Highlassies come up short against New Mexico

The McLennan Highlassies suffered a heart-breaking 79-75 loss to the New Mexico Lady Thunderbirds this afternoon in the championship game of the Region V Tournament in Lubbock.

McLennan's Ashley Bean scored the first five points of the contest as the Highlassies began on a 5-0 run. New Mexico responded with a 10-0 run to take the five-point lead with 15:26 remaining in the first half. McLennan cut the lead to two before the Lady Thunderbirds used a 10-0 run to take the first double-digit lead of the game, 22-10 with 12 minutes to go in the half. New Mexico led by 13, 37-24, with 5:46 to play in the half. The Highlassies rallied, cutting the lead to five, 45-40, with 1:21 to go. But the Lady Thunderbirds ended the half on 5-2 run to take the 50-42 advantage into the break.

New Mexico extended the lead to 10 midway through the second half, 66-56. McLennan cut the lead to four with 5:20 to go, 68-64. The Lady Thunderbirds led by seven, 76-69 with two minutes remaining in the game. The Highlassies rallied to cut the lead to three with 31.77 but was unable to complete the comeback.

Sophomore Shanice Davis led the Highlassies with 20 points and sophomore Ashley Bean added 18. Freshmen Sha'de Adedapo and Amani Davis added 15 and 10, respectively.
McLennan ends the season with an overall record of 20-12.

New Mexico:  Monique Mulder 1 0-0 2; Viktoriia Kotilevskaia 2 0-0 4; Blair Richmond 3  0-0 8; Leila Jdily-Ezzad 2 4-4 9; Kelsey Criner 3 2-5 8; Kasssandra Harris 9 10-11 28; T'Keya Mason 2 4-4 8; Angelica de Paulo 2 0-0 6; Tanya Simpson 3 0-0 6; Totals: 28 20-24 79.

McLennan: Kaylin Roher 2 0-0 4; Justice Crisp 1 0-0 2; Shanice Davis 6 8-9 20; Ashley Bean 6 5-5 18; Sha'de Adedapo 4 4-5 15; Amani Davis 4 0-0 10; Kyra Bauer 1 0-0 2; Latifah Rainey 1 1-5 3; Totals: 25 17-23 75.

3-pointers: New Mexico 3 (Richmond 2, Jdily-Ezzad 1), McLennan 8 (Adedapo 4, A. Davis 2, Bean 1, Roher 1); Total fouls: New Mexico 19, McLennan 22; Fouled out: New Mexico (Harris); Halftime score: New Mexico 50, McLennan 42;  Record: McLennan 20-12.