The McLennan women battled to a 64-60 victory over the Blinn Buccaneers.
McLennan got off to a slow start, allowing Blinn to take the early. A 3-pointer by Tajenae Gooden put McLennan on the board with 6:17 to play in the quarter and started an 8-0 run giving the squad its first lead at 8-7. The teams traded baskets with Blinn leading 14-12 with 2:56 to go. A bucket by Lanaijha Johnson followed by two from Charnelle Hoof put McLennan up 17-14. Blinn's Kamira Ford hit a shot just before the buzzer to cut the lead to one, 17-16.
The second quarter was back-and-forth between the two squads. The score was tied at 27 following a Hoof fade with 4:16 to go before the half. Taylor Spencer's 3-pointer gave Blinn the 30-27 advantage with 2:39 on the clock. Shakira Brown drained a long ball for McLennan to tie the game again with just over a minute left in the frame. Amyah Weathersby's put back gave the Buccaneers the lead briefly but Johnson hit two free throws in the final seconds to tie the game at 32 at the half.
Spencer hit a 3-pointer for Blinn to open the third quarter before McLennan responded with a 7-0 run by Johnson and Hoof to go up 39-35. Spencer added another 3-pointer to cut the lead to one, 39-38. McLennan would extend the lead to four several times in the quarter be each time Blinn would pull within one. McLennan led by three, 51-48, with just under two minutes left in the period. Cynthia LeCompte would add a basket for the Buccaneers in the final minute to make it a one-point McLennan lead going to the fourth, 51-50.
McLennan's Trinity Butler opened the final quarter on an 7-0 run over her own to make it an eight-point lead for her squad, 58-50. A Mariah Davis 3-pointer for Blinn stopped the run and cut the lead to five, 58-53 with just over six minutes to go. Butler and Gooden combined to go 4-6 from the free throw line to extend the lead to nine, 62-53. Blinn pulled within four late, but McLennan was able to hold off the comeback.
Hoof led McLennan with 26 points. Lanaijha Johnson and Trinity Butler scored 14 and 11, respectively.
Blinn: Taylor Spencer 5 0-0 13; Cynthia LeCompte 2 2-6 6; Jasey Campbell 1 4-4 7; Jaya Gradney 1 0-0 2; Chloe Williams 2 0-0 5; Phoenix Sneed 1 0-0 2; Mariah Houston 2 0-0 5; Sami'ya Mahr 0 0-0 0; Kamaria Ford 2 0-0 4; Amyah Weathersby 1 2-2 4; Mariah Davis 3 5-6 12; Totals: 20 13-18 60.
McLennan: Kaedynce Cox-Dunlap 1 0-0 2; Ar'Mya Amos-Horsley 0 0-0 0; Shakira Brown 1 0-2 3; Charnelle Hoof 12 1-2 26; Tajenae Gooden 2 2-2 7; Charravia Smith 0 0-0 0; Trinity Butler 3 4-6 11; Danai Lewis 0 1-2 1; Lanaijha Johnson 5 4-7 14; Kamara Effit 0 0-0 0; Totals: 24 12-21 64.
Halftime score: McLennan 32, Blinn 32; 3-pointers: Blinn 7 (Spencer 3, Campbell 1, Williams 1, Houston 1, Weathersby 1), McLennan 4 (Brown 1, Hoof 1, Gooden 1, Butler 1); Total fouls: Blinn 21, McLennan 20; Fouled out: Weathersby (Blinn); Record: McLennan 11-1.
