us even more of an idea as far as what to expect when we join the SLIAC next season," The W Head Coach Dean Burrows said. "The game itself was sloppy all around, but we are very pleased in going 10-11 from the line and holding them to 45 points, and winning the rebound margin.
 
"I feel like we are saying the same things game in and game out as far as the assist-to-turnover ratio is concerned. We do not value the ball as we need to. When we do that, we are very, very good. You saw glimpses of the ball moving at times this afternoon, but it needs to be more consistent. I was most proud of the three charges we took collectively."
 
The two teams had four ties and three lead changes in the early going. However, The W extended to its largest cushion of the first half – 12 points – with just over a minute left in the period, on a trey from Charlie Werner, that made it 34-22.
 
A three-minute scoring drought by the Owls early in the second segment allowed Webster to get within four points, 43-39, at the 15:51 juncture. But MUW would reel off 11 unanswered points over the next eight minutes to reach its largest lead (15 points) and salt away the win.
 
Junior Thomas Wright narrowly missed a double-double with game-leading totals of 13 points and nine rebounds. Wright made good on 6-of-12 from the floor.
 
Brye Hopkins added 11 points as the second Owl with double-digit scoring. Hopkins was 5-of-5 from the floor and also grabbed six boards.
 
In all, nine of MUW's 11 players to see action scored versus the Gorloks. Andrew Shepherd, Milos Zeradjanin and Shon Wright all booked six points. Werner and Evens each tallied five, with Dariun Doss and Josh Dukes chipping in four and two points, respectively.
 
Shon Wright also pulled down six caroms. Thomas Wright, Shepherd and Zeradjanin each dished off three assists. Zeradjanin also had a blocked shot.
 
The Owls won't have long to savor the win, as the squad will welcome LaGrange College for a Sunday afternoon contest. Tipoff for The W and the Panthers is slated for 2 p.m., in what will be MUW's third-of five consecutive home bouts.