By Brett Brown
NWCC Sports Information

A first half surge propelled the Northwest Mississippi Community College Lady Rangers to a 77-68 victory against the Mineral Area College Cardinals Dec. 4 at Howard Coliseum in Senatobia.

Northwest, which improved to 8-2 overall, has won eight of its last nine contests.

Mineral Area led 22-11 with 9:27 left in the first half, but back-to-back three pointers from Tamara Wadlington of Oxford and Ciera Thomas of Martin, Tenn., sparked Northwest.

The Lady Rangers closed the half with a 24-6 run to claim a 35-28 lead at intermission. Wadlington added another three-point basket during that stretch, while Thomas chipped in with a conventional three-point play after being fouled on a lay up.

Northwest kept the pressure on the Cardinals in the second half by outscoring them 13-4 over the first four minutes of the period to push its lead to 48-32. The Lady Rangers used a couple of three-point shots from Jalisa Pointer of Coahoma and one from Normanique Johnson of Olive Branch to fuel the run.

Mineral Area tried to put together a late rally and trimmed the deficit to 74-68 with 24 seconds left, but Thomas made two free throws to seal the victory for Northwest.

Thomas led the Lady Rangers with 14 points, while Wadlington added 13. Sabrina Townsend of Batesville pitched in with 11, while Pointer scored 10.

Northwest traveled to Scooba Monday to open MACJC north division play against East Mississippi.