CLINTON – The Jones County Junior College Lady Bobcats have a chance to run into the school's history books.
The Lady Bobcats will play Itawamba for the Region 23 Tournament championship at 6 p.m. on Saturday and a chance to become the first JCJC women's basketball team to compete in the NJCAA Division I National Tournament.
JCJC crushed Northwest Mississippi 94-68 on Friday night in the semifinals here in the A.E. Wood Coliseum on the campus of Mississippi College. Itawamba surprised previously unbeaten and 16
th-ranked Copiah-Lincoln, 82-75, in the other semifinal game. The game will air on
www.letsgoicc.com.
The winner of the regional will head to the national tournament March 16-21 in Salina, Kansas.
JCJC is 19-7, while Itawamba is 22-4. The two teams split their regular season games with each team winning on the other's home court.
The Lady Bobcats won 79-73 on Nov. 13 in Fulton and lost to ICC 81-66 on Jan. 6 in Ellisville.
Once again, JCJC used a balanced scoring attack to subdue the Lady Rangers.
After placing five players in double figures in Thursday's 91-62 win over Baton Rouge Community College (Louisiana), JCJC put six players in double figures on Friday.
Alyson Johnson led the way with 18 points, while
Starla Daggans added 15.
Taylor Baudoin,
Kadie Parker and
Terrica Williams had 14 points each, while
Jayda Simmons had 10.
The Lady Bobcats shot the ball well from the field, canning 36-of-71 from the floor, including 9-of-17 3-pointers, for 51 percent. They were 12-of-16 from the foul line.
JCJC took the lead for good midway through the first half when Daggans scored off an assist by
Aliyah Bell to make it 17-16 at the 10:30 mark.
The Lady Bobcats expanded the lead to 34-23 with 6:06 left when Johnson made a 3-pointer. A Parker 3-pointer made it 39-28 with 2:07 left.
Northwest cut the lead to 39-35 with 1:18 left when Aspriona Gilbert converted a 3-point play, but that was as close as they would get.
Simmons made layups with 43 seconds and 19 seconds left to give the Lady Bobcats a 43-35 halftime lead.
JCJC took charge quickly in the second half with Johnson making back-to-back 3-pointers to give the Lady Bobcats a 51-39 lead with 16:36 remaining. Kristina Mays made two free throws with 11:06 left to cut the JCJC lead to 63-55.
The Lady Bobcats then put the game away with a 13-0 run, taking a 76-55 lead with 8:55 left on a pair of Baudoin free throws.
JCJC continued the surge and took its longest lead of the game at 89-60 with 3:38 showing when Williams made a layup off a Baudoin assist.
Simmons led the Lady Bobcats with nine rebounds, while Bell had eight assists.
Northwest outrebounded JCJC 41-37, but the Lady Bobcats committed 15 turnovers, compared to 23 for the Lady Rangers.
Gilbert paced Northwest with 21 points and 11 rebounds. Bethany Lytle added 15 points.
The Lady Rangers were 24-of-59 from the floor, including just 3-of-16 from 3-point range, for 41 percent. They were 17-of-24 from the free throw line.
Northwest ends the season at 19-7.
Region 23 Tournament
WOMENFriday's gameJones County 94, Northwest Mississippi 68NORTHWEST (19-7) – Aspriona Gilbert 21, Bethany Lytle 15, Brianna Williams 7, Jacquelyn Brooks 6, Tekevanna Young 6, Sara Lytle 6, Diamond Robinson 3, Hayley Davis 2, Kristina Mays 2, Kelsey Brown 0, Alyssia King 0, Morgan Burroughs 0, Camia O'Neal 0.
JONES COUNTY (19-7) –
Alyson Johnson 18,
Starla Daggans 15,
Kadie Parker 14,
Taylor Baudoin 14,
Terrica Williams 14,
Jayda Simmons 10,
Aliyah Bell 7,
Hayley Pichon 2,
Kristen Smith 0,
Mallory Odom 0.
Northwest 35 33 – 68Jones County 43 51 – 94 Region 23 Tournament
At ClintonMississippi CollegeA.E. Wood ColiseumWOMENThursday's resultsItawamba 90, East Central 85
Co-Lin 69, Holmes 68
Northwest Mississippi 77, Meridian 75
Jones County 91, Baton Rouge CC (LA) 62
Friday's resultsItawamba 82, Co-Lin 75
Jones County 94, Northwest Mississippi 68
Saturday's gameChampionship, Itawamba vs. Jones County, 6 p.m. Winner goes to NJCAA Division I National Tournament March 16-21 in Salina, Kansas.
