The McLennan women, ranked 23rd in the NJCAA Division I Preseason Poll, bombarded the 18th-ranked Blinn Buccaneers 64-42 tonight at The Highlands.
Blinn appeared strong at the beginning of the game, opening on a 5-0 run before McLennan found its rhythm. McLennan put together a 19-0 run behind strong shooting from Amerie Flowers and Kennedi Ard that spanned over nine minutes of play. McLennan led 19-5 with just under nine minutes to go in the first half after holding the Buccaneers scoreless for 10 minutes. Blinn put together a 7-0 run to pull within seven, 19-12 with 5:50 to go in the second quarter. McLennan pulled away late in the period, leading by as many as a 15, 33-18. Blinn's Wynter Jones added a pair of free throws with 1:23 to go to cut the McLennan lead to 13 at the break, 33-20.
Blinn's Tocarra Johnson banked a shot off the glass less than a minute into the third quarter but McLennan poured it on from that point on. Tyla Roberts went 1-2 from the free throw line to start a 5-0 run. The Buccaneers added another Johnson bucket before McLennan responded with 6-2 run to push the lead to 18 going into the final period, 44-26. McLennan continued to push the gas in the fourth, leading by as many as 29 midway through the quarter.
Amerie Flowers led the McLennan scorers with 19 points. Jalayah Ingram and Kennedi Ard scored 15 points each.
Blinn: Jonesha Neal 0 3-4 3; Elizabeth Walton 2 0-0 4; Taylor Spencer 0 0-2 0; Wynter Jones 3 2-2 11; Jaya Gradney 0 0-0 0; Nala Richardson 1 0-0 2; Ja'Nya Thomas 1 4-8- 6; Crystal Jones 0 0-0 0; Antronea Jackson 2 0-2 4; Cynthia LeCompte 0 2-2 2; Jasey Campbell 1 0-0 2; DJ Kincade 0 0-0 0; Ke'Myreul Wheaton 1 0-0 2; Tocarra Johnson 3 0-0 6; Totals: 14 11-20 42.
McLennan: Hannah Mouton 0 2-2 2; Jalayah Ingram 6 2-2 15; Kennedi Ard 6 0-0 15; Charnelle Hoof 1 0-0 2; Tajenae Gooden 1 3-4 6; Taylor Craver 1 0-0 3; Tyla Roberts 0 1-2 1; Amerie Flowers 8 3-6 19; Danai Lewis 0 0-0 0; Pauline Maccarthy 0 1-2 1; Totals: 23 12-18 64.
First Quarter score: McLennan 19, Blinn 5; Halftime score: McLennan 33, Blinn 20; Third quarter score: McLennan 11, Blinn 26; 3-pointers: Blinn 3 (W. Jones 3), McLennan 6 (Ard 3, Ingram 1, Gooden 1, Craver 1); Total fouls: Blinn 19, McLennan
Fouled out: Johnson (Blinn); Record: McLennan 3-0.
