Box Score TOCCOA FALLS, Ga. -  After going through its first 13 games of 2022-23 alternating wins and losses, the Mississippi University for Women men's basketball team has its first 'streak' of the season – in either direction – after topping Toccoa Falls College, 81-75, for the second time in four days. The Owls improved to 8-6 overall, while the Screaming Eagles fell to 4-7, after the back-to-back bouts.
 
The teams played a fairly tight first half, with three lead swaps. TFC had its largest cushion – eight points (33-25) – with 7:03 left in the opening stanza. But The W would claw back and, after a Brye Hopkins jumper with 33 seconds left, the Owls went into the halftime locker room down by just three, 41-38.
 
MUW's Thomas Wright scored the first two baskets of the half, as the Owls took the leads for good, 42-41. A three-ball by Quintiyus Causey at the 14:44 mark completed a 16-4 run that made the score, 54-45.
 
But The W was unable to pull away and the Screaming Eagles kept making noise down the stretch, including getting to within a single possession, 77-75, with 1:03 left in regulation. But with TFC forced to foul in the waning moments, Milos Zeradjanin and Shon Wright each made a pair of free throws to salt way the victory for the Owls.
 
Thomas Wright led all scorers with 21 points. Wright was 10-of-15 from the floor and the Owls hit nearly 46 percent (32-70) as a team. He also had seven rebounds and two assists.
 
Brye Hopkins made his return to The W lineup off the bench and contributed 17 points, as The W reserves out-scored the Screaming Eagles' bench, 31-13. Hopkins was a sterling 7-of-11 from the floor, while also chipping in six rebounds and three assists.
 
Dariun Doss' 10 points accounted for the team's third double-figure scorer.
 
Shon Wright had a creditable all-around effort, just missing a double-double. He scored eight points and had a game-leading 13 rebounds, also dishing out a team-leading five assists.
 
Causey finished the night with nine points. Andrew Shepherd and Zeradjanin had six and five points, respectively. Three by Chris Evans and two from Josh Dukes rounded out the Owls' scorers.
 
The W will next host Southeastern Baptist College on Thursday (Jan. 12) at 7 p.m. in Pohl Gym.