GREENVILLE, S.C. – Mississippi University for Women men's basketball saw a 10-point halftime lead evaporate in the second half, before succumbing in overtime, 93-88, to Bob Jones University at the Davis Fieldhouse. The Owls (8-10) loss to the Bruins (6-7) was their fourth setback in a row.  
 
The two teams ping-ponged the lead back-and-forth throughout most of the first half. With 3:00 remaining until the intermission, BJU was up by four, 30-26.
 
But that's when The W turned up the heat, not permitting any more Bruin points in the half.
 
Meanwhile, the tandem of Brye Hopkins and Shon Wright were a two-man demolition team on offense heading into the break, combining for 12 of their team's final 14 points (Tyson Smithey had the other two). Each had six points in those final three minutes – with Hopkins rolling up 22 first-half points - as the Owls took a 40-30 advantage into the locker room.
 
MUW maintained its double-digit lead for the first four minutes of the second half, before a 9-2 run by the Bruins got them to within a single possession (53-50) with 12:36 left. The final 10 minutes of the second half was a donnybrook, with six lead changes and four ties.
 
Down by four – 74-70 – with just over a minute remaining, the Owls got clutch baskets from Shon Wright at 26 seconds and Thomas Wright with 10 seconds left that sent MUW to its first overtime game of the season.
 
Andrew Shepherd's second-consecutive three-point basket with 1:38 on the clock kept MUW within striking distance, 84-83. However, six unanswered points by the Bruins with just over a minute left put matters out of reach for the Owls.
 
Hopkins finished the afternoon with 29 points after his big first half. Hopkins was 12-of-16 from the field and also grabbed eight rebounds.
 
Shon Wright finished with 21 points and 10 rebounds for his third-consecutive double-double game (and fifth of the season). Wright matched teammate Milos Zeradjanin for team-high honors with five assists, also leading the Owls with four steals.
 
Thomas Wright narrowly missed a double-double with 18 points and nine boards, connecting on 8-of-10 from the field. Shepherd added nine points and four assists.
 
The Bruin bench out-scored the Owl reserves, 23-7. MUW did have a huge 45-22 advantage in rebounding.
 
The W will need to put the loss behind it quickly, as the team has a quick turnaround to take on Warren Wilson on Sunday at 12 p.m. (CT) in Asheville, N.C.