SENATOBIA - After wading its way through a first half filled with turnovers and a meager 15 percent three-point percentage, Northwest outscored Blue Mountain JV 52-15 over the span of the second half to earn a 94-40 victory on Monday evening.

Both teams combined for 31 turnovers in the first half and finished the game with 57 total. The Lady Toppers wound up on the wrong end of the turnover battle, finishing with 32, while also seeing four players head to the bench with three fouls in the first half.

Northwest took a narrow 25-16 lead into the start of the second period, but the Lady Rangers did not allow Blue Mountain JV to score more than nine points during the next three quarters. The Lady Rangers tacked on 17 points in the second quarter, helping stretch their lead to 42-25 at halftime.

Blue Mountain JV had trouble hitting shots throughout the second half, finishing just 17 percent from the floor (5-for-30) and eight percent from beyond the arc (1-for-12). As a result, the Lady Rangers caught fire, outscoring the Lady Toppers 30-9 over the span of the third quarter and 22-6 over the final 10 minutes of regulation.

Although the Lady Rangers struggled to hit shots initially, Northwest finished the night shooting 44 percent and raised its three-point percentage to 27 percent. Northwest also pulled down 67 rebounds, compared to just 33 for Blue Mountain JV.

Marian Jenkins led all Northwest scorers with 13 points and seven boards, her third straight game in double figures. Kennidi Dean and Zaria Glover also earned 10 points apiece, with Kae'la Mitchell scoring nine off the bench. 

Four other Lady Rangers scored eight points apiece, including sophomore Claire Leak, who also posted six rebounds. Manaca Keyes, Taylor Caldwell and Sydney Brazil were the other eight-point scorers, while Lily Whitley provided seven off the bench.

Additionally, Jenkins, Alexus Lindsey and Peyton Wildman posted seven rebounds apiece to lead Northwest, while Keyes finished with six.

Sercora Tate led Blue Mountain JV with 15 points, followed by 10 from Madison Garrett. Aubrey Britt came close to a double-double for the Lady Toppers, finishing with eight points and seven rebounds.

Northwest improved to 3-0 with the win, marking the second straight season where the Lady Rangers have won their first three games. The Lady Rangers' 94 points are also the most scored in a game since January 8, 2019, when Northwest defeated Blue Mountain JV 103-37.

Next up for Northwest is a trip across the Mississippi River to West Memphis, Ark. for the ASU Mid-South Greyhound Classic. The Lady Rangers will take on host ASU Mid-South on Friday, November 11 at 7 P.M. and National Park College on Saturday, Nov. 12 at noon. Tickets for the weekend are available here. Read Full Article