COLUMBUS, Miss. – The Mississippi University for Women men's basketball team had a first St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC) victory once again elude them, dropping a 71-57 decision at home to Blackburn College at Pohl Gym. The Owls fell to 4-7 and 0-4 in the SLIAC, while the Beavers improved to 5-7 overall and 4-1 in league play.
 
The W was unable to counteract a balanced BC offense that had four double-digit scorers and also hit 30-of-44 free throws. Conversely, the Owls had a pair of players – seniors Brye Hopkins and Dariun Doss – reach double figure points.
 
Hopkins shared game-high scoring honors with 20 points (along with the Beavers' Izayah Talmadge). Hopkins was 9-of-12 from the field, to go along with four rebounds.
 
Doss had his second-consecutive double-double game by contributing 14 points and 12 boards. He also had a pair of assists and a blocked shot to his credit.
 
Cam Smith came off of the Owls' bench to contribute nine points.
 
The W actually had more shot attempts than did Blackburn, by a 51-40 margin, and shot a higher percentage for the night (41 to 40 percent). The Beavers converted 14 MUW turnovers into 16 points. While it was good news for The W that it held a 34-6 advantage for points in the paint, the flip side was that Blackburn was able to produce a decided edge in outside scoring, including a 9-2 cushion for three-point baskets made.
 
The W will look to get back to the "W" column on Saturday when it hosts Eureka College in a SLIAC bout. Tip off is set for 3 p.m.