COLUMBUS, Miss. – Despite a pair of double-double games from Shon Wright and Thomas Wright, the Mississippi University for Women men's basketball team could not hold off Belhaven University, 67-61, in its home finale for the 2022-23 season. The Owls fell to 10-13, while the Blazers improved to 13-10.
 
Things went The W's direction early on, as it opened the game on an 8-0 run. By the 15:47 juncture of the first half, MUW built what would prove to be its largest advantage – 16-3 – of the game. But the Owls would not score the final four minutes of the first half, allowing Belhaven to creep back into a 30-30 deadlock at the intermission.
 
The two teams stood toe-to-toe slugging it out for the first 11 minutes of the second half.  All five lead changes, as well as four of the five ties, occurred during that opening salvo of the second stanza. With 9:48 remaining, a Brye Hopkins field goal gave The W a one-point margin, 54-53. But a 10-3 run by the Blazers over the next four minutes gave Belhaven the lead it would not relinquish.
 
The disappointing loss overshadowed MUW's two Wrights. Although not related, the duo had synergy on their side versus BU.  Shon Wright led his team with 16 points and led all rebounders with 12 caroms.
 
Thomas Wright added 10 points and 10 rebounds. He did, however, have a rather uncharacteristically-off night shooting, going 4-of-11 from the field.
 
Senior point guard Milos Zeradjanin also hit double-digit points with 12. He made all four of his attempts from beyond the arc and was 4-of-7 from the floor, overall. Zeradjanin also booked a game-best four assists.
 
Hopkins booked eight points and Quintiyus Causey had six.
 
The Owls – currently tied for ninth in the latest USCAA rankings - will close the regular season Saturday at Pensacola Christian College and then wait to see if their number is called when the eight-team USCAA post-season field is revealed March 5.