Playing in their first contest of the 2024 calendar year, the Lady Bears couldn't get the consistency that they needed as they fell to the host Mississippi Gulf Coast Lady Bulldogs, 77-55, Tuesday evening.
 
"We played well early but then we had some lapses, and they (Gulf Coast) are so explosive, they are going to capitalize," Southwest head coach Brent Harris said. "Bethany Graves was great inside and Kennedee Shelton was good on the perimeter. We will be back to work tomorrow."
 
Graves led the Lady Bears (8-4) with 21 points while Shelton poured in 12. In the first quarter, Graves got her game going early with half of Southwest's 14 points in the period.
 
It was more of the same in the second quarter as Graves once again led the Lady Bears in scoring. Southwest trailed Gulf Coast 33-24 at the half.
 
Things unfortunately didn't get any better on the defensive end for Southwest in the third quarter as the Lady Bulldogs went on a run, out-scoring the Lady Bears, 28-12.
 
Southwest put together its best scoring quarter of the night in the fourth with 19 points, but it wasn't enough as Gulf Coast rode the momentum built earlier in the contest to the win.
 
The Lady Bears return home on Thursday to host Hinds at 5:30 p.m. in the final non-conference game of the season.