The 14th-seed McLennan Highlassies defeated the 19th-seed Murray State Aggies 50-47 in overtime this morning in the opening round of the NJCAA Division I Women's Basketball National Championship in Lubbock.
It was a back-and-forth affair from start to finish. Both teams started slow offensively. Murray State found its rhythm first, building a five-point lead at 7-2 with 5:21 to go in the first quarter. Following a McLennan timeout, Jaydyn Bullard sank a pair of free throws for the Highlassies providing the spark that the squad needed. Miannah Little followed with a pair of back-to-back drives in the lane to complete the 6-0 run that gave McLennan its first lead at 8-7 with 2:51 to go in the first. The Aggies managed just one jumper by Briana Knabe down the stretch to hold the 9-8 lead after one quarter of play.
Murray State opened the second quarter on a 4-0 run to push the lead to five, 13-8 with 9:35 on the clock. Chelsea Wooten responded with a 3-pointer from the wing for the Highlassies, igniting a 7-0 McLennan run that put McLennan on top 15-13 with 4:10 remaining before the half. Murray State tied the game with a Lanie Gooch basket and took the two-point lead on a Knabe jumper with 2:44 to go. Aniya Williams' put back for McLennan tied the game at 17, but Knabe drained a pair of free throws with 38.1 seconds to go to give Murray State the 19-17 lead at intermission.
Bineta Diatta stepped up for the Highlassies on both ends of the court early in the third quarter with a pair of blocks and four points. The game was tied at 23 with 6:50 to go in the quarter. Murray State took the one-point lead on a Knabe free throw before a 5-0 run comprised of a driving basket by Little and 3-pointer by Aaliyah Holmes put McLennan up 28-24. The Aggies added a bucket by Gooch and went 5-6 from the free throw line down the stretch to lead 31-28 going into the fourth.
Points were hard to find for both teams early in the fourth quarter. A Diatta put back for McLennan made it a 31-30 Murray State lead with 9:10 remaining in the game. Jade Millan's 3-pointer put the Aggies up by four but Diatta banked a shot off the glass to pull the Highlassies within two, 34-32 with 6:18 on the clock. Another Millan 3-pointer made it a five-point lead for Murray State midway through the quarter 37-32. Wooten added a 3-pointer for McLennan to pull within two but the Aggies quickly responded with a Mattie Busby layup to lead 39-35 with 3:30 to play. Holmes added another 3-pointer for McLennan to make it a one-point game with 1:49 to go, 39-38. Murray State would lead by three, 41-38, with a minute remaining in regulation following a Reese Webb put back. Diatta added a basket for McLennan with 49 second to play to make it a one-point Murray State, 41-40. Little went 1-2 from the free throw line for the Highlassies with 4.2 seconds on the clock to tie the game at 41. Murray State had several chances for last-second shots but couldn't capitalize forcing the overtime period.
McLennan opened the extra period on a 5-0 run to lead 46-41 with just under three minutes to go. Murray State responded with a 6-0 run to lead by one at 47-46 with one minute on the clock. Saneea Bevley's sank a 3-pointer, her first points of the game, with 34.5 seconds on the clock to put McLennan up by two 49-47. Bevley then went 1-2 from the free throw line to secure the win.
McLennan advances to the second round, facing Trinity Valley at 5 p.m. Friday.
Murray State: Payton James 0 0-0 0; Lanie Gooch 4 0-2 8; Briana Knabe 2 1-2 5; Remi Langmaid 0 0-0 0; Mattie Busby 4 7-8 15; Jade Millan 3 2-2 10; Reese Webb 3 3-4 9; Totals: 16 13-18 47.
McLennan: Aysia Ward 0 0-0 0; Chelsea Wooten 3 2-9 8; Miannah Little 6 1-2 13; Saneea Bevley 1 1-2 4; Jaydyn Bullard 0 2-2 2; Bineta Diatta 6 1-2 13; Aniya Williams 1 0-0 2; Aaliyah Holmes 2 2-4 8; Bailee St. Romain 0 0-0 0; Totals: 19 7-12 50.
3-pointers: Murray State 2 (Millan 2), McLennan 5 (Holmes 2, Wooten 2, Bevley 1); Total fouls: Murray State 13, McLennan 18; Halftime score: Murray State 19, McLennan 17; Record: McLennan 28-4 (14-2).
Next Up: The Highlassies advance to Friday's second round and will face third-seed Trinity Valley at 5 p.m.
