MACC Women Close First Semester at 9–7, Set Sights on Region 16 Play
As the first semester comes to a close and the Greyhounds head into the holiday break, the Moberly Area Community College Women's Basketball team finds itself in a solid position and trending forward. MACC finishes the semester with a 9–7 overall record following a challenging late-December stretch that tested the team's depth, resilience, and growth.
Recent Game Recap
The Greyhounds opened the final stretch of the semester on the road at Wabash Valley, falling 77–57 in a game that marked their first without leading scorer Daija Cohen, who was sidelined as a precaution after tweaking her knee earlier in the season. Head Coach Chevis Thompson noted the impact of her absence, particularly against a physical opponent.
Without Cohen, MACC struggled with turnovers and rebounding, leading to the road loss.
The team responded quickly in its next outing, earning a hard-fought 70–67 home win over Southeast Community College, avenging an earlier one-point loss. In a tightly contested game that came down to the final possessions, Alexie Nicholas delivered a clutch three-pointer to swing the lead late, and MACC sealed the victory at the free-throw line. Nicholas led all scorers with 23 points.
Momentum carried over into a dominant 82–51 road win at Lincoln Trail College, where the Greyhounds controlled the game from start to finish. Nila Wills posted a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds, while Kathlynn Samuels added 12 points and 10 rebounds. The lopsided score also allowed MACC to get valuable minutes from its bench. Amariah Clyne returned from a month-long injury absence to score eight points, while Reese Halter contributed six points and eight rebounds off the bench. Faith Trotter chipped in eight points as part of a balanced scoring effort that saw six Greyhounds reach double figures.
MACC closed the semester with a 57–49 loss at John A. Logan College, a game Thompson described as a frustrating and out-of-sync performance on both ends of the floor. Despite the disappointment, the loss served as a reminder of the consistency needed moving into conference play.
Perspective at the Break
While Thompson is clear that "there are no moral victories in coaching," he acknowledged the progress made since the season's opening weeks.
After starting the year 0–3, the Greyhounds head into the break with a winning record and valuable experience.
"We're 9–7 overall," Thompson said. "Not where I'd like us to be, but we're still a couple games above .500. We'll regroup, get back to work, and take it one game at a time."
The holiday break comes at a good time for a young roster filled with freshmen, many of whom are heading home for the first time since arriving on campus in August. The pause offers a chance to recharge both physically and mentally before the grind of the second semester.
Looking Ahead to Region 16
MACC will return to practice on December 28 and open the second semester with a road game at St. Louis Community College on January 3, just days before diving into Region 16 play.
The region once again figures to be among the toughest in the nation. State Fair enters undefeated and nationally ranked, Three Rivers sits in the national top 10, and programs like Mineral Area and Crowder have also posted strong early-season records.
"Region 16 is really strong from top to bottom," Thompson said. "Any given night, it's going to come down to who executes and who makes plays at the right time."
MACC opens conference play on January 7 at Three Rivers, launching what Thompson describes as a January and February "grind," with each team facing conference opponents three times.
For the Greyhounds, the focus moving forward is consistency, health, and continued development.
"We're still young and still ironing out some kinks," Thompson said. "But if we stay healthy, stay together, and keep working, we'll see how we fare in Region 16."
As the Greyhounds head into the holiday break, the foundation is set for an exciting and demanding second half of the season.