Box Score DYERSBURG, TN – Alorian Story carried the load early for the Northwest Mississippi Community College women's basketball team (6-4) and the three-point shooting of the Rangers closed the game late as they picked up their second win of the season against Dyersburg State Community College (6-2) on Saturday afternoon, snapping a two-game skid in the process.
This started out with the Eagles holding the hot hand as they made four threes in the opening quarter while limiting the Rangers to just six points on the way to a 12-6 score going into the second.
Story, who had scored all six of those points in the first quarter, kept up her pace in the early second quarter and tied the game up on a 6-0 run of her own in the opening three minutes and a free throw from Andrea Rios gave Northwest their first lead since the opening minutes at 13-12 with just over seven minutes to go.
Dyersburg responded with a 7-0 run of their own and after two quarters, they still held a 24-19 lead at the half.
Northwest again went inside to open the second half and along with a lockdown defense that didn't allow the space to shoot from three for the Eagles, they rallied back to take the lead on a Zoe Metcalf three midway through the quarter, going up 29-27 as part of a 14-5 run that resulted in a lead of 36-29.
It would be cut down to five at the start of the fourth quarter, and even down to just 37-34 after some free throw makes to open the final frame by Dyersburg, but that was when the Rangers finally started seeing the three's begin to fall, first from Dekyra Mitchell and then another from Metcalf that rebuilt the lead to 45-38.
Both sides would trade baskets on the way to the final horn, but it was Story who put the game away with a late and-one that made it 52-46 to slam the door shut and give the Rangers their sixth win of the season.
Story finished with a game high 25 points and 14 rebounds, adding a block and a steal along the way. Layla Hampton was just as impressive, leading the team in rebounds in the first quarter on the way to 12 in the game while scoring nine points and picking up six assists.
Mitchell finished with eight points, all in the second half, and Metcalf added another six on a pair of threes.
Northwest was very efficient in holding onto the ball, only turning it over 12 times in the game and the defense combined for seven steals.
The Rangers are back on the road again next week as they will have two more games before the Christmas break, traveling to Scooba for a game with East Mississippi Community College on December 4th before they close the home slate out with a Monday game on December 8th against Holmes Community College.
You can keep up with the Northwest schedule and news by visiting nwccrangers.com or by following along on Ranger social media accounts.
