Bio

Alyce Lawrence

Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College (1986-88) / Basketball
Lucedale, Mississippi

Alyce Lawrence earned NJCAA All-American honors when she led Gulf Coast to an MACJC South Division title as a sophomore in 1988.

In her freshman year of 1985-86, she registered a double-double with 11 points and 17 rebounds in a 77-55 loss at Jones. She got another one under happier circumstances later in the season with a 17-point, 11-rebound performance in a 74-51 win at Copiah-Lincoln when she also dished out two assists.

She also had a 21-point performance in another loss to Jones and a 16-point night against Pearl River in the final regular-season game.

Gulf Coast finished fourth in the South Division and beat Pearl River 58-53 to avenge that last loss of the regular season. Gulf Coast bowed out with a loss to Co-Lin in the next round to end the season 11-11.

In her sophomore season of 1987-88, Lawrence led Gulf Coast to the South Division championship by averaging 19 points and nine rebounds.

She scored 16 points in the finals of the Holmes Invitational to help beat Mississippi Delta 66-65. Christy Bartholomew made a free throw with no time on the clock to win that game. In the next game against Utica, Lawrence had 20 points and 11 rebounds in a 79-65 win over Utica.

She had 33 points in a 93-82 win at Hinds and grabbed another double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds in a 70-63 loss to Pearl River. In the return game against the Wildcats, she had 19 points in a 78-63 loss, but revenge would shortly be the Bulldogs’.

Lawrence made a shot in the final minute of regulation in the opener of the South State Tournament against Utica that tied the score at 74. The Bulldogs blew it open in overtime, outscoring Utica 18-3, and Lawrence finished with 33.

She had 12 points in a 63-62 win over Southwest Mississippi in the semifinals, then dominated against PRCC. She finished with 19 points and 10 rebounds in a 90-75 win for the South championship.

At the MACJC Tournament in Booneville, Lawrence had 24 points and eight rebounds in an 89-74 semifinal loss to powerful Coahoma. She continued her hot streak at the NJCAA Region 23 Tournament at Wesson, scoring 30 points in an 81-74 win over host Copiah-Lincoln.

Gulf Coast faced defending national champion Northeast Mississippi in the semifinals, and Lawrence poured in 23 points to expand a slim three-point lead into a dominating 88-68 win. She finished with 32 points, then added 20 more in a 99-79 loss to Coahoma which ended the Bulldogs’ season. She earned All-Tournament honors for her dominance in Booneville.

Gulf Coast ended the season with a 14-6 overall record. Lawrence would go on to win MVP at the state All-Star Game and be named to the NJCAA All-American Honorable Mention list.

Lawrence moved on to play at Livingston University (now University of West Alabama) in the 1988-89 season. She was the team’s leading scorer (479 points) and shot blocker (29). Her 17.7 points per game average still ranks fifth in school history.