No. 17 Gulf Coast opens season with a bang

PERKINSTON — No. 17 Mississippi Gulf Coast started the women's basketball season with a big win, but it wasn't all smooth sailing Friday at Dantzler Arena.

The Bulldogs pulled away in the second half to beat Enterprise State 76-37, with nine different players scoring.

"It definitely looked like a first game," Gulf Coast coach Hope Adams said. "We're really having to go into the season trying to build up our identity. We're really young, so the more game time we get, the better we'll be. That first half was a little interesting, but they settled in and really got going the second half."

The Bulldogs scored the first 16 points of the game and led 24-6 after the first period, but the inexperience showed in the second quarter.

Gulf Coast scored only five more points before halftime, and the Boll Weevils (0-4) ripped off a 10-0 run to get into the locker room only down 29-20.

"Between layups and free throws, once we missed the first couple shots, we started getting away from our defensive principles," Adams said. "We want to score off our defense. That's been our identity for the last three years. We want to get after you, leak out, get layups. In the second quarter, we didn't do that."

The Bulldogs refocused in the third quarter, and their first seven field goals were layups, all in an 18-0 run to start the half. Enterprise State managed only 15 points in the second half.

Jacylin Houston (So., Louisville/Louisville) led the Bulldogs with 16 points. The freshman backcourt tandem of Taelar Felton (Fr., Clinton/Clinton) and Dekyra Mitchell (Fr., Durant/Holmes County) each added 13.

Gulf Coast hops right back on the Dantzler Arena court Saturday afternoon. They'll play the second game of the Gulf Coast Classic at 3 p.m. against a much-tougher Calhoun squad. Buy your tickets ahead of time to save money. It costs $7 for adults or $5 for youth online, or $10 and $7 at the gate. Tickets are available at http://mgcccbulldogs.com/tickets, and the game will be streamed at https://mgcccbulldogs.com/watch. 

For more information on MGCCC's 12 intercollegiate athletic teams, follow @MGCCCBulldogs on Twitter and MGCCCBulldogs on Facebook, and go to mgcccbulldogs.com.