McLennan defeats Southwestern Christian, secures regional top seed

The McLennan women's basketball secured a share of the conference championship and a top seed in next week's Region V Tournament with a 74-41 victory over the Southwestern Christian Lady Rams this afternoon in Terrell.
 
It was a slow start offensively for both teams. Mya Cotto began the scoring began the scoring with a 3-pointer from the wing for Southwestern Christian. Aysia Ward went 1-2 from the free throw line with 7:16 to go in the first quarter to put McLennan on the board and ignited a 12-0 run to give them the 12-3 lead with 3:28 to go in the first quarter. Southwestern Christian responded with a 4-0 run comprised of a basket by Nyah Morgan and pair of free throws by Cotto to cut the lead to five, 12-7, and McLennan would continue to hold the five-point lead at the end of the first, 15-10.
 
McLennan stepped up to start the second. A Jalayah Ingram jumper started an 8-0 run to push the lead to 13, 23-10, with 7:38 to play before the half. Southwestern Christian made a small rally midway through the quarter, trimming the lead to nine, 27-18. McLennan pulled away with a 7-0 run capped by a Mersadez Nephew 3-pointer to push the lead to 16, 34-18 with 2:20 to go. The Lady Rams ended the frame on a 5-0 run including a last-second bucket by Jaylin VanDunk to cut the lead to 11 at the break, 34-23.
 
VanDunk opened the third quarter with an off-balanced shot to pull Southwestern Christian within nine, 34-25. The momentum swung back to McLennan with back-to-back 3-pointers by Alaina Payne and Nephew, 40-25. A layup by Niyah Johnson following a Nephew steal, and another 3-pointer by Nephew made it a 20-point game midway through the third quarter, 45-25. McLennan continued to dominate, holding Southwestern Christian to just four free throws from Cotto down the stretch as they pushed the lead to 57-29 going into the final quarter.
 
McLennan continued to roll through the fourth quarter, leading by as many as 35.
 
Mersadez Nephew led McLennan with 19 points, and Aysia Ward added 16. Kalisha Phillips scored 10.