In the final home game of the 2026 season, the McLennan women's basketball squad picked up an 80-65 victory over the Southwestern Christian Lady Rams.
McLennan led 5-0 early after a floater by Charravia Smith and 3-pointer from the wing by Tajenae Gooden. Southwestern Christian got on the board with a layup by Cra'Lajah Bradley and battled to tie the game at seven at the first media timeout. A bucket-and-one by Lanaijha Johnson started an 8-0 run that gave McLennan the 15-7 lead with three minutes to play in the first. The Lady Rams pulled within five at 16-11 but McLennan closed the quarter on a 6-0 run to lead 22-2 going into the second period.
A three-point play by Nevaeh Otis to open quarter gave McLennan its first double-digit lead at 25-13. Once again Southwestern Christian chipped away, cutting the back to seven at 27-20 with 4:40 to play before the half. McLennan responded with an 8-0 run to push the lead to 15 at 35-20 with 2:30 to go. After a basket for each team made it 37-22, the Lady Rams' Danielle Bennett went 4-4 from the free throw line to cut the lead to 11, 37-26. Smith added a pair of free throws for McLennan to give the squad the 39-26 lead at intermission.
McLennan opened the third on a 6-0 run with two points each for Johnson, Smith and Charnelle Hoof to extend the lead to 19 at 45-26. Southwestern Christian wasn't going away and rallied to pull back within nine at 47-38. McLennan extended the lead back to 14 just three minutes and held the 59-48 advantage going into the fourth.
The Lady Rams continued to fight into the final period, chipping away at the lead to get within with just under seven minutes to play, 62-57. That would prove to be as close as Southwestern Christian would get as McLennan pulled away again down the stretch for the win.
Lanaijha Johnson led the way for McLennan with 19 points, and Charravia Smith had 17. Neveah Otis scored 15 and Tajenae Gooden added 10.
Southwestern Christian: Kenya Palmer Taylor 8 0-0 19; Danielle Bennett 4 8-9 16; Cra'Lajah Bradley 4 0-0 8; Andrielle Johnson 1 0-0 3; Destiny Lewis 5 3-5 15; Gabrielle Bradley 0 0- 0; Amani Fields 0 0-0 0; Takiyah Lewis 1 0-1 2; Gracie Oma 1 0-4 2; Kaliyah Moss 0 0-0 0; Brandi Turner 0 0-0 0; Totals: 23 11-19 65.
McLennan: Nevaeh Otis 7 1-1 15; Kaedynce Cox-Dunlap 1 0-0 2; Ar'Mya Amos-Horsley 0 1-2 1; Shakira Brown 2 0-0 6; Charnelle Hoof 1 0-0 2; Tajenae Gooden 4 2-2 11; Charravia Smith 7 3-5 17; Trinity Butler 0 0-0 0; Danai Lewis 2 3-6 7; Taniya Cruthird 0 0-0 0; Lanaijha Johnson 6 7-8 19; Totals: 30 17-24 80.
Halftime score: McLennan 39, Southwestern Christian 26; 3-pointers: Southwestern Christian 6 (Palmer Taylor 3, Lewis 2,Johnson 1), McLennan 3 (Brown 2, Gooden 1); Total fouls: Southwestern Christian 23, McLennan 21; Fouled out: Smith (McLennan) Brown (McLennan), Oma (Southwestern Christian); Record: McLennan 24-5 (12-4).
