Top-seeded Bulldogs face ICC

PERKINSTON — Top-seeded Mississippi Gulf Coast continues its postseason march Thursday when the Bulldogs take on fifth-seed Itawamba.

It's the first semifinal of the day in the NJCAA Region 23 Women's Basketball Tournament, which has been moved to Tougaloo College's Kroger Gymnasium in Jackson. Tipoff is at 1 p.m., and the game will be streamed at https://mgcccbulldogs.com/watch.

"It's always harder to beat a team twice, so we have to lock in and play Gulf Coast basketball," Gulf Coast coach Hope Adams said. "We needed to clean up our defensive assignments and making sure we're being unselfish offensively.

Gulf Coast (21-4) is trying to win its first region championship since 1977, which was the last trip to the national tournament. Itawamba beat Coahoma 51-47 at Clarksdale on Saturday to improve to 23-5 and advance.

The Bulldogs sprinted away from ICC in the third quarter of the first meeting this year, an 82-50 win at Dantzler Arena. They pushed the ball hard and outscored ICC 33-12 in the pivotal frame. 

"Defense turns into offense," Adams said. "We're at the time of year where defense will win championships. It's going to be the team that gets the most stops. When we're running the ball, we're just a different team."

Itawamba focused its defense on Tytiana Buckley (So., Meridian/Meridian), but the Bulldogs' array of weapons was too much.

Simaru Fields (So., Pass Christian/Gulfport) had 28 points on 11-of-13 shooting, including 4-of-6 from deep. Jacylin Houston (Fr., Louisville/Louisville) had 17 points off the bench.

"It's always harder to beat a team twice, so we have to lock in and play Gulf Coast basketball," Adams said. "We needed to clean up our defensive assignments and making sure we're being unselfish offensively."

NJCAA Region 23 Women's Basketball Tournament

First Round

Saturday, March 9

Higher seed hosts

No. 8 East Central 85, No. 9 Southern-Shreveport 71

No. 5 Itawamba 54, No. 12 Jones 36

No. 7 Northeast Mississippi 90, No. 10 Mississippi Delta 60

No. 11 Meridian 58, No. 6 Northwest Mississippi 55

Quarterfinals

Monday, March 11

Higher seed hosts

No. 1 Mississippi Gulf Coast 57, No. 8 East Central 37

No. 5 Itawamba 51, No. 4 Coahoma 47

Northeast at No. 2 Pearl River 80, No. 7 Northeast 47

No. 3 Southwest Mississippi 72, No. 11 Meridian 53

Semifinals

Thursday, March 14

Kroger Gymnasium, Tougaloo College

Jackson, Miss.

Gulf Coast vs. Itawamba, 1 pm

Pearl River vs. Southwest, 5 pm

Finals

Friday, March 15

Kroger Gymnasium, Tougaloo College

Jackson, Miss.

Championship, 5 pm

For more information on MGCCC's 11 intercollegiate athletic teams, follow @MGCCCBulldogs on Twitter and MGCCCBulldogs on Facebook, and go to mgcccbulldogs.com.