COLUMBUS, Miss. – The W women's basketball team did exactly what I needed to do by knocking off Greenville University, 72-65, to set up a winner-take-all game on Saturday at home versus Spalding University for the sixth – and final - St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC) post-season tournament spot. Spalding currently sits in the No. 6 position, one game ahead of the Owls, but MUW would own tie-breaker criteria for the berth if they can secure a victory on Saturday over SU.
 
But to even get to that scenario, The W had to roll out what was, arguably, one of its best games of the year against the SLIAC's fifth-place team in the Panthers, on Thursday. MUW trailed after one quarter, 20-17, but turned the tables to take a 39-35 led into the halftime locker room.
 
Senior Conley Langford led a quartet of Owls with double-digit point totals. Langford had a game-high 23 points, hitting 6-of-12 from the floor and 4-of-8 from beyond the arc. She was also 7-for-8 from the free throw stripe, to go along with her five rebounds.
 
Starters Kymani Smith and Claire Leak added 12 and 11 points, respectively. Smith was 5-for-9 from the field, to go along with five rebounds and a game-high three steals. Leak, on the other hand, topped both teams in rebounds, with nine, and assists, with three.
 
TK Jones came off the bench to also book 11 points. Jones matched Leak's three assists, while snagging four rebounds, as well.
 
MUW built its largest lead of the night, 11 points, in the fourth period and still lead by that number with 3:11 remaining. But seven unanswered Panther points cut MUW's advantage to an uncomfortable four points, 66-62, with 2:15 to play.
 
But the Owls would hit their free throws - four-straight by Jones and one from Leak – that pushed the cushion back to nine, 71-62.
 
The W held a 52-46 advantage on the glass. The Owls also owned a 23-16 margin in bench scoring.