BOONEVILLE – Trailing by 19 points with 2:42 left in the third quarter, Northwest used a barrage of 3-pointers to outscore Jones County 53-35 over the fourth quarter and overtime period to rally for a 118-112 win in the season-opener at the Northeast Tipoff Classic.

It was a huge win for the Lady Rangers, snapping a seven-game losing streak to the Lady Bobcats dating back almost a decade. JCJC won both meetings last season by 20-plus.

All five Lady Ranger starters scored in double figures, including sophomore Brianna Williams who dropped a career-high 31 points to go along with 11 rebounds. Williams was 17-of-20 from the free throw line and 7-of-15 from the floor.

Averyale Joy (23), Janesha Johnson (22), Kelsey Brown (21), Sara Lytle (15) and Williams combined to score 112 of Northwest's 118 points  – its most since Nov. 11, 1993. 

JCJC jumped out to an early 12 point lead before eight straight points for Williams pulled Northwest within 25-24 at the end of the first quarter.

The game swung back-and-forth for most of the second quarter but JCJC pulled ahead 54-43 at the half.

Tatyana Lofton's free throw at the 2:42-mark of the third quarter gave JCJC its largest lead at 74-55. Two Brown 3-pointers cut the lead to single digits and the momentum seemed to shift in the Lady Rangers' favor.

Three 3-pointers from Johnson and three consecutive free throws from Williams helped spark a 26-9 run for the better part of the fourth quarter, giving Northwest a 91-88 lead with just under 4 minutes left in regulation.

The teams exchanged five leads over the final 2:44, with Wendion Bibbins scoring six tough points for JCJC to help pull the game to 96-96.

Joy's two free throws with 8 seconds left gave Northwest a 103-100 lead before Lofton's deep 3-pointer from the left wing tied the game at 103-103 with 2 seconds left. Brown had a final chance to win it for Northwest in regulation but her 3-point attempt hit the back iron.

JCJC scored seven of the first nine points of overtime, taking a 110-105 lead.

But once again Northwest came firing back, using 3-pointers from Johnson and Lytle to push ahead 111-110. The teams were tied a final time at 112 before six straight from Northwest at the free throw line and a late layup from Williams helped seal the come-from-behind win.

Northwest was 15-of-41 from beyond the arc and shot 41 percent for the game from the floor. They were also fantastic at the line, finishing 35-for-41. JCJC shot 44 percent from the floor and was led by 28 points and 15 boards from Bibbins and 24 from Lofton.

Northwest will return to action on Thursday, traveling to ASU Mid-South for a 5 p.m. tip in West Memphis, Ark.