Felton’s buzzer-beater leads to Bulldogs OT win

PERKINSTON — Kristen McMillan nailed a pair of 3-pointers in overtime to help lift Mississippi Gulf Coast to a 77-62 win over Hinds on Monday at Dantzler Arena.

It never would have gotten to that point if it wasn't for Taelar Felton, who sparked a fourth-quarter comeback with her defense, then beat the buzzer with a 3-pointer to force the extra session Monday night against Hinds.

"She was kinda down on herself. She was kind of pouting and in a lull," Gulf Coast coach Hope Adams said. "I pulled her to the side and said, if you don't step up and do what we need you to do, we're not going to win this game. In that moment, she took the challenge."

Trailing 43-39 with less than five minutes to play, Felton (Fr., Clinton/Clinton) made a steal and sprung Dekyra Mitchell (Fr., Durant/Holmes County) for a layup. Two minutes later, Felton pilfered another steal and took the layup herself to tie it 45-45.

Hinds (13-11, 1-7 MACCC) went back up four with two free throws with 18.1 seconds left. Mitchell got fouled and made one free throw. She missed the second, but Tamia Yates (So., Crystal Springs/Crystal Springs) got the rebound and was fouled. She made one of her two to make it 53-51 with 12.0 seconds left.

Hinds made a pair of free throws with 11.2 seconds left, and Mitchell drove to the basket to get it back to within in. Another foul with 6.3 seconds left sent Hinds to the line, but the shooter missed the second.

Mitchell got the rebound and lobbed it to Felton at halfcourt. She took two dribbles and launched it from the logo, banking it in with 0.3 seconds left to tie it at 56. She finished with 29 points.

McMillan's two long-range buckets punctuated a 10-0 run that put Gulf Coast up 68-60 with 2:41 left. Hinds managed only one bucket the rest of the way.

"That's what Kristen does," Adams said. "She takes charges, and she knocks down shots. She stretches the defense. I challenged her and told her these minutes below to you. I told her she needed to prove why she should be on the floor. That's the Kristen we need."

Mitchell had 21 points for the Bulldogs, and Yates added 11.

Gulf Coast travels to Fulton on Thursday to play an important MACCC game. Itawamba is a half-game ahead of the Bulldogs in the standings. Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m.

"We went through emotions in this game," Adams said. "They had every reason to quit, and they willed their way to a win."

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