Box Score
RICHMOND, Va. – Mississippi University for Women men's basketball could not sustain its hot start versus No. 3-seeded The Apprentice School, falling in the championship quarterfinals, 73-67, at Richard Bland College. The No. 6-seeded Owls (11-14) will play a consolation game on Tuesday (9 a.m. CT) versus No. 5-seed Bryant & Stratton-Syracuse, with an opportunity to break the MUW season victory total (11) still on the line.
Things got off to a perfect start for The W in its first-ever post-season game, racing out to a 13-point lead – 27-14 – at the 11:10 juncture of the first half after a
Quintiyus Causey three-ball. But as Head Coach
Dean Burrows had players either get into foul trouble or need a rest, the Builders (21-7) took advantage of the Owls' bench and out-scored MUW the rest of the way to the intermission, 25-11, holding a 39-38 lead at the break.
Apprentice also did a good job of neutralizing MUW All-American post player,
Thomas Wright. Wright was held to a single point in the first half, largely due to giving away better than seven inches to the Builders' CJ Highsmith at 6-foot-10. Wright did finish the game with nine points and a game-leading 14 rebounds.
At 18:55 of the second half, a
Shon Wright jumper put the Owls on top, 40-39. It would end up being The W's last lead of the day. Six unanswered points by Apprentice gave them the lead they would not relinquish.
Junior
Brye Hopkins led the Owls with a double-double of 19 points and 11 rebounds. Hopkins made good on 7-for-12 from the field and dished off for two assists.
Senior guard
Milos Zeradjanin was MUW's only other double digit scorer, finishing with 11 points. While Zeradjanin struggled from the floor (2-13), he made up for it by converting 7-of-8 free throws.
Shon Wright finished then day with eight points and eight rebounds, also making a game-best four steals.
Andrew Shepherd matched Wright with eight points.
The W reserves were out-scored by the Builders' bench, 23-12. The Owls did out-rebound Apprentice by a commanding 53-37 margin.
"After a three-week layoff our guys came out and we were doing and getting things we wanted," Burrows said. "For some reason, we got selfish and wanted to do our own thing too many possessions. We outrebounded a much taller and athletic team by 16. We stress four statistical categories: Rebound Margin (we won), Free Throws (getting to the line & making more than they attempt (we didn't and missed 7), Assist to Turnover ratio, we had a negative-one for the first time since 10/12/22, and Scoring Defense, which we want to hold opponent under 70.
"We did a good job for most part on their key guys, But their role players stepped up. We have a very quick turnaround and a few potential 'firsts' for our program at stake tomorrow. If we can't get excited for the opportunities at hand tomorrow, then I don't know what to say."
