The 12th-ranked McLennan women dominated the Ranger Lady Ranger tonight at The Highlands, picking up the 66-37 conference victory
Both teams started off slowly, with a series of turnovers among the two squads. Mersadez Nephew began the scoring with a long jump shot for McLennan with just under eight minutes remaining in the first quarter. A Kelechi Uchem basket from the lane put Ranger on the board less than 30 seconds later to tie the game at two. Following the first media timeout, Niyah Johnson went 1-2 from the free throw line to put McLennan up 3-2. McLennan continued to lead by one, 5-4, with three minutes to go in the quarter. The squad finally found its offensive rhythm and ended the quarter on an 11-0 run to make it a 16-4 McLennan leading going into the second.
McLennan's defense continued to keep the Lady Rangers off balance throughout the second quarter. McLennan led 19-8 with 7:33 to go before the half and used a 10-0 run, highlighted by a 3-pointer from the top of the key by Jalayah Ingram, to break the game open. The McLennan lead would be as much as 21 down the stretch, and the team held the 31-17 lead at halftime.
The scoring picked up for both teams early in the third quarter. Ranger opened with an and-one play by Aisha Marten to cut the lead to 11 but McLennan responded with a four-point and-one play by Nephew as she was fouled on the 3-point shot from the corner. That play swung the momentum in McLennan's favor as they pushed the lead to 20 midway through the quarter, 44-24. Ranger scored just one free throw in eight minutes of play, allowing McLennan to extend the lead to 25 at the end of the frame, 50-25.
Ranger's scoring woes continued into the final quarter as McLennan continued to dominate on both ends of the court. Uchem's floater with 5:04 remaining in the game would be the Lady Rangers first field goal since the eight minute mark of the third quarter but they couldn't keep up with McLennan.
Aniya Williams led McLennan with 17 points. Alaina Payne, Mersadez Nephew and Jalayah Ingram scored 12 points each.
Ranger: Saylor Upshaw 0 0-2 0; Janiya Davis 2 0-0 6; Marta Chico 1 2-2 4; Aisha Marten 1 3-3 5; Meyanni Moore 0 4-6 4; Jah'Merah Linville 2 1-2 6; Kelechi Uchem6 0-6 12; Maeve Connell 0 0-0 0; Totals: 12 10-21 37.
McLennan: Aysia Ward 2 0-0 4; Alaina Payne 6 0-2 12; Mersadez Nephew 4 2-3 12; Jalayah Ingram 4 2-2 12; Peyton Hearvey2 0-0 4; Niyah Johnson 1 1-4 3; Aniya Williams 7 3-4 17; Kalisha Phillips 1 0-0 2; Totals: 26 8-15 66.
First Quarter score: McLennan 16, Ranger 4; Halftime score: McLennan 31, Ranger 17; Third Quarter score: McLennan 50, Ranger 25; 3-pointers: Ranger 2 (Davis 2), McLennan 4 (Nephew 2, Ingram 2; Total fouls: Ranger 14, McLennan 20; Fouled out: Williams (McLennan); Record: McLennan 16-5 (5-2).
