Chipola wins two at Bulldog Invitational in Mississippi

PERKINSTON, Miss. – After a 3-0 start to the 2023-2024 season that included a 68-54 win over #10 Shelton State, the Chipola Lady Indians made their debut at #18 in the first regular season NJCAA Rankings.

On Thursday and Friday, the Chipola women took their undefeated record on the road for the first time this season to Mississippi Gulf Coast's Bulldog Invitational in Perkinston, Missississippi.

Sophomore guard Tahnyjia Purifoy scored 26 points in each game as the Lady Indians defeated Mississippi Gulf Coast, 67-53, on Thursday and Meridian Community College, 65-57, on Friday.

Coach John Marcum and his squad will return to Mississippi on Monday and Tuesday to participate in the Northeast Thanksgiving Classic. Chipola will face the host school, Northeast Mississippi, on Monday at 6 PM, and East Mississippi on Tuesday at 2 PM.

Game Recaps

November 16, 2023 - Chipola 67   Mississippi Gulf Coast 53

Chipola jumped out ahead of the host team 14-9 after the first ten minutes of play. The Lady Indians kept the Bulldogs off the board for the first three minutes of the game but quickly ran into foul trouble on the road.

Just thirty seconds into the second quarter, Jasmine Jones picked up a foul to join Mekhila Brown and Marie Felicite Akenda Avile Wembadjonga with three fouls each. Already playing with a limited bench, the Lady Indians were still able to extend their lead by three in the second quarter and held a 32-24 advantage as both teams went to the locker room.

The third quarter began much like the first with Chipola starting on a 5-0 lead to build a 13-point lead. With the foul trouble haunting the visiting Indians, the Bulldogs were able to close the gap back to eight, 45-37 with ten minutes remaining.

In the fourth with most of the Lady Indians owning at least three fouls, Coach Marcum needed someone to step up and that came in the form of the only returning starter from last year's squad. Purifoy scored 14 points in the fourth period to total career-high 26 points. The Lady Indians were perfect from the line in the fourth quarter (7-of-7) with Purifoy responsible for five.

With 4:30 remaining in the game, reigning FCSAA Player of the Week, Jasmine Jones, hit a three to give the Lady Indians their largest lead of the night, 59-41. From there, the Bulldogs would get no closer than 12 as Chipola cruised to the 67-53 win.

• Tahnyjia Purifoy had a career-high 26 points and was joined in double digits by Jasmine Jones with 13 and Victoria Morales with 12.
• Despite the foul trouble, only Mekhila Brown fouled out of the game. Jones, Morales, and Wembadjonga escaped with four fouls.

November 17, 2023 – Chipola 65   Meridian Community College 57

The Lady Indians wrapped up their stay in the Bulldog Invitational with the Eagles from Meridian Community College. After a thirty-minute delay in the start of the game due to a location mix-up for the officials, the game started with just one official which helped keep the Lady Indians out of foul trouble. The first foul of the game was not called until there were four minutes off the clock.

Unfortunately, the delay affected the Chipola offense as the Lady Indians struggled to get going and managed just eight points through the first six minutes, all scored by Jasmine Jones. The defense was on point however, as the Lady Indians led 14-5 after the first ten minutes.

Chipola stretched the lead over the Eagles with less than two minutes left in the first half to 15 following a pass down low from Victoria Morales to Jasmine Jones. The Lady Indians maintained a double digit advantage headed into the locker room to lead the Eagles, 27-15.

In the third quarter, the Eagles clawed their way back into the game. An 8-0 run by Meridian that started with just three minutes remaining in the quarter, cut the Chipola lead to two at 35-33.  An old fashion three-point play by Purifoy put the Lady Indians back up by five to end the quarter.

The final points scored in the third by the Lady Indians was a foreshadowing of what was to come. Sophomore leader, Purifoy took over the final ten minutes to pour in 15 including 7-of-8 from the free throw line. Chipola held off the feisty Eagles to win 65-57 and run their record to 5-0.  

• Tahnyjia Purifoy had back-to-back outings of 26 points to lead the Lady Indians both games.
• Jamsine Jones continued her streak of double-digit games with 14 against Meridan. Jones has scored 13 or more in each game this season.