COLUMBUS, Miss. – The W women's basketball could not hold its double-digit lead in the final period, falling to Blackburn College, 76-74, in a St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC) contest at Pohl Gym. The Owls (4-15, 3-8 SLIAC) squandered a 13-point lead in the fourth quarter versus the Beavers (5-15, 4-8 SLIAC), to split the season series.
 
MUW looked to be in cruise control with the double-digit lead in the fourth stanza. However, the Owls shooting went polar-cold down the stretch, where BC finished the game on a 24-9 run for the victory. Ahead, 65-52, with 7:23 to play, The W would connect on just three of its final 11 field goal attempts down the stretch. Conversely, the Beavers gnawed away at the deficit by going 9-for-16 from the floor in that same span, including making good on all seven of its field goal tries in the final three minutes of the game.
 
In spite of its struggles from the field, MUW managed to wrest the lead from Blackburn late. A Jakayla Smith layup with just six seconds left to play put her team ahead, 74-72. After a Beaver timeout, the visitors got the ball to Elexus Frey, who drilled a three-ball with 1.3 seconds left to sink MUW's hopes.
 
Owls' senior Conley Langford led all scorers with 25 points, 15 of which came in the second half alone. Langford was 6-of-15 from the field and converted all nine of her free throw attempts. She also pulled down eight rebounds (all on the defensive glass), dished off a team-high five assists, and made a pair of steals.
 
Smith and senior Mia Bowen each booked 19 points. Bowen finished with her ninth double-double of the year by corralling 16 rebounds, as well as adding five blocked shots tht upped her nation-leading total to 75 rejections.
 
Calysia Phillips had a game-leading five steals on her ledger. Kate Wilkins and Fantasia Wilson each grabbed four caroms.
 
The W will next be in action on Saturday, February 7 (1 p.m.) at home versus Eureka College.