COLUMBUS, Miss. -   The W women's basketball – under first-year head coach Eric Vaughn – got the opportunity it wanted: a chance to play for a berth in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC) on the final day of the regular season. Unfortunately for the Owls, things did not go their way versus the team they were battling for that sixth-and-final SLIAC slot, Spalding University, in a 69-45 setback at Pohl Gym.
 
To get in the SLIAC post-season, The W would have needed to defeat the Golden Eagles – who held a one-game lead over MUW in the standings – for the second time head-to-head this season to have the tiebreaker. But it was SU that came out of the blocks quickly, outscoring the Owls in every quarter (including 15-3 in the fourth period), leading wire-to-wire.
 
Credit must go to the Golden Eagles for bottling up MUW's all-SLIAC guard Conley Langford. With leading scorer Calysia Phillips already on the shelf for The W with a leg injury, Spalding held Langford to her lowest scoring total – three points – in her three seasons as an Owl. Langford did dish off a team-high three assists.
 
As a matter-of-fact, only TK Jones managed to tally in double digits. Jones booked 12 points on a 4-for-8 afternoon shooting. Kymano Smith and Quay Dorrough each chipped in eight points. Dorrough also grabbed six rebounds.
 
Reshya Hudson topped all rebounders by collecting 10 caroms.
 
The W finishes the 2024-25 campaign with a record of 8-17 overall, 7-11 in the SLIAC.