Lady Greyhounds Come Up Short at Home

By Chuck Livingston
The Evening Times Sports Editor
MSCC Sports Information

WEST MEMPHIS, Arkansas --- The MSCC Lady Greyhounds dropped its third straight decision last Saturday afternoon to John A. Logan College.

The 86-71 final spoiled MSCC's home opener at The Dog House, but head coach Andy Stoglin saw some bright spots in the loss, as well.

"That's the same thing that happened Thursday night (against Northwest Mississippi), we ended up winning the second half," said Stoglin. "We're just not the kind of team that can dig a hole like that and still win the game, since we have such a hard time scoring. We can't afford to give up 20 points in the first half, so we have to learn."

MSCC (1-3 overall) was led in scoring by Kierra Adams' 20 points and 14 rebounds, as well as 13 points apiece from LaCordia Williams and Ivory Thornton.

The majority of the first half was a back-and-forth affair before a 7-0 run gave the visiting John A. Logan a 29-20 lead with 7:40 left in the opening stanza, to force an MSCC timeout.

"Basketball is played with guards, and I've got inexperienced guards right now," Stoglin explained after the game. "They're the best that we have, but when we get our three more experienced guards back at the semester, you'll see a completely different team."

MSCC has opened its season without Sasha Giles, Victoria Broady and Elexa Guy, who absorbed a lot of minutes in the Lady Greyhound backcourt in 2013-2014.

In their stead, Stoglin has played freshmen Williams, Thornton and Tiffany Smith.

"Guards are the quarterback of a basketball team," said Stoglin, the veteran hoops coach. "I really feel like Sasha, Lex and Broady are Division 1-type players, and are experienced sophomores at that. They play so hard, they know how to play with each other, but we'll be a different team when we get them back."

The Lady Greyhounds trailed 46-29 at halftime, but a run in the second half got them to within 12 points at 62-50 before the visiting Lady Volunteers came up with a spurt of their own to close out the final 15-point margin.

John A. Logan got 18 points and seven rebounds from Alison Webb, 16 points from Shelby Beussink and 14 from Sarah Bailey in the win.

MSCC hits the road to Booneville, Mississippi on November 11 to do battle with Northeast Mississippi Community College. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.