SENATOBIA - Freshman
Mikayla Abram recorded her first career double-double, scoring 13 points and 12 rebounds, as Northwest survived a close Thursday night battle with Hinds, 56-54.
Neither team shot well to start the contest and Hinds held a slim lead for most of the first quarter, until a fast-break layup from
Zaria Glover put Northwest ahead 12-11 at the 1:32 mark. The sophomore from Las Vegas also hit the subsequent free throw and Abram hit a layup to close out the quarter, giving the Lady Rangers a 15-11 advantage.
Northwest led for the duration of the second quarter and a three-pointer from
Anaria Lee helped the Lady Rangers widen the gap to as many as 10 points with 3:34 left before halftime.
Mariah Reed-Jones closed out the first half by hitting a pair of free throws, sending Northwest to the locker room ahead 32-23.
Although the Lady Rangers led by six or more for the first four minutes of the third quarter, Hinds stormed back with an 8-0 run to cut the deficit to 37-35 with 3:54 left.
McKenzie Amos helped Northwest get some breathing room, pushing the lead back to five points on a free throw and a layup. However, the Lady Bulldogs kept their newfound momentum going, tying the game at 40-40 with 1:21 remaining.
Hinds closed out the period on a 5-2 stretch, as Northwest trailed 45-42 heading to the fourth quarter.
With neither team able to score for the first minute and change of the fourth quarter, Hinds extended its lead to five off Lamaria Jones' jumper. However, a jumper from Abram and a three-pointer from
Kae'la Mitchell helped Northwest tie the game at 47-47.
On the next possession, a missed shot from the Lady Bulldogs resulted in a basket from Reed-Jones on the other end, helping the Lady Rangers gain a 49-47 advantage with 6:19 left to go.
Though Northwest led by three with five minutes left, Hinds was able to regain a 52-51 lead with 4:03 left. The two teams traded defensive stops the rest of the way, but a layup from Abram gave the Lady Rangers a 55-54 advantage with 41 seconds remaining.
Hinds would get a chance to regain the lead on the following possession, but Jones missed a layup with 11 seconds left. Reed-Jones would then seal the win on the other end, making one of her two free throw attempts, allowing the Lady Rangers to escape with the narrow victory.
Northwest finished the evening shooting 32 percent, compared to the Lady Bulldogs' 27 percent effort. The Lady Rangers outmatched Hinds in the paint, 26-12, while also earning 25 points off the bench.
Abram was the only Lady Ranger to finish in double figures, but Reed-Jones did earn nine points, while Lee and Mitchell collected seven points apiece.
Marian Jenkins also led Northwest with 10 rebounds to go with her six points.
Jones led Hinds with 11 points and six rebounds, while Chasity Woodard provided a team-high 10 rebounds. Brooklyn Harris and Kimiyah Williams also contributed eight points each.
With the win, Northwest improved to 15-7 on the season and 7-4 in the MACCC, as Hinds fell to 6-13 overall and 2-8 in conference play. The Lady Rangers will now turn their focus to a road contest at Itawamba, scheduled for Monday, February 26. The Lady Indians (18-4, 6-4 MACCC) are coming off two straight conference losses, including their most-recent 82-50 loss at Mississippi Gulf Coast on Thursday.
Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 P.M. with live coverage available at
letsgoicctv.com/red.
