Fields scores 32 to propel Bulldogs past NWCC

PERKINSTON — Mississippi Gulf Coast pulled away late from Northwest Mississippi on Monday at Dantzler Arena, and the Bulldogs improved their hold on all-important fourth place in the MACCC women's basketball standings.

Simaru Fields (Fr., Gulfport/Gulfport) scored a career-best 32 points to lead Gulf Coast to a 66-50 win over the Rangers.

"She made us go tonight," Gulf Coast coach Hope Adams said. "She picked it up offensive and she did all the tough stuff. She got rebounds, she got steals. She finished around the basket and knocked down the tough shots. She gave us the energy we needed tonight. She scored almost half our points. When she's on, she decides she doesn't want to lose."

The Bulldogs (13-5, 8-3 MACCC) remained a game back of third-place Meridian but are now two games ahead of Copiah-Lincoln and Coahoma. The top four teams in the MACCC standings will earn byes in the NJCAA Region 23 Tournament.

Gulf Coast got off to a slow start, leading just 8-7 after the first quarter. That's when Fields got it cranked up.

With her team trailing 14-12 midway through the second, she scored 14 points in a 17-5 run that pushed the Bulldogs' lead to 29-19.

"Coming in, we thought we'd be a little rusty offensively," Adams said. "It took us a little while to get going, but now that we're getting ready to go down this final stretch, we'll be fine."

Fields had the first seven points of the second half for Gulf Coast to push the lead to 15, but Northwest began to claw its way back. The Rangers got within five at the end of the quarter. They sent on a 6-0 run to trail just 50-48 with 6:10 to play.

Gulf Coast kicked it into gear, scoring the next 11 points and holding NWCC to a single bucket the rest of the way.

The Bulldogs have won four of their last five. They head to Summit on Thursday to play seventh-place Southwest Mississippi. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m.

"We came in and told them we won this game, but it's on to the next," Adams said. "Thursday night, we've got to go in there and limit them to one shot. We've haven't been the strongest on the road, but we've got to close out strong." 

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