Box Score

CLINTON, MS. — Henderson State had four players in double figures on Saturday afternoon, but could not break through in the second half against Mississippi College, as the Choctaws handed the Reddies their first loss of the season 78-73.

The Reddies (3-1) got 14 points and 10 rebounds from Raekwon Rogers off the bench, as well as 12 points from Anthony Lupardus and 11 from both Chris Parker and Mike Fofana.

In what was a close game throughout, the Choctaws built their largest lead of the game with 7:27 to go in the first half, when they pulled in front 28-17. Henderson rallied, however, and used 3-pointers from Eric Dailey, Kyle Murphy, Parker, and Lupardus to power an 18-6 run over the next five minutes, which pushed the Reddies into the lead for the first time 35-34.

After the two teams went into the break tied at 39-39, it was Mississippi College who threw the first punch out of the locker room as it took the first five points of the half to regain the lead 44-39. Although the final period remained neck-and-neck and the Reddies never fell behind by more than 10 points, the Choctaws' never trailed again. The Reddies had one final push late when they tied the game at 67-67 with just under five minutes to play, but MC closed the game on an 11-6 spurt which proved to be the difference.

For the fourth time this season, Henderson out-rebounded its opponent, as the Reddies won the battle on the glass 36-29. The Choctaws, however, shot 50.8 percent from the field and 66.7 percent from the 3-point line in the second half to hold on for the win.

Henderson will return to the court next Saturday at 2 p.m. when it faces Hannibal-LaGrange in the Duke Wells Center.