CLARKSDALE – For a second straight game, Northwest needed some last-second magic to pull off a win.

Trailing Coahoma by 24 points with seven minutes left in the third quarter, Northwest outscored the Lady Tigers 52-27 the rest of the way and got a go-ahead free throw from Mercades Ward with four seconds left to pull off an 81-80 come-from-behind victory Monday night in The Pinnacle.

Northwest improved to 8-6 overall and 4-1 in the north (tied-first) with its third consecutive win and 455th of head coach Don Edwards' storied career.

Coahoma (2-12, 0-4) was ready to play the spoiler role and dominated the opening 20 minutes in taking a 41-23 lead at half. 

After shooting just 27 percent in the first half, Northwest shot a season-high 54 percent in the second half and constantly pounded it in the paint with Tamaria Thomas, Abbreanna Miller and Kayla Bradley.

Bradley scored 16 of her team-high 20 points in the second and Thomas scored all 13 of hers as the Lady Rangers outscored the Lady Tigers 50-26 in the paint. 

Coahoma's lead was 53-29 with exactly seven minutes left in the third before Northwest started to chip away.

Down by 20, a 14-4 run to close the third quarter pulled Northwest within striking distance at 65-55. Thomas and Chrissah Shaw combined to score 10 of the final 12 points.

The Coahoma lead was 77-71 with 3:26 left before a final surge from the Lady Rangers.

Northwest scored eight straight to take its first lead since the first quarter, 79-77, on a layup and free throw from Mercades Ward with 1:04 remaining.

Coahoma would tie the game at 80-80 on a jumper by Geneva Walker with 10 seconds left and Northwest called a timeout to advance the ball to mid-court to setup a potential game-winner. 

Ward, the hero in the Holmes win, once again came up with the go-ahead points. Fouled driving to the rim, Ward sunk the back end of a two-shot foul to put Northwest up 81-80 and the Lady Rangers would force a steal on the other end to secure the victory.

Four Lady Rangers scored in double figures, led by Bradley's 20, 13 each from Thomas and Shaw and 11 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks from Abbreanna Miller. Ward had six points, four steals and career-high 14 assists.

Coahoma also had four scorers in double figures, paced by 22 from Walneika Holmes and 20 points and 10 boards from Walker.

Northwest will step out of division play on Thursday when they play host to ASU Mid-South at Howard Coliseum.