COLUMBUS, Miss. -  The W women's basketball team opened its 2024-25 St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC) slate of games with some fireworks in a hard-fought 86-80 loss at home versus Lyon College at Pohl Gym. The Owls are now 1-3 (0-1 SLIAC), while the Scots improved to 4-3 (1-0 SLIAC).
 
And while there are no columns in the standings for "moral victories," the MUW women can hang their hat on the vast difference in the result from the first-ever meetings between these teams last season. Lyon swept the pair of games by an average margin of 23.5 points per game.
 
The 2024-25 incarnation of the matchup featured 11 ties and four lead changes. With 6:40 left in the third quarter, the Owls had their last lead, 53-51, on a Calysia Phillips layup. But the Scots responded by building a cushion of as many as 14 points midway through the fourth quarter.
 
Undeterred, The W had one last push to tame Lyon in the waning minutes. MUW still trailed by 12 points, 82-70, with 3:01 left to play. At that juncture, The W would go on a 10-0 run to climb within two points on a Conley Langford layup with 30 seconds remaining. With the Owls forced to foul, the Scots made one of two free throws to keep MUW within a single possession.
 
In the final seconds, Phillips missed a trey try and Langford couldn't covert, after getting the rebound, as Lyon held on for the win.
 
Langford and Phillips both had big games for the Owls. Langford, the reigning SLIAC Player of the Week, led her team with 27 points. Langford hit 9-of-21 from the floor – including a pair of threes – and went 7-of-8 from the free throw stripe. She also took care of matters on the defensive end with five steals to lead all players.
 
Phillips was close behind Langford with 23 points, on a 9-for-26 effort from the floor. Phillips canned a trio of threes, as well. Phillips all-around game included six rebounds, five assists and three steals on her ledger.
 
Reshya Hudson may have posted the most impressive line for the Owls. Hudson had a double-double of 11 points and a sterling 19 rebounds (12 offensive). Her total on the glass was the fifth-best rebounding game in the modern era of MUW basketball.
 
Senior Claire Leak narrowly missed a double-double herself, booking nine points and nine rebounds. Leak had four assists, two steals and two blocked shots, as well.
 
The W will next be in action on Saturday (Nov. 30) versus Hendrix College at the Millsaps Tournament.