Dry Spell Dooms Greyhounds on the Road
MSCC (12-9 overall) trailed just 40-36 at the break, but took over eight minutes to score their first field goal in the second half and by then just couldn't fight their way back in it, dropping a 79-63 decision in Little Rock.
By Chuck Livingston
Sports Editor
MSCC Sports Information
After a tight first half, the MSCC Greyhounds ran out of gas last night against Arkansas Baptist.
MSCC (12-9 overall) trailed just 40-36 at the break, but took over eight minutes to score their first field goal in the second half and by then just couldn't fight their way back in it, dropping a 79-63 decision in Little Rock.
The Greyhounds have now alternated wins and losses in their last eight contests. That patch was preceded by a season-best four-game winning streak that bridged November and December.
Little Rock Hall product Kaylon Tappin led MSCC in scoring with 22 points, but the next highest-scorer was sophomore guard Shaquille Culbreath with 10 and also pulled down a team-high 10 rebounds.
"Our defense once again I thought was good," MSCC head coach Chris Parker stated after the contest. "Anytime we can hold a team under 80 points, I feel like we should win the game." The Greyhounds are 11-0 this season when scoring over 80 points.
The Greyhounds shot a paltry 35.6% from the field and for the first time this season did not hit a three-pointer, going 0-14 from the arc. With that kind of shooting, MSCC could manage only 27 points in the second half against Arkansas Baptist, a fact that was not well-received by Parker.
"Offensively, we are not where we need to be, and it has to do with us not understanding our strengths and weaknesses," Parker explained. "Of course, arrogance is always a factor with guys thinking they can do things that they got away with in high school and it not translating to the college game."
Despite the inconsistent nature of his team's play the past four weeks, Parker hesitated before saying that his squad needed an overhaul on that side of the ball.
"I don't feel as though it is anything big," said the MSCC coach. "We just don't pay attention to the details and didn't do the little things that make the difference between getting, and then, converting higher-percentage shots."
MSCC was averaging just under 17 assists per game entering the contest against Arkansas Baptist, and they dipped below .500 on the road with the loss, checking in with a 5-6 record away from the friendly confines of The Dog House.
Arkansas Baptist has become a regular opponent for MSCC, as the Little Rock-based school is an easier road trip for the Greyhounds to make than they're accustomed to.
"It hasn't been nearly as tight as I think it should be," said Parker about the series between the schools. "But it is a regional matchup where some guys know each other and our guys have friends that attend school there. Plus, it is centrally-located and our guys have others who come support them in Little Rock."
MSCC will take a week off before playing at Central Baptist College next Thursday before returning home to play West Kentucky CTC on Saturday, January 31 for a 3 p.m. tip-off.