The Ranger Lady Rangers proved to be no match for the 10th-ranked McLennan women as McLennan routed the squad 72-48 in Ranger. The win moves McLennan to 15-0 on the season and 3-0 in conference play. McLennan's loss to Kilgore earlier this month was overturned following a forfeit.
McLennan dominated early in the first quarter as Tajenae Gooden and Jalayah Ingram combined for an 11-0 run to open the game. Aisha Martin finally put Ranger on the board with 4:53 remaining in the quarter. Martin led the charge for the Lady Rangers in the quarter, scoring all 10 points for the squad to cut the McLennan lead to eight heading into the second, 18-10.
The two teams continued to battle in the second with McLennan leading by seven, 26-19, with just over four minutes to go before the half. A Mariah Houston 3-pointer from the top of the key pulled the Rangers within four but McLennan quickly responded with a Hannah Mouton 3-pointer to push it back to seven, 29-22. A lucky bounce on an Anastasija Cernova jumper put Ranger trailing by five with 2:36 to play. McLennan then ended the quarter on a 6-0 run including three points each from Gooden and Amerie Flowers to make it an 11-point McLennan lead at the break, 35-24.
McLennan broke the game open in the third quarter. Ingram, who spent the majority of the first half sitting in four trouble, made her presence known. She opened the quarter on a 6-0 run of her own and scored 10 in the frame to help the squad push the lead to 21 headed to the fourth, 58-37.
With the game already in hand, McLennan coasted through the final period to the lop-sided victory.
Ingram led McLennan with 22 points. Kennedi Ard and Tajenae Gooden score 16 and 11, respectively.
McLennan: Hannah Mouton 2 0-0 6; Jalayah Ingram 7 6-6 22; Andrea Mitchell 1 0-0 3; Daija Mitchell 0 0-0 0; Kennedi Ard 5 3-4 16; Charnelle Hoof 1 1-2 3; Tajenae Gooden 3 5-6 11; Madison Nesbit 0 0-0 0; Taylor Craver 1 0-0 2; Amerie Flowers 1 3-3 5; Danai Lewis 2 0-2 4; Totals: 23 18-23 72.
Ranger: Saylor Upshaw 2 0-0 4; Elaina Burns 1 0-0 2; Anastasija Cernova 3 0-0 7; Mariah Houston 4 5-8 16; Aisha Martin 7 4-5 19; Alani Owens 0 0-0 0; Maeve Connell 0 0-0 0; Emma Garcia Piric 0 0-0 ; Jemima Yowa 0 0-0 0; Totals: 17 9-14 48.
First Quarter score: McLennan 18, Ranger 10; Halftime score: McLennan 35, Ranger 24; Third quarter score: McLennan 58, Ranger 37; 3-pointers: McLennan 8 (Ard 3, Mouton 2, Ingram 2, Johnson 1), Ranger5 (Houston 3, Cernova 1, Martin 1); Total fouls: McLennan 16, Ranger 17; Record: McLennan 15-0 (3-0).
